Holly A. Ritchie

Dr. Holly Ritchie is currently a research fellow (International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), Erasmus University, The Netherlands), and part-time lecturer (‘Gender in Fragile Environments’ and ‘Institutional Context in Women’s Entrepreneurship’) with a strong interest in gender, social norms, and change in economic development. 'Institutional Innovation and Change' is derived from her PhD that was awarded in Sept 2013 at ISS (Cum Laude), and was later awarded Best PhD Thesis at Erasmus University for that year. In 2012, she won Best Paper at the International Symposium on Entrepreneurship and Innovation (University of Padua, Venice, Italy) for an article based on one of her PhD case studies. Recent academic research (2014-2016) includes work with Somali and Syrian women entrepreneurs in fragile refugee situations in urban Kenya and Jordan.

Alongside her academic work, Holly is passionate about humanitarian aid and development and works as an independent consultant, based out of Kenya. Complimenting her ongoing research and studies, she focuses on gender, enterprise, livelihoods and change with specific country-based experience in Afghanistan (10 years), as well as Brazil (1.5 years) and East Africa (2 years).