Karen Snow

I have more than 20 years of experience developing, delivering and evaluating social behaviour change programmes in areas of deprivation worldwide, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. I research and design programmes that support the agency of minorities like children and women to act on their own goals and aspirations and to prevent their subordination through violence. My PhD research produced the first quantitative comparison of effects sizes between social programmes to change social norms and reduce violence against women (VAW) and children (VAC) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including those targeting VAW/C simultaneously. My research found that both parent training and couple counselling are needed in addition to community mobilisation; local leadership; critically reflecting on power; social support from males, friends and family; and engaging with actors across multiple socio-ecological levels. I am currently a post-doc researcher investigating a family strengthening pilot as a Research Associate at the University of Oxford, in partnership with Cardiff University and Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.

In the private sector, I led public affairs and advocacy campaigns for tech companies in Silicon Valley before opting for a career in social justice. As director and founder of For Common Cause, I developed a coalition of organisations that supported low-income clients with professional skills and resources to build small businesses and their own community programmes. For the charity's work, I was nominated for Woman of the Year in the Pioneer category by Red magazine. In sum, my experience is in working across the public and private sectors to research, design and deliver large-scale programme strategies for social inclusion. I’m available at +44(0)7738622694, snow.karen@spi.ox.ac.uk, and helloksnow@gmail.com.