Laura B. Rawlings is a Lead Economist with the Human Capital Project, a global effort to accelerate more and better investments in people for greater equity and economic growth. She is responsible for the Early Years work on child development and for engagement with the Africa region. In her career, Laura has led numerous project and research initiatives in the areas of cash transfers, public works, social funds, early childhood development, behavioral incentives and social protection systems. She was the team leader for the Africa Human Capital Project, the World Bank’s Social Protection and Labor Strategy 2012-2022, Manager of the Strategic Impact Evaluation Fund (SIEF) and Sector Leader for Human Development in Central America. She has published numerous books and articles in the fields of evaluation and human development, including Impact Evaluation in Practice, and is an adjunct professor in Georgetown University’s Global Human Development program.