Mary Ellsberg, PhD

Program Director

Dr. Mary Ellsberg is the Executive Director and Founding Director of the Global Women's Institute at the George Washington University.  Dr. Ellsberg has more than 30 years of experience in international research and programs on gender and development. Before joining the university in August 2012, Dr. Ellsberg served as Vice President for Research and Programs at the International Center for Research on Women. Dr. Ellsberg’s deep connection to global gender issues stems not only from her academic work, but also from living in Nicaragua for nearly 20 years, leading public health and women’s rights advocacy. She was a member of the core research team of the World Health Organization’s Multi-Country Study on Domestic Violence and Women’s Heath, and she has authored more than 40 books and articles on violence against women and girls. Dr. Ellsberg earned a doctorate in epidemiology and public health from Umea University in Sweden and a bachelor's degree in Latin American studies from Yale University.

Chelsea Ullman, PhD

Program Manager

Dr. Chelsea Ullman is a Research Scientist at the Global Women’s Institute (GWI). She joined GWI at its founding while serving as a Presidential Fellow at the George Washington University (a selective program that offers high-achieving students the opportunity for professional development while completing a Masters degree).

Chelsea has contributed to the strategic growth of GWI by developing key policy initiatives, communications & outreach programs, and participating in research on violence against women and girls globally. Chelsea holds a PhD in Public Policy and Public Administration, focused in Gender and Social Policy, from the George Washington University. Her doctoral work explored theories of justice for survivors of campus sexual assault in the United States, with a goal of improved policymaking on the issue. Chelsea is committed to amplifying the voices of survivors of violence in research and policy.

Deviyani Dixit

Content Manager

Deviyani Dixit is a Senior Research Associate at the Global Women's Institute with experience working on violence against women and girls in the Pacific Islands (PNG, Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu) and South Asia (Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka). From her prior work experience at the World Bank, Deviyani brings expertise on EVAWG programming in operational sectors of the World Bank such as Transport and Extractives. In this capacity, she led the development and pilot testing of a GBV and Child Protection Codes of Conduct and Action plan along with supporting activities to prevent and mitigate risks of sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment on World Bank transport projects in the Pacific Islands. Deviyani has worked with local service providers, women’s groups and Governments in the Pacific Islands to develop GBV and Child Protection training materials, identify and support appropriate referral pathways and support M&E frameworks. Deviyani has led strategic communication campaigns on ending violence against women and girls at the World Bank and currently leads all communications and outreach at the Global Women's Institute.  

Deviyani holds a Master's in International Development and Social Change (IDSC) and has a professional interest in conducting action-oriented research to inform programming on ending violence against women and girls. 

Marianne Makar

Program Administrator

Marianne Makar is the Operations Manager of the Global Women’s Institute at the George Washington University.  She brings to GWI extensive grants, finance and project management experience from more than ten years at The Brookings Institution.

She has an educational background in political science and peace studies, including a master’s degrees from Syracuse University and the University of Bradford.

Skylar Wynn

Program Assistant 

Skylar Wynn is a Senior Research Assistant at the Global Women’s Institute at the George Washington University. She received her bachelor’s degree with honors in Women's Studies from Old Dominion University in May 2015. As an undergraduate, Skylar interned with the Old Dominion University Women’s Center on campus focusing on empowerment, activism and creating a sexual assault free environment. She is passionate about exploring the politics of identity within girlhood in order to provide a counter-cultural experience for girls that promotes empowerment, inclusivity and global consciousness. 

During this time, she was the recipient of multiple honors such as the Anita Clair Fellman Service-Learning Scholarship, the Carolyn Rhodes Undergraduate Scholarship, Women's Studies Student of the Year Award and an International Research Award. After studying abroad in South Africa, Skylar created Project Annette to offer assistance to a secondary school she had spent time at while focusing on education and gender equality. In partnership with Education without Borders, they were able to fund two programs promoting early childhood literacy. Both programs have been proposed to continue in 2016. As Skylar completed her senior year at Old Dominion University, she was selected to be featured on the ODU main website as a commencement success story.