JOSEPH M. UCHUDI

***** ******** ***** # *** • Silver Spring, MD 20904-2304 USA • ac7ki6@r.postjobfree.com • Home: 301-***-**** • Cell: 301-***-****

EDUCATION

MPH, Master’s Degree in Public Health, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN, USA 2016

Ph.D., Demography & Development Sociology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA 1999

M.Sc., Demography & Development Sociology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA 1995

M.A., Population Economics, Institute of Political Studies of Paris, Paris, France 1988

B.S., Demography, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, D.R. Congo 1983

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

I am an experienced demographer, social scientist, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) expert with more than fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible experience conducting public health research through analysis of population and health data using STATA; supporting and strengthening project planning, M&E planning (development of logframes with indicators, indicator tables, and M&E plans), and design and implementation of the needed M&E processes (process monitoring, performance monitoring, impact monitoring, and evaluation studies) for national Malaria and HIV/AIDS control programs in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

During my employment with WHO in the African region and UNICEF in Kenya, I diagnosed and strengthened work plans and M&E systems of NGOs recruited as grantees and implementing partners. I had to ensure that grantees are provided with the tools & guidance materials that can allow them to have effective work plans, M&E plans and M&E processes. M&E processes (e.g., process monitoring, outcome monitoring, and evaluation studies) are intended to monitor and track implementation of planned activities and progress towards desired results. Performance measures are tools used to monitor and track progress towards achievement of desired results.

I have great experience in technical and administrative management of household sample surveys (e.g., DHS and MICS surveys assisted by Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) units), as well as in assessing the effectiveness and impact of Malaria and HIV/AIDS control programs by using non-experimental qualitative and quantitative methods such as periodic cross-sectional household surveys, collection & analysis of perception data, and before-and-after studies based on participant outcomes from survey data.

I developed a tool (rapid household sample survey) that makes it possible to periodically collect data on households’ composition and characteristics, residents’ socioeconomic attributes, access to basic health care and current use of Family Planning (FP) methods in low-income countries such as South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This tool allowed local authorities and development partners to identify the barriers that hamper access to needed health services and to monitor the expansion of FP practice between infrequently conducted large-scale health and fertility surveys.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Independent Consultant – Estimation of Child Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa 2017-2018

Used the 7 dimensions that constitute child poverty (the constitutive rights) to contribute to the development of a STATA program that can be employed to estimate child poverty in sub-Saharan countries using survey or census data.

Co-authored (2017) with Magadi M. and Coolican M. a research paper titled “Child Poverty and Its Impact on Child Health in Sub-Saharan Africa.” This paper was presented at the international conference "Putting children first: Identifying solutions and taking action to tackle poverty and inequality in Africa" held on 23-25 October 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Co-authored (2017-18) with Magadi M. and Kimuna S. a research paper titled “Socioeconomic Disadvantage and High-Risk Sexual Behavior among Adolescent Girls in Sub-Saharan Africa.” This manuscript is being prepared for publication in a peer-reviewed Journal.

JSI.INC 11/2016 – 06/2017

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Advisor

Supported USAID-funded Ebola Transmission Prevention and Survivor Services (ETP & SS) project in Guinea by coordinating all M&E aspects.

Ensured development of key tools (work plan, indicator table, and M&E plan) to ensure design and implementation of the necessary M&E activities; designed and implemented two surveys (baseline survey and end line survey) on Ebola survivors.

Coordinated mid-term review of government-run, Ebola survivor-centered surveillance strategy called Surveillance Active en Ceinture against Ebola (SA-Ceint), a community-based, Ebola survivor-centered surveillance strategy, with goal to prevent resurgence of Ebola epidemic in Guinea by ensuring early detection of symptoms suggestive of Ebola infection.

Conducted workshop to assess and strengthen performance of the SA-Ceint strategy; collected and analyzed qualitative data from workshop participants (a purpose sample of Ebola survivors invited as service recipients, and a purposive sample of service providers).

