Alexandra Ioan

Alexandra Ioan is the Global Qualitative Research Lead for the Impact and Evidence Team at Ashoka, a prominent global network dedicated to social entrepreneurship. She has a strong academic background, having completed her Ph.D. in Governance at the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin in 2018. Her research interests encompass civil society organizations, social entrepreneurship, and inter-sectoral collaboration aimed at addressing social challenges.124

In her current role at Ashoka, Ioan oversees the Learning and Action Center, where she focuses on compiling and analyzing data related to the experiences of Ashoka Fellows in Europe. This initiative aims to extract insights that can inform policymakers and other organizations about effective strategies for social change.13 Prior to this position, she contributed to various research projects and held roles that emphasized qualitative research methodologies within the context of social innovation.5

Ioan's work is particularly relevant in understanding how social entrepreneurs adapt and thrive amidst challenges, such as those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Her research highlights the resilience of Ashoka Fellows and their innovative responses to crises.36