Faculty of Social Sciences

Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management

Dr. Nadini Persaud

Senior Lecturer in Project Evaluation

Deputy Dean - Postgraduate Affairs and Research

Dr. Nadini Persaud is a Senior Lecturer in Project Evaluation at the Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management. She is the former Programme Co-ordinator for MSc. Project Management and Evaluation, and was instrumental in restructuring the programme to meet the certification criteria of the USA based Project Management Institute (PMI).

Dr. Persaud brings a wealth of project management and project evaluation experience to the classroom having worked as a Project Officer with the Economic Planning, Project Coordination and Social Policy Development Unit, Ministry of Finance, Planning & Development, Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. She also worked on several evaluation projects in the United States whilst doing her doctoral studies in the United States.

Dr. Persaud serves on a number of international boards including Director, Training and Professional Development, Caribbean Evaluators International; Editorial Board Member, New Director for Evaluation; Council Member, Chartered Professional Accountants Canada—Barbados Chapter Advisory Council; and the 3F Advisory Committee of the Faster Forward Fund, a private US-based foundation established by the late Professor Michael Scriven (one of the three founding fathers of the discipline of project evaluation) to accelerate the theory, practice, and profession of evaluation, She has also served in several positions on the American Evaluation Association including Program Chair of the Costs, Effectiveness, Benefits and Economics Topical Interest Group, and Chair of the Finance Advisory Board (2014, 2019). She is the current Chair of the Costs, Effectiveness, Benefits and Economics Topical Interest Group, American Evaluation Association.  

She is the co-author of three books and sole author of Strengthening Evaluation Culture in the English-Speaking Commonwealth Caribbean: A Guide for Evaluation Practitioners and Decision-Makers in the Public, Private, and NGO Sectors. A citizen of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Persaud loves spending time with family. Her hobbies include photography and arts and craft.

Academic Qualifications

  • PhD (Interdisciplinary Evaluation), Evaluation Center, Western Michigan University USA (2007) 
  • M.Sc. Project Management and Evaluation (Distinction), University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados (2001) 
  • B.Sc. Accounting (First Class Honours), University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados (1999) 

Professional Qualifications

  •  CPA Professional Designation, Chartered Professional Accountants, British Columbia, Canada (2015)
  •  CGA Professional Designation (Goal Award), Certified General Accountants Association of Canada (2003)

Academic Awards
 

  • Principal's Award for Excellence – Research and Public Service 2023
  • Fulbright Scholarship/LASPAU Scholarship to pursue doctoral studies (2004-2007)
  • Certified General Accountants (CGA) Gold Award (for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean) for overall performance in CGA programme (2003)

Undergraduate Courses

  • ACCT 1003 Introduction to Management and Cost Accounting
  • MGMT 3056 Project Management

Graduate Courses

  • EGOV6090 Project Management
  • GRSM6005 Post Graduate Student Workshop (Coordinator)
  • LGSC6013 Project Management
  • PTMT6001 Project Analysis and Appraisal
  • PTMT6005 Monitoring and Evaluation
  • PTMT6007 Essentials of Management
  • PTMT6008 Practicum (Coordinator and Supervisor)
  • PTMT6009 Social and Environmental Impact Assessment
  • PTMT6011 Project Evaluation 
  • PTMT6021 Information Management for Projects (Workshop)
  • PTMT6025 Project Execution, Monitoring and Control
  • PTMT6030 Incorporating Sustainability Goals in Projects
  • PTMT6035 Project Evaluation Reports
  • PTMT6036 Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation in Development Projects

 

Academic Responsibilities
  • Senior Lecturer in Project Evaluation (2022 – present)
  • Deputy Dean, Postgraduate Affairs and Research, Faculty of Social Sciences (2024 – present) 
  • Lecturer in Project Evaluation (2007 – 2022)
  • Deputy Dean, Research and Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, Faculty of Social Sciences (2023-2024)
  • Chair, Campus Committee on Examinations (Semester 1, 2022 – 2023)
  • Program Coordinator M.Sc. Project Management and Evaluation (2009 to 2016)
  • Chair, Subject Area Group for Project Management and Evaluation (2009- Present)
 

Research Interests

  • Cost Inclusive-Evaluation 
  • Cultivating a Monitoring and Evaluation Culture in the Caribbean 
  • Project Management

Selected Publications
Referee Books 

  • Persaud, N. (2024). Strengthening evaluation culture in the English-Speaking Commonwealth Caribbean: A guide for evaluation practitioners and decision-makers in the public, private, and NGO sectors. Kingston, Jamaica: Arawak Publications . 
  • Persaud, N. & Yates, B. (2023). Cost inclusive evaluation: Planning it, doing it, using it. New York, NY: Guilford Publications.  
  • Persaud, N., & Dagher, D. (2021). The role of monitoring and evaluation in the UN 2030 SDGs Agenda. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave McMillian Publishing, Springer Nature. 
  • Persaud, N., Devonish, D., & Persaud, I. (2019). Nuts and bolts of research methodology. From conceptualization to write-up. Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle Publishers. 