UNICEF EQUATORIAL GUINEA 12/2015-10/2016

Secondary Data Analysis Consultant

My main task was to analyze the 2015 census data and to use findings to advocate for the development of an equity-based and child-sensitive social protection system in Equatorial Guinea. The consultancy was articulated in the following three phases:

• Phase 1: From 09 December 2015 to 31 December 2015. Achievements: (1) Development of the analysis plan (including the tabulation plan); (2) Design and submission of the following documents: (a) Childhood Poverty in Equatorial Guinea: Evidence from Census Data and (b) Childhood Vulnerability and Child-Sensitive Social Protection Programming in Equatorial Guinea.

• Phase 2: August/September/October2016: The focus is analysis of the 2015 census data and presentation of the results. Expected results include disaggregated quantitative data on child poverty by background characteristics of children (e.g. age, ethnicity/race, socio-economic level, and area of residence) and formulation of recommendations.

• Phase 3: 2016 or 2017: The focus is production of the census report and guidance on the dissemination of findings.

FHI 360 06/2015-08/2015

Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist

• Strengthened national NTD programs' ability to monitor progress against stated objectives and desired outputs in selected countries by strengthening data collection processes. NTD stands for neglected tropical disease.

• Ensured that NTD programs are able to periodically report disease-specific district level data through use of the standard forms (workbooks) developed by USAID and WHO.

• For Burkina Faso and Ghana, I strengthened national NTD programs' ability to effectively conduct baseline and post-baseline prevalence surveys to determine the level of infection in the endemic districts and the level of efforts to fight NTDs in those districts.

MONITORING & EVALUATION SPECIALIST – INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT 10/2012 – 06/2015

Developed technical and financial proposals in response to requests for proposals posted by United Nations Agencies or International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs).

Analyzed survey data to produce the descriptive and multivariate statistics on health issues needed for technical reports.

Co-designed and co-carried out the following research study: Magadi M. and Uchudi J. 2015, “Onset of sexual activity among adolescents in HIV/AIDS-affected households in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Journal of Biosocial Science, Vol. 47/Issue 02, March 2015: 238-257.

Identified and designed an M&E strategy that can be used to track the activities, progress and performance of projects and/or programs.

Promoted a non-experimental impact assessment strategy (using before-and-after comparisons focused on outcomes of program participants) to assess the effectiveness of a national HIV/AIDS program: Rapid surveys are tools used to collect data on participant outcomes before and after the intervention. The before-and-after design is the most important non-experimental design that can provide evidence for intervention effectiveness in settings where a rigorous approach is not possible. This method was effectively used in Guyana & Ghana.

MERLIN 03/2012 – 09/2012

Provincial Monitoring & Evaluation Coordinator (Contractor)

Strengthened M&E procedures and tools (including data collection methodologies) to facilitate the generation of the data that are needed to measure and track progress and project achievements in all operational areas (e.g., IDP camps). Routine data (from HMIS) and qualitative data from mini-surveys were used to monitor progress towards the desired results (e.g., outputs and short-term and medium-term outcomes).

Developed a tool (rapid household sample survey) that made it possible to periodically collect data on households’ composition and characteristics, residents’ socioeconomic attributes, access to basic health care and current use of Family Planning (FP) methods in North Kivu. This tool allowed MERLIN and local authorities to identify the barriers that hamper access to needed health services and to monitor the expansion of FP practice in North Kivu between infrequently conducted large-scale health and fertility surveys.

Developed capacity development checklists to support programming and M&E efforts.

Developed an M&E strategy that is focused on tracking activities and results across various projects using the indicator matrix and the indicator-tracking table. I promoted a monitoring strategy focused on tracking and assessing activities, progress and performance for Merlin-supported humanitarian interventions (medical assistance). The monitoring strategy I contributed to develop made it possible to know if progress is being achieved in terms of implementation of planned activities and achievement of the desired results. The month-to-month tracking of performance indicators was needed to identify the indicators with trend data not moving in the expected direction.

Coordinated the design and implementation of uncontrolled before-and-after evaluation studies to assess and demonstrate progress toward desired results in IDP camps and host communities. Data used to conduct these studies came from rapid household sample surveys.

