Soumya Balasubramanya is the Research Group Lead in Economics at the International Water Management Institute—CGIAR. Her expertise in environmental economics, non-market valuation, program evaluation and development economics is based on fourteen years of original research in developing countries. Her work has been used by international aid agencies and financial organizations to inform investments and programs; and by governments in developing countries to design policy. Soumya received a B.A in Economics from the University of Delhi, an M.A in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics, and Ph.D. in Environmental Economics and Policy from Duke University.

David Stifel is a Professor of Economics and Assistant Head of the Economics Department at Lafayette College