The Center for Global Development and Sustainability

Research Assistants

Hadi Kahalzadeh, PhD student in the Global Development and Sustainability Concentration

Hadi Kahalzadeh

Research Assistant

Hadi Kahalzadeh is a doctoral student in the Global Development and Sustainability concentration. He received an MA in Sustainable International Development from the Heller School at Brandeis University, an MA in Energy Economics from the Islamic Azad University, and a BA in Economics from Allameh Tabatabai University in Tehran. Prior to joining the PhD Program, Hadi worked on capacity development, monitoring and evaluation in nonprofit organizations. Hadi worked as an economist in Iran’s Social Security Organization for eight years. He also served as a member of the board for several civil-society pro-democratic organizations in Iran. These organizations focused on ethnic rights, labor movements and allyship with women. Hadi’s research interests are workforce development, labor policies and implementation of broad-based partnership.

J. Huntley Compton

Research & Editorial Assistant

Jalessa "J." Huntley Compton originally hails from Brooklyn, NY but considers Grenada, W.I. her true home. She graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in multidisciplinary studies. Jalessa is currently a Master's Degree student in Sustainable International Development. She serves as an Editorial Assistant with our academic journal CASTE: A Global Journal on Social Exclusion.

Isaac Konlan

Bluestone Practicum Research Assistant

Isaac Konlan is a Master’s Degree student in Sustainable International Development. Previously, he worked at RAINS-Ghana and supported the development and implementation of livelihood and education programs to build community resilience in Ghana; he supported monitoring and impact evaluation for Pathway for Sustainable Employment for Women and Youth (PASWAY) Project. Isaac is currently a Bluestone Practicum Research Assistant at GDS and is involved in planning and implementing GDS collaboration learning workshops, systematic literature review, and data analysis for livelihood and resilience research, and supporting the evaluation of localizing aid programs of CARE USA and its partner countries.

Ryan Lansing

Research Assistant

Ryan Lansing is a graduate of the dual Master’s Degree student in Sustainable International Development and Conflict Resolution and Coexistence. He received a BA in Economics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and another BA in Chinese Studies from the University of North Dakota. Prior to his enrollment at the Heller School, Ryan served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Kyrgyz Republic. Ryan is attached to the Resilience Program at the Center for Global Development and Sustainability. His research involves systematic and literature reviews, data extraction, analysis and synthesis in the area of livelihood sustainability, resilience and human well-being in marginalized societies.