Designed and conducted research studied (based on data from rapid surveys and the use of EPI-INFO) on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and violence against children in the health zones served by Merlin projects in North Kivu (D.R. Congo).

Improved the M&E strategy for Merlin projects by strengthening not only the configuration of project log frames and work plans but also the procedures and tools used in the M&E processes.

MANAGEMENT SCIENCES FOR HEALTH 02/2011 – 03/2011

Monitoring & Evaluation Consultant

Strengthened the M&E strategy of the Guyana HIV/AIDS Reduction and Prevention project (GHARP II) by strengthening implementing partners’ ability to develop a simple and practical routine M&E system that can be used to track project activities, performance, and progress towards the desired results. This involves strengthening the log frames, action plans and work plans, indicator tables, and M&E plans.

Diagnosed and strengthened M&E systems of GHARP II project's implementing partners by identifying gaps in the main components of the routine M&E system. I strengthened HIV/AIDS surveillance by reviewing and strengthening as many surveillance tools as HIV case reporting, AIDS case reporting, HIV & STD surveillance, and behavioral surveillance surveys that are expected to periodically collect data on HIV/AIDS risk factors.

Promoted use of the before-and-after design (based on participant outcomes) to assess the mid-term effectiveness of the national HIV/AIDS program: Data on participant outcomes before and after the intervention were generated by a household sample survey conducted on beneficiary populations in purposively selected intervention districts. STATA was used to analyze collected survey data.

UNFPA SOUTH SUDAN 10/2010 – 10/2010

International Demographer & Statistician (Consultant)

Conducted secondary analysis of census data (data from the first population & housing census conducted in South Sudan) to identify the development issues (e.g.,, poverty, illiteracy, disparities in access to education and health care) that need action/intervention and used findings to strengthen participants’ ability to conduct situation analysis and development planning: determination of priorities and for each priority area, definition of the long-term or development goal (s) and identification of the objectives that can ensure the achievement of this goal. Another goal was to strengthen participants’ ability to identify the activities that are needed to achieve the established objectives.

Designed and produced capacity development training materials and the workshop final report.

UNFPA SOUTH SUDAN 12/2009 – 03/2010

International M&E Specialist (Consultant)

Diagnosed and strengthened selected ministries’ ability (Ministries of Education, Health, Water and Sanitation, and Gender in Juba, South Sudan) to collect and analyze the M&E data that can be used to track planned activities and to assess progress, performance and progress towards the desired results.

Familiarized planning and M&E staff with notions of needs assessment, development planning (establishment of development priorities and goals), project results chain, strategic and operational objectives, performance indicators, log frame, indicator matrix, M&E plan, and data collection matrix.

Developed a tool (a short survey questionnaire) that can be used to collect data on households’ composition, residents’ socioeconomic attributes, and access to basic health care and current use of Family Planning (FP) methods in South Sudan. Periodic survey data on health care access can allow UNFPA and health authorities to document the barriers that hamper access to needed health services and to monitor the expansion of FP practice in this post-conflict country.

Coordinated and facilitated the design and conduct of a five-day workshop on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) M&E in Juba, South Sudan.

Mobilized financial support from three major UN agencies (UNDP, UNICEF, and UNFPA) to organize the MGD M&E workshop. Workshop participants came from the entire country.

UNICEF KENYA 06/2007 – 07/2008

Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist (Contractor)

Contributed to better results in children’s and women’s lives by supporting and facilitating situation analysis and needs assessment, program planning (goal statement, identification of the strategic and operational objectives), M&E planning (creation of log frames with objectives and indicators, indicator tables, and M&E plans), and monitoring and evaluation of interventions for as many program areas as the following: Child Survival & Development, Health & Nutrition, Education & Youth, Water & Sanitation, and Child Protection.

Developed checklists that facilitated the development of M&E plans and the design and implementation of needs-based M&E processes (progress monitoring, impact monitoring, and impact assessment) by using cost-effective data collection methodologies I also strengthened projects’ ability to design and conduct on-site data quality verification (OSDV).