Referee Book Chapters 

  • Persaud, N., & Persaud, I. (projected release date summer 2025). Navigating the research process: A guided tour into a study on undergraduate university students’ stress. Sage  Research Methods: Data and Research Literacy Collection. Sage Publications. 
  • Persaud, N., & Persaud, I. (projected release date summer 2025). Learning the Pearson Chi-Square test of independence manually and with SPSS using undergraduate university student demographics and stress data. Sage Research Methods: Data and Research Literacy Collection. Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. (projected release date summer 2025). The time is right: Why monitoring and evaluation is needed as the Caribbean recalibrates its quest for economic growth, development, prosperity, resilience, and sustainability. In A.B. Brik (Ed.). Handbook on Policy Evaluation in the Global South: Politics, Praxes and Futures. Edward Elgar Publishing. ISBN: 978 1 03535 119 0  
  • Persaud, N. (projected release date summer 2025). Evaluation challenges, practices and use in the Commonwealth Caribbean: The importance of monitoring and evaluation in the region’s post COVID-19 recovery efforts and the United Nations 2030 sustainable development goals agenda. In A. B. Brik (Ed.). The Oxford Handbook of Program Evaluation in the Global South. New York, NY.  Oxford University Press. 
  • Persaud, N. & Dagher, R. (2023). Using monitoring and evaluation and evidence-based data to build a more resilient and sustainable Caribbean post COVID-19. In S. Roberts, H. Deshong, W. Grenade, & D. Devonish (Eds.). Interdisciplinary Perspectives on COVID-19 and the Caribbean. The State, Economy and Health (Volume 1), pp. 195-216. Cham: Switzerland, Springer Nature/Palgrave Macmillian. ISBN 978-3-031-30888-8. Chapter 10. 
  • Baptiste, L., lese, V., Persaud, N. et al. (2019). The transformative agenda for evaluation in small island developing states: The Caribbean and the Pacific. In R. D. van den Berg, C. Magro, and S. S. Mulder (Eds.). Evaluation for transformational change: Opportunities and challenges for the sustainable development goals (pp. 71-87). Exeter, UK: International Development Evaluation Association (IDEAS). ISBN: 978-1-9999329-2-3. 
  • Persaud, N. (2003).  A research and development   project.  In F. Alleyne, J. Khan & W. Soverall (Eds.), Managing and evaluating projects (pp. 45-57). Kingston, Jamaica: Arawak Publications. ISBN 976-8189-24-X. 
  • Persaud, N., Thorpe, P. B., Durant, C., & Broomes, H. (2003).  The Anguilla multisector   project.  In F. Alleyne, J. Khan & W. Soverall (Eds.), Managing and evaluating projects (pp. 185-208). Kingston, Jamaica: Arawak Publications. ISBN 976-8189-24-X. 

 

Referee Journal Articles 

  • Persaud, N. (2024). An iconic evaluation trail blazer is gone but his legacy remains: A tribute to Michael Scriven. Journal of Multidisciplinary Evaluation, 20(47), 45-48. 
  • Yates, B. & Persaud, N. (2024). Michael Scriven and the missing half of quantitative evaluation. Journal of Multidisciplinary Evaluation, 20(47), 24-26. 
  • Persaud, N. 2021. Expanding the repertoire of evaluation tools so that evaluation recommendations can assist non-profits to enhance strategic planning and design of program operations. Evaluation and Program Planning, 89, 1-11.  
  • ​Persaud, N., & Dagher, R. 2021. Evaluation in our new normal environment: Navigating the challenges with data collection. Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation, 17(38), 1-15.   
  • Persaud, N. 2020. Adopting tools from cost and management accounting to improve the manner in which costs in social programs are analyzed and evaluated. Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation 16 (34), pp.1-13.  
  • Persaud, N., and Dagher, R. 2020. Evaluations in the English speaking Commonwealth Caribbean region: Lessons from the field. American Journal of Evaluation, 41(2), pp. 255-276.  
  • Persaud, N. 2019. An exploratory study on public sector program evaluation practices and culture in Barbados, Belize, Guyana, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Where are we? Where do we need to go? Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation 15(32), pp. 17-27.  
  • Persaud, N. 2018. A practical framework and model for promoting cost-inclusive evaluation. Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation, 14(30), pp. 88-104.  

