Michael O’Sullivan is a Senior Economist and Head of the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab, an action-oriented research lab that aims to identify what works to promote gender equality in Africa and use these insights to shape policy. The Lab’s evidence has informed $11.6 billion in development investments across 56 countries globally. Over the past fifteen years, Michael has led research to identify key barriers to women’s economic empowerment in Africa and test innovative solutions to overcome these barriers. He previously worked on USAID-funded projects and served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Burkina Faso. He holds a master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.