Louise Shaxson is a research fellow in the Overseas Development Institute’s RAPID program. She initially trained as an agricultural economist, but her work now focuses on improving public sector policy and strategy within the broad framework of evidence-based policymaking. Over the past 10 years she has worked with policymakers in line ministries in the U.K. and developing countries, helping them make more effective use of evidence and embedding an evidence-informed approach throughout their organizations.