Sarah Polen

Ms. Polen, a Research Associate with the Urban Institute since 2000, has more than nine years of international experience. Currently, Ms. Polen is based in Washington, where she provides technical and logistical support for the Urban Institute’s international projects in local government reform, performance management/municipal service improvement, and housing for IDPs and refugees. She has been a resident advisor in both Georgia and Armenia. In Georgia, she supported start-up for the first year of USAID’s $10-million Communities Empowered for Local Decision-Making (CELD) Project, which provides technical assistance for decentralization and local government capacity building. From July 2000 to June 2002, she worked in the Urban Institute’s Armenia Earthquake Zone office, first on USAID’s pilot housing program and then as Component Manager for the expanded Earthquake Zone Recovery Program. In Armenia, Ms. Polen’s responsibilities involved managing relationships with local and central government partners, local NGOs and banks, and earthquake-displaced households receiving housing certificates as well as liaising with USAID. Ms. Polen holds an MBA in International Business and an MA in International Affairs/Economic and Political Development from Columbia University.

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