Tommie Yeo Thompson

I'm an applied economist working in development, behavioral economics, and program evaluation. My research interests are in political & cultural identity under authoritarian rule, political economy of rapid urbanization, corruption, causal inference, and experimental methods. I received an AB in Political Science from the University of Chicago and an MPP from Georgetown University. 

My professional career is focused on designing, implementing, and leading impact evaluations for large-scale development programs in the Global South. Prior to the closure of USAID, I worked on the evaluation of an entrepreneurship program for informal female waste pickers in Metro Manila. I was also a Researcher at the Busara Center for Behavioral Economics, where I managed behavioral experiments on financial access, health, women's economic empowerment, and conflict in East and West Africa.

I grew up in the Philippines, and I have since lived in Nairobi, Paris, New York, Chicago, and Washington, DC. My hobby is collecting cookbooks.