Meet the Country Leads

Dr. Elizabeth Searing

United States

Dr. Elizabeth Searing is the Lead PI and an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her primary research focus is the financial management of nonprofit and social enterprise organizations, but she also conducts work on resilience, charity data, and comparative social economy more broadly.

Dr. Nathan Grasse

Canada

Dr. Nathan Grasse is an Associate Professor at Carleton University. He focuses on the governance of public-serving organizations, including associations between governance and financial management. This includes the study of revenue structures, the potential conditioning effects of organizational and environmental factors, and the implications of strategic choices on financial health and other organizational outcomes.

Dr. Georg Von Schnurbein

Switzerland

Dr. Georg von Schnurbein is Professor of Foundation Management at the Faculty of Economics and Founding Director of the Center for Philanthropy Studies (CEPS) at the University of Basel. His research focuses on nonprofit management and philanthropy, especially on topics such as governance, financing of NPOs and volunteerism.

Dr. Vikki McCall

United Kingdom

Dr. Vikki McCall is a Professor of Social Policy at the University of Stirling whose research focuses on housing, ageing, social inclusion, stigma, and community wellbeing. Alongside her research, she teaches in one of the UK’s largest Housing Studies programs and has received multiple awards for excellence and innovation in teaching.

Dr. Steve Rolfe

United Kingdom

Dr. Steve Rolfe is a Senior Lecturer in Social Policy at the University of Stirling whose research focuses on housing policy, community participation, social welfare, and support systems for vulnerable populations. His work explores how housing organizations, public services, and community initiatives can improve wellbeing, especially for disadvantaged groups, veterans, and tenants.

Meet the Research Team

Anton Sutiagin

United States

Anton Sutiagin is a doctoral student and teaching assistant in Public and Nonprofit Management at the University of Texas at Dallas, with a background in market research, consumer insights, and strategic account leadership. His work bridges academic research and industry expertise, with interests in organizational strategy, public sector management, and data-driven decision-making.

Zahir Shaikh

United States

Zahir Shaikh is a psychology researcher and community outreach specialist whose work spans social psychology, cognitive development, and data-driven behavioral research. With academic training from The University of Texas at Dallas and The University of Texas at Austin, he combines research analytics with community advocacy, focusing on mental health and public engagement.

Dr. Findlay Smith

United Kingdom

Findlay Smith is a researcher and policy scholar whose work focuses on public policy, governance, and devolved decision-making systems. With academic experience connected to the University of Stirling and international collaboration opportunities, his research explores how governmental structures and institutions shape public administration, regional policy, and civic outcomes.

Carlo Tschopp

Switzerland

Carlo Tschopp is a PhD candidate and research assistant at the Center for Philanthropy Studies (CEPS) at the University of Basel. His work focuses on philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, governance, and public policy, with research interests centered on civil society engagement, social impact, and collaborative approaches to complex societal challenges.

Dr. Alasdair Rutherford

United Kingdom

Dr. Alasdair Rutherford was the previous country lead for the United Kingdom. He is a Professor of Social Statistics at the University of Stirling. His work focusses on using data to better understand major challenges in charities and nonprofits, data-driven regulation, health & ageing, social care, and volunteering. His research uses administrative and survey data to tackle big questions.