Dr. Ray Wang
Ray joins the GPI team as a Postdoctoral Researcher. He is based in Oxford and works closely with the PLH team to develop and test GenAI-supported tools to strengthen digital and blended parenting interventions. A specific area of focus is developing approaches to support parent goal setting. Ray completed his PhD at the University of St Andrews, where he worked on utilising LLMs to support the provision of Harm Reduction information to People Who Use Drugs. Through this work, he brings a wealth of expertise in AI tool development, the ethics of AI, and safeguarding considerations.
Ananda Saravanja
Ananda Saravanja is a Master’s student and a Research Assistant in the SWIFT team.
(Late) Professor David Ayuku
The late Professor Ayuku, of Moi University’s Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, was a Clinical Psychologist with over 30 years of experience working with marginalised children and adolescents, particularly street-involved youth and orphans in Eldoret. Prof Ayuku served as a Principal Investigator on GPI’s Malezi Bora na Maisha Mazuri project
Hsu Nandar Aung
Hsu Nandar Aung is a humanitarian professional and Master’s student in Population and Sexual and Reproductive Health at the Institute for Population and Social Research (IPSR), Mahidol University. She holds an M.B., B.S. (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) from the University of Medicine 2, Yangon. She has extensive experience designing and managing primary health care programmes, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) interventions, particularly in conflict-affected and border regions. Her work has focused on supporting sex workers, gender-diverse populations, and displaced persons, with a strong commitment to advancing gender equity, improving health outcomes, and reducing social vulnerabilities in humanitarian contexts. Her current research explores the psychosocial determinants of early learning engagement among Myanmar migrant families along the Thailand–Myanmar border. Through both academic and professional pursuits, she is dedicated to bridging evidence and practice to strengthen inclusive health systems and uphold the rights and well-being of vulnerable populations.
Aya Fujita
Aya leads the disability inclusion analysis for the Ugandan Parenting for Respectability Implementation Science Evaluation (UPRISE). Her research focuses on risk factors and moderating effects related to violence against children with disabilities, and on generating actionable evidence to inform disability-inclusive programmes and policies in Uganda.
Ellie Bashkova
Ellie is a Research Support Assistant at the Global Parenting Initiative (GPI), where she contributes to research efforts across all GPI projects. She holds an MPhil in Criminological Research from the University of Cambridge and a BA from University College London (UCL). In addition to her role at GPI, Ellie works as a Research Assistant at Loughborough University, where she supports the implementation of an evidence-based school intervention aimed at promoting pro-social behaviour. Prior to this, Ellie held research assistant positions at Utrecht University and Royal Holloway, where she contributed to studies on the spread of misinformation among young people and on human rights violations in elderly care homes, respectively. Her research interests include violence prevention, human rights, and the wellbeing of vulnerable and marginalised populations. Ellie hopes to pursue a PhD in the future.