  • Persaud, N., Woodhouse, M., & Scriven M. 2016. Enhancing  the strategic management process through the use of professional evaluation methods and the logic of evaluation. Journal of MultiDisciplinary Evaluation, 12(26), pp.  1-11.  

  • Persaud, N., & Persaud, I. 2016. An exploratory study examining Barbadian students’ knowledge and awareness on costs of UWI education. International Journal of Higher Education, 5(2), pp. 1-11.  

  • Persaud, N. & Persaud, I. 2016. The relationship between socio-demographics and stress levels, stressors, and coping mechanisms among undergraduate students at a university in Barbados. International Journal of Higher Education, 5(1), pp. 11-27.  

  • Alleyne,  P.  & Persaud.  N.  2012.   Exploring  undergraduate students’ ethical  perceptions   in Barbados: Differences by gender, academic major and religiosity. Journal of International Education in Business, 5(1), pp. 5-21.  

  • Alleyne, P., Persaud, N., Alleyne, P., Greenidge, D., & Sealy P. (2010). Perceived   effectiveness of fraud detection audit procedures in a stock and warehousing cycle: Additional evidence from Barbados. Managerial Auditing Journal, 25 (6), 553-568.

Referee Encyclopedia and Other Articles 

  • Persaud, N. & Dagher, R. (2021). Walking the talk. Are evaluators learning from evaluation successes and failures? Evaluation Matters Magazine: Learning from Successes and Failures in Evaluation, (3), 8-16. Independent Development Evaluation African Development Bank. https://idev.afdb.org/en/document/learning-successes-and-failures-evaluation 
  • Persaud, N. & Dagher, R. (March 2022). Evaluation challenges with the SDGs: Redesigning measurement indicators and evaluation systems. EVALSDGs Insight #13.  
  • Persaud, N. 2011. Environmental assessment. In N. Cohen (Ed.) Green business, (pp. 194-198). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2011. Discounting. In N. Cohen (Ed.), Green business, (pp. 138-141). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2010. Random selection. In N. J. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of research design, Vol. 3 (pp. 1213-1216). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2010. Interviewing. In N. J. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of research design, Vol. 2 (pp. 632-636). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2010. Graphical display of data. In N. J. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of research design, Vol. 1 (pp. 541-544). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2010. Follow-up. In N. J. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of research design, Vol. 1 (pp. 501-503). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2010. Participants. In N. J. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of research design, Vol. 2 (pp. 1016-1017). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2010. Pilot study. In N. J. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of research design, Vol. 2 (pp. 1032-1033). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2010. Primary data source. In N. J. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of research design, Vol. 2 (pp. 1095-1097). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2010. Protocol. In N. J. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of research design, Vol. 2 (pp. 1132-1135). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2009. Cost accounting. In C. Wankel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of business in today’s world, Vol. 1 (pp. 413-414). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2009. Cost analysis. In C. Wankel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of business in today’s world, Vol. 1 (pp. 415). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2009. Financial statement analysis. In C. Wankel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of business in today’s world, Vol. 2 (pp. 419-421). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2009. Cost structure. In C. Wankel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of business in today’s world, Vol. 1 (pp. 676-677). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.  
  • Persaud, N. 2003. A research and development project. In F. Alleyne, J. Khan & W. Soverall (Eds.), Managing and evaluating projects (pp. 45-57). Kingston, Jamaica: Arawak Publications.  
  • Persaud, N., Thorpe, P. B., Durant, C., & Broomes, H. 2003. The Anguilla multisector project. In F. Alleyne, J. Khan & W. Soverall (Eds.), Managing and evaluating projects (pp. 185-208). Kingston, Jamaica: Arawak Publications.  

