Ms. Sayyabounsou is a Program Analyst in the Poverty Reduction Unit of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Laos. She manages and provides technical support and advice to the UNDP regional office, UNDP senior management in Laos, and government counterparts through UNDP-supported programs. Her current position is to manage, monitor and report outcomes of the projects related to national socio-economic development policy/plan, development effectiveness, aid coordination, poverty reduction and other development-related areas. Ms. Sayyabounsou holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Laos and a Master of Development Practice with a concentration in Planning for Social Development from the University of Queensland in Australia. During her fellowship year at the Humphrey School Ms. Sayyabounsou is interested in strengthening her professional knowledge in public policy analysis, especially the effectiveness and cost benefits of social policy. She believes that her professional achievements from the Humphrey School will not only help her improve her perspective, but will also help the policy decision makers and international organizations in Laos to better understand the root causes of on-going issues related to persistent poverty and increased inequality. She aims to propose better potential solutions and recommendations for sustainable and effective socio-economic development to improve the lives of the poor and vulnerable in Laos.