Musammat Badrunnesha
she/her · Founder & Principal Consultant, GIN Consulting
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
“Change is Difficult — But Not Impossible.”
Musammat Badrunnesha is a researcher, program strategist, and community leader with 20+ years of experience across Bangladesh, the United States, and Canada. As a 2015 Echidna Global Scholar at the Brookings Institution, her research on girls' education in Bangladesh shaped gender equity strategies internationally. She currently serves as Director of Programs and Community Services at Cecil Community Centre in Toronto, while completing her PhD in Educational Research at UMass Amherst.
From the Classroom to Systems Change
Musammat began her career as a high school teacher in rural Bangladesh — an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to educational equity. Witnessing firsthand the barriers facing first-generation learners and girls in underserved communities, she transitioned into research and policy to address the systemic roots of educational disadvantage. Her early work focused on community-based education models, bridging the gap between local classroom realities and national policy frameworks.
Building Institutions from the Ground Up
In the United States, she worked with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC) and the University of Massachusetts, leading initiatives that integrated research evidence into social service delivery. She has been instrumental in building organizational capacity for nonprofits, establishing digital systems for tracking social impact, and developing multidisciplinary programs that serve diverse immigrant and newcomer populations.
Brookings, Girls' Education, and Global Impact
Selection as a Fellow of the Echidna Global Scholars Program at the Brookings Institution marked a pivotal moment in her career. Her research on Bangladesh's madrasa system provided a roadmap for policymakers to improve educational quality and gender equity within religious school systems. This work has been presented at global forums and continues to serve as a reference for international agencies working at the nexus of education, gender, and community trust.
Leading in Canada
Now based in Toronto, Musammat leads one of the city's most vibrant community hubs as Director of Programs and Community Services. Her leadership is defined by a commitment to ‘systems change through community wisdom,’ ensuring that the voices of those most impacted by policy are the ones leading its design. At GIN Consulting, she brings this dual lens — global policy expertise and ground-level implementation experience — to help nonprofits and public institutions achieve meaningful, equitable impact.
Research & Publications
How We Can Improve the Quality of Education in Bangladesh's Madrasas
The Brookings Institution · 2015 · Echidna Global Scholars Fellowship Research
An evidence-informed policy analysis examining how Bangladesh's madrasa system can better serve girls — proposing strategies that balance community trust, cultural context, and educational quality standards.
Additional publications and policy briefs coming soon.
Career milestones
Director of Programs and Community Services
2018 – Present
Leading multidisciplinary teams in early years, youth, and settlement services.
Cecil Community Centre, Toronto
2015 – 2017
Echidna Global Scholar
The Brookings Institution, Washington D.C.
Researching quality education and gender equity for global policy influence.
Program Manager
2011 – 2014
Overseeing large-scale educational interventions across South Asia.
Save the Children
2005 – 2010
Education Specialist
BRAC International
Developing community-led school models for marginalized populations.
Areas of expertise
Program & Policy Innovation
Strategic Planning & Implementation
Research & Evaluation
Partnerships & Resource Development
Community Engagement & Equity
Girls' Education & Gender-Responsive Policy
Nonprofit Digital Transformation
AI Strategy & Organizational Readiness
Grant Writing & Fund Development
Cross-Cultural Leadership
Settlement & Newcomer Services
Systems Change & Institutional Reform
Connect with Musammat
Email: musammat@ginconsultancy.ca
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mbadrunnesha
Twitter/X: @MusammatB
Or email directly: musammat@ginconsultancy.ca