Selected Conferences

  • Persaud, N. & Ab-Obaid, R. (2024, October 26). Promoting cost-inclusive evaluation (CIE) and expanding the toolkit of CIE methodologies in order to strengthen professional evaluations. Paper presented in a multi-paper session titled “Cost Analytical Insights—Learning from Different Methodologies and Studies” at the 38th Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, Portland, Oregon. 
  • Persaud, N. (2023, November 13). State of Evaluation In The Caribbean region and challenges with embedding into Caribbean culture—The importance of M&E in policy-making. Paper presented at  EvalSouth 2023 Conference in Qatar on November 13, 2023. 
  • Persaud, N. (2023, October 11). The power of story: The value-added from conducting cost-inclusive evaluations—how cost numbers can enhance strategic managerial decision-making. Paper presented in a multi-paper session titled “How numbers and cost data tell stories” at the 37th Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, Indianapolis, Indiana. 
  • Persaud, N. (2023, June 27).  Why monitoring and evaluation is needed as the Caribbean recalibrates its quest for economic growth, development, prosperity, resilience, and sustainability. Paper presented at the 6th Annual International Conference on Public Policy, Toronto, Canada on June 27, 2023.  
  • Persaud, N. (2022, November 08). Evaluation challenges, practices and use in the Commonwealth Caribbean: The importance of monitoring and evaluation in the region’s post COVID-19 recovery efforts and the United Nations 2030 sustainable development goals agenda. Paper presented at the Global South Evaluation Research Conference on November 08, 2022. 
  •   Persaud, N. (2020, October 28). Expanding the toolkit of cost analytical tools to enhance cost-inclusive evaluation and program decision-making. Paper presented in a multi-paper session titled Including Costs (and Cost-Effectiveness or Cost-Benefit or Cost-Utility Analyses) in Your Evaluation: Advice & Guidance at the 34th Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association (virtual conference). 
  • Persaud, N. 2019. Using Tools from Accounting and Business to Improve the Manner in Which Program Costs are Evaluated. Paper presented at the 33rd Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, Minneapolis, MN, November 14 2019.
  • Persaud, N. 2018. Demystifying Cost Analysis: A Practical Framework/Model  to Simply Cost Studies. Paper presented at the 32nd Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, Cleveland, OH, November 1 2018)
  • Yates, B. & Persaud, N. 2017. Flavors and Purposes of Cost-Inclusive Evaluation: Making Evaluation Even More Useful to More Stakeholders. Paper presented at the 31st Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, Washington, DC, November 07 2017.
  • Persaud, N. 2016. Cost analysis methodology basics: The nuts and bolts of sound cost analysis in evaluation design. Paper presented at a skill building workshop at the 30th Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, Atlanta, GA, October 26 2016.
  • Persaud, N. 2015. Simplifying cost analysis for evaluators: Breaking it down to simple arithmetic. Paper presented at the 29th Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, Boulder, CO, October 12 2015.
  • Persaud, N. 2014. Incorporating cost analysis into evaluations: Is it needed—what will it cost—which cost analytical methodology is best?" Paper presented at the 28th Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, Boulder, CO, October 16 2014.
  • Persaud, N. 2013. Strategies for coping with challenges evaluators may encounter when conducting cost analytical studies. Paper presented at the 27th Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, Washington, DC, October 18 2013.
  • Persaud, N. 2012. Choosing the right cost analysis methodology: Pros and cons. Paper presented at the 26th Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association, Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 25 2012.
  • Persaud, N. and Morgan, P.  2011. The importance of values and valuing in project financing and project costing. Paper presented at the 25th Annual Conference of the American Evaluation, Association, Anaheim California, November 05 2011.
  • Persaud, N. 2010. New cost tools for the  evaluator’s toolkit. Paper presented at a skill building workshop at the 24th Annual Conference of the American Evaluation  Association, San Antonia, Texas, November 12 2010).

 

Areas of Expertise

Accounting
Monitoring and Evaluation
Project Management

UWI Service

  • Co-Chair, Faculty of Social Sciences 50th Anniversary Celebrations. 
  • Chaired Special Meeting of Campus Committee on Examinations on February 17, 2023. 
  • Chair, Campus Committee on Examinations, UWI, Cave Hill Campus for Semester 1, 2022-2023. 
  • Program Coordinator M.Sc. Project Management and Evaluation (2009 – 2016). 
  • Supervisor for Graduate Practicums, M.Sc. Project Management and Evaluation program (2007 – present).  
  • Coordinator, ACCT1003 Introduction to Management and Cost Accounting for Cave Hill and Antigua State College (2019 – 2020) (2007 – 2020) 
  • Coordinator, PTMT6008 Practicum (2009 – 2016) 
  • Principal, Monitoring and Evaluation Research Group, Department of Management Studies ( 2016 – present) 
  • Non-professorial representative of Academic Staff to Campus Academic Board (2013-2014/2015-2016) (2013 – 2017, 2019 – present) 
  • Member, Public Sector Management Unit, Department of Management Studies (2013  – present). 
  • Member, Graduate Students Affairs Subject Area Group (2012- present)  
  • Chair, Student Response Committee, Department of Management Studies (2012 – 2016). 
  • Member, Faculty of Social Sciences Sub-Committee for Graduate Studies and Research (2010 – 2016). 
  • Chair, Subject Area Group for Project Management and Evaluation, Department of Management Studies (2010 – 2017). 
  • Dean’s nominee to Campus Research Awards Committee (2024-2025) 
  • Dean’s Nominee, Campus Committee for Graduate Studies and Research (2024 – 2025) 
  • Dean’s Nominee, Faculty of Culture, Creative and Performing Arts (2024 – 2025) 
  • Dean’s Nominee, Campus Security and Safety Committee (2022-2023) 
  • Dean’s Nominee, Campus Library Committee (2018-2023) 
  • Dean’s Nominee, Campus Committee on Examinations (2018-2023) 
  • Dean’s  Nominee, Campus  Parking and Traffic Committee (2015-2016).  
  • Dean’s Nominee, Inter-Faculty Committee on Summer School (2010-2012). 
  • Dean’s Nominee, Grounds, Building, Premises Committee  (2008-2012,  2021-2023) 
  • Organized and Chaired a Conference Strengthening the Role of Evaluation in the Caribbean (2016). Conference was a collaborate venture between The UWI, The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and Carlton University in Canada.  
  • Organized and Chaired the Department of Management Studies 3rd International Management Conference Effective Management Strategies for Developing Countries (2008).  ​