Coordinated the design and implementation of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) (population-based sample surveys) assisted by Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) units in 40 selected districts in Kenya. This involved coordination not only of training on use of handheld computers with global positioning systems for probability sampling and data entry in household surveys, but also of design and validation of the survey plan for each district, recruitment and training of survey staff, data collection, verification of data quality, analysis of collected data, and production and dissemination of survey reports. Used the descriptive statistics from survey data to produce all the necessary progress reports.

Worked with WHO-AFRO to organize training workshops in April-May 2008 in Nairobi (Kenya) on the use in household sample surveys of pre-programmed PDA devices equipped with GPS.

Co-coordinated the Operations Center (OPSCEN) that was created to facilitate programming and performance monitoring for UNICEF humanitarian assistance during the 2007 post-election violence in Kenya. Main duty was to coordinate UNICEF field teams and to ensure process monitoring and performance measurement. Impact assessment was conducted by collecting and analysis of qualitative data collected through mini-surveys.

Coordinated workshops on the monitoring of progress towards MDG and UN CRC goals and targets in Kenya.

WHO-AFRO 08/2003 – 09/2006

Monitoring & Evaluation Officer (Contractor)

Contributed to better results in maternal and child health by supporting and facilitating situation analysis and needs assessment, program planning (goal statement, identification of the strategic and operational objectives), M&E planning (creation of log frames with objectives and indicators, indicator tables, and M&E plans), and monitoring and evaluation of interventions focused on Malaria and HIV/IADS prevention and control. I also strengthened projects’ ability to design and conduct on-site data quality verification (OSDV).

Supported WHO’s malaria control efforts that aimed to strengthen malaria epidemiologic surveillance at sub-national health delivery systems by strengthening technical and operational capabilities of HMIS at district and provincial levels within the platform provided by the integrated disease surveillance & response (IDSR).

Supported malaria control activities that are based on periodic country-level assessments and a combination of interventions that are implemented to achieve the greatest public health impact – most importantly the reduction of maternal and child mortality.

Assessed the effectiveness and impact of Malaria and HIV/AIDS control programs by conducting health facility surveys and household surveys and by analyzing survey data using STATA/SPSS. Findings were disseminated through technical reports and workshops. This involved design and validation of the plan for each survey and recruitment, training and coordination of survey staff.

Designed and conducted research studies (based on survey data) on women’s status and fertility choices, and gender context and fertility behavior in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Performed data quality reviews (with focus on accuracy, completeness and timeliness) and strengthened data management and data analysis processes.

Coordinated reporting activities: Prepared and produced timely quarterly, semi-annual and annual progress reports for submission to HQ Geneva and USAID.

Co-organized and co-coordinated workshops on the diagnosis and strengthening of M&E systems for malaria prevention and control programs in Anglophone Africa (June 2004, Harare, Zimbabwe) and Francophone Africa (September 2004, Dakar, Senegal).

ORC MACRO 07/2000 – 05/2002

Research Analyst (Contractor)

Strengthened public health research, practice and policy in developing countries by using survey (DHS) data to produce the descriptive and multivariate statistics on health issues that were needed to produce the various technical reports.

Produced short and long technical reports for ORC MACRO and for clients, including USAID and UNICEF. Produced Childhood Morbidity and Treatment Patterns (interim) report with global data from population-based sample surveys conducted in 50 developing countries as part of Demographic Health Surveys (DHS) program.

Upheld integrity of data used to generate diverse statistical tabulations on populations, health, and nutritional issues using the ISSA software.

Utilized STATA software to generate statistical tabulations and to assess data quality.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND 07/1999 – 06/2000

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Reviewed various published works to identify materials necessary to support research projects for professors within the Department of Demography and Gender.

Investigated the impact of gender context on child health outcomes in the African region, using data from population-based sample surveys (DHS) conducted in 20 African countries. This study was conducted to assess the relevance of the gender conditions argument (context differences in levels of gender equity) in health research in the African region.

Mentored graduate students on research on covariates or the determinants of access to Malaria-related prevention and treatment services among women and U5 children.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY 08/1995 – 05/1999

Research Assistant

Reviewed various published works to identify materials necessary to support research projects conducted by professors within the Department of Demography and Development Sociology.

