Prativa Baral

Prativa is an epidemiologist, a social scientist, and a doctoral student at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She operates at the intersection of epidemiology and policy and is passionate about making science accessible and digestible. Concurrently, she consults for the World Bank, monitoring disruption of essential services due to COVID-19. She is also a research fellow at the Global Strategy Lab, conducting mixed-methods research on transnational issues such as global health governance. 
 
Most recently, Prativa supported the UN’s efforts in creating a research roadmap for COVID-19 recovery. Prior to this, she worked for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has served on the WHO's Science Division expert advisory committee, and has advised the Government of Canada in drafting their first global health research strategic plan. She also acts as point of contact between Canadian government departments, community partners, and refugee families across Québec.  
 
Prativa is a McGill University graduate, with a Master’s Degree from Columbia University as a Merit Scholar. She is also a recipient of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research’s Doctoral Foreign Study Award. Fluent in French, English and Nepali, Prativa is a former nationally ranked chess player. She regularly appears on CBC News providing Canadians with practical advice regarding COVID-19.