West Indies Group of University Teachers (WIGUT), Cave Hill Campus 

  • President Acting, WIGUT Cave Hill (June 06 – 20, 2020 and September 05 -21, 2020)  
  • Vice-President, WIGUT Cave Hill (2020 – 2021) 
  • Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, WIGUT Cave Hill (2017 – 2020) 
  • Faculty of Social Sciences Representative, WIGUT (2017 – 2018, 2023 – 2024)  
  • Chair, WIGUT Cave Hill Blue Book Committee (2022 – 2023); Member (2016-2021, 2024) 
  • Chair, WIGUT Cave Hill Career Path Committee (2022 – 2023); Member (2016-2021, 2024) 
  • Member, WIGUT Ordinance 8 Committee (2022 – present)  
  • Member, Differential Workload Policy Task Force (2020 – present) 
  • WIGUT Nominee, Cave Hill Open Campus Health and Safety Committee (2021-2023) 
  • Member, WIGUT Core Group of the Negotiations Committee in the Inner Executive (2017-2021) 
  • Member, WIGUT Negotiation Committee (2016 – 2021) 
  • Member, WIGUT Superannuation Fund Committee  (2016 – 2021) 
  • Member, WIGUT Travel Bursaries Committee  (2016- 2021) 
  • Member, WIGUT Augmented Pension Committee (2020-2021) 
  • Chair of the WIGUT Grievance Committee (2020-2021) 
  • WIGUT Trustee, (2020)
 
Public Service

American Evaluation Association 

  • Chair, Financial Advisory Board (FAB) of the American Evaluation Association, USA (2014, 2019); (Member 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019) 
  • Chair, Costs, Effectiveness, Benefits, and Economics (CEBE) Topical Interest Group (TIG), American Evaluation Association, USA (2025 – present) 
  • Program Chair, Costs, Effectiveness, Benefits, and Economics (CEBE) Topical Interest Group (TIG), American Evaluation Association, USA (2008 – 2024) 
  • Member, American Evaluation Association Topical Interest Group Council Pilot Program, USA (2016 – present).  
  • Reviewer for the American Evaluation Association Conference, USA (2008 – present). 
  • Member of the American Evaluation Association Publications Task Force (2023 – present) 
  • Served as a panel member and/or Moderator at the American Evaluation Association annual conference (2007 – present) 
Chartered Professional Accountants Canada 
  • Council Member, Chartered Professional Accountants Canada—Barbados Chapter Advisory Council (2020 – 2023). 
  • Director, Chartered Professional Accountants Canada—Barbados Chapter (2016 – 2020). 
  • Member, Financial Literacy Program Committee, Chartered Professional Accountants Canada (2016 – Present). 
 

Caribbean Evaluators International 

  • Panel Member and/or Moderator for several jointly sponsored panel discussions held during Glocal Evaluation Week (2021 – present) 

Faster Forward Fund 

  • Advisory Board Member, Faster Forward Fund (a private foundation in the USA) established by the late Professor Michael Scriven, one of the three founding fathers of evaluation to accelerate the theory, practice and profession of evaluation (2013 – present) 
 

New Directions for Evaluation 

  • Editorial Board Member, New Directions for Evaluation (2023 – present) 
 

Evaluation and Program Planning 

  • Editorial Board Member, Evaluation and Program Planning (Elsevier Journal) (2013 – 2018)