Investigated the impact of gender context on fertility behavior in sub-Saharan Africa, using data from population-based sample surveys (DHS) conducted in 18 African countries).

Designed and conducted the study titled “Seasonality and Fertility in Rural Mali: Role of Socioeconomic Resources using data from the 1987 Mali DHS. This study was conducted to examine the argument that greater female status and greater access to crucial resources such as food and/or labor in periods of acute food scarcity and peak demand for labor are associated with a greater probability of conception among Mali’s rural women during the early rainy season.

UNIVERSITY OF KINSHASA 01/1990 – 07/1992

Assistant Professor

Taught statistics, formal demography, and population and development classes.

Coordinated design and conduct of household sample surveys on child health in Kinshasa, DR Congo.

Conducted empirical studies on covariates of fertility differences, contraceptive use, and infant and child mortality in Kinshasa, DR Congo.

Participated in the collection of periodic survey data on Malaria-related control services and morbidity among women and children under five years of age not only in the capital city Kinshasa but also in the provinces. The goal was to update the national monitoring system on malaria. The focus was on ITN use and timely access to antimalarial treatment. This project was a data collection effort jointly coordinated by the National Institute of Statistics (Ministry of Planning) and the Department of Demography (University of Kinshasa).

SYSTEMS SKILLS

Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel); Proficient with and extensive use of STATA and SPSS; Ability to support development of Excel-based and Access-based Databases; Knowledge with other Applications including MS DOS, WordPerfect, and Dbase IV.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Population Association of America (PAA). International Union of Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP). American Public Health Association (APHA).

PUBLICATIONS

Uchudi J., Magadi M., and Coolican, M. 2017. Child Poverty and Its Impact on Child Health in Sub-Saharan Africa, Paper prepared for the international conference "Putting children first: Identifying solutions and taking action to tackle poverty and inequality in Africa" held on 23-25 October 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Using the 7 dimensions that constitute child poverty (the constitutive rights), I contributed to the development of a STATA program that can be employed to estimate child poverty in sub-Saharan countries using survey or census data.

Uchudi J., Magadi M., and Kimuna S., 2017. Socioeconomic Disadvantage and High-Risk Sexual Behavior among Adolescent Girls in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Multilevel Analysis. Manuscript being prepared for publication in a peer-reviewed Journal.

Uchudi, J. 2017. Gender Context and Fertility Behavior in Sub-Saharan Africa. Manuscript being prepared for publication in a peer-reviewed Journal.

Magadi M. and Uchudi J. 2015, “Onset of sexual activity among adolescents in HIV/AIDS-affected households in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Journal of Biosocial Science, Vol. 47/Issue 02: pp. 238-257.

Uchudi J., Magadi M. and Mostazir M., 2012, “A multilevel analysis of the determinants of high-risk sexual behavior in sub-Saharan Africa.” J. Biosoc. Sci. 44: 289-311.

Uchudi, JM, 2001, “Socioeconomic Characteristics and Fertility Differences in Sub-Saharan Africa: Does Spouse’s Education Matter?” J. Biosoc. Sci. 33: 481-502.

Uchudi, JM, 2001, “Covariates of Child Mortality in Mali: Does the Health-Seeking Behavior of the Mother Matter?” J. Biosoc. Sci. 33: 33-54.

Uchudi, JM, 1999, "Seasonality and fertility in rural Mali: the role of socioeconomic resources," African Population Studies, 14(1): 107-119.

Uchudi, J.M, 2006, “Monitoring and Evaluating Progress in Malaria Control in the African Region,” African Health Monitor, WHO-AFRO.

Uchudi, J.M. and Ba-Nguz A., 2005, “Socioeconomic Differentials in ITN Coverage among Children Under Five Years in Burkina Faso and Kenya,” Communicable Diseases Bulletin, WHO-AFRO, Division of Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases.

Uchudi, J.M., 1993, Education et santé, facteurs de régulation démographique et de développement: Analyse de la situation des femmes africaines, in Livenais P. & Vaugelade J. (editors), Education, changements Démographiques et Développement, Quatrièmes journées démographiques de l’ORSTOM: Paris, France.

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