QED Group CEO and leadership

Neelima Grover is the CEO and Founder of The QED Group, an Arlington-based consulting firm founded in 1998. She is passionate about bringing about transformational change (with a special focus on women and girls) through technology driven and capacity building of local organizations that serve their communities. She has dedicated her life to bringing about this change and believes that as a leader her role is to be a catalyst for growth.

Under her leadership, QED has grown into an internationally renowned organization known for its work in monitoring and evaluation, performance management and learning. Since its founding, QED has monitored more than $4 billion in global programs in close to 100 countries and completed more than 1500 program evaluations for 27 clients.

A social scientist by training, Neelima is a strategic thinker, a thought leader and innovator who brings a passion and vision for exploring new solutions to improve the impact, efficiency, and reach of global development programs. Branching out beyond traditional monitoring and evaluation approaches, Neelima has developed successful new methods for harnessing the power of data and technology to increase transparency, accountability and organizational learning, contributing to and helping shape U.S. Government foreign assistance policy.

Neelima plays a key role in helping strategize on projects with a special focus on incorporating data use and technology.

QED’s work takes place at the intersection of data analytics, network mapping, rapid prototyping, project data visualization, and other tools-providing strategies to incorporate technology solutions to inform better and timely decision making, resulting in organizational and programmatic efficiencies and guiding efficient resource allocation.

Neelima has received numerous awards and recognition in her professional career from organizations including News India, Entrepreneur Magazine, Brava Awards, Smart CEO, Moxie Award and has been featured in business leadership shows such as Executive Leaders Radio.

Neelima is also a member of the External Advisory Board for the Data Science & Analytics program at Georgetown University. She also serves as a Mentor for Girls in Technology in the DC metro region.

Mrs Adriana Abreu-Combs has 19 years' international development experience. She has served in a number of senior management positions and has technical expertise in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and learning, with 13 years of specific work experience in this field. She has worked in several international development organizations, including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank Group, as well as projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). She has led M&E and learning activities across several sectors, including education, governance, rule of law, health, mining, agriculture and water and sanitation (WASH). Currently, Mrs Abreu-Combs serves as Chief of Party for the USAID-funded Services to Improve Performance Management, Improve Learning and Evaluation (SIMPLE). SIMPLE provides direct M&E and learning services to USAID/Egypt.

Over the years, Mrs Abreu-Combs has gained regional professional experience in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and North America (U.S. and Mexico). She has served in several field assignments and traveled extensively, gaining a deep knowledge of the issues facing developing countries. She earned a Master’s degree in International Affairs with concentration in International Development Management from the U.S.-based George Washington University. She speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese and French.

Patrick Lohmeyer is a Chief Operating Officer at The QED Group.

Neelima Grover is the CEO and Founder of The QED Group, an Arlington-based consulting firm founded in 1998. She is passionate about bringing about transformational change (with a special focus on women and girls) through technology driven and capacity building of local organizations that serve their communities. She has dedicated her life to bringing about this change and believes that as a leader her role is to be a catalyst for growth.

Under her leadership, QED has grown into an internationally renowned organization known for its work in monitoring and evaluation, performance management and learning. Since its founding, QED has monitored more than $4 billion in global programs in close to 100 countries and completed more than 1500 program evaluations for 27 clients.

A social scientist by training, Neelima is a strategic thinker, a thought leader and innovator who brings a passion and vision for exploring new solutions to improve the impact, efficiency, and reach of global development programs. Branching out beyond traditional monitoring and evaluation approaches, Neelima has developed successful new methods for harnessing the power of data and technology to increase transparency, accountability and organizational learning, contributing to and helping shape U.S. Government foreign assistance policy.

Neelima plays a key role in helping strategize on projects with a special focus on incorporating data use and technology.

QED’s work takes place at the intersection of data analytics, network mapping, rapid prototyping, project data visualization, and other tools-providing strategies to incorporate technology solutions to inform better and timely decision making, resulting in organizational and programmatic efficiencies and guiding efficient resource allocation.

Neelima has received numerous awards and recognition in her professional career from organizations including News India, Entrepreneur Magazine, Brava Awards, Smart CEO, Moxie Award and has been featured in business leadership shows such as Executive Leaders Radio.

Neelima is also a member of the External Advisory Board for the Data Science & Analytics program at Georgetown University. She also serves as a Mentor for Girls in Technology in the DC metro region.