Center Staff

DianeDiane Ruonavaara
Tanzania Program Manager
Graduate Specialization Advisor

Ph.D., Michigan State University, 2000

ruonavaa@msu.edu

 

 

Diane Ruonavaara is the program manager for the MSU Tanzania Partnership and advises students in the Graduate Specialization in International Development. Diane comes to CASID with 16 years of experience in international community development, participatory research, and evaluation of extension and rural projects. In her work, Diane is committed to the integration of theory and practice and participatory research and development approaches with marginalized groups of people especially women and indigenous groups. She has studied, taught, and conducted research and evaluation in Tanzania, Mexico, Ecuador, Vietnam, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Argentina, and the United States.

Diane received her Ph.D. from the Department of Resource Development at MSU in 2000 with specializations in International Development and Latin American Studies. She worked with Michigan State University Extension from 2000-2008 as an evaluation and fund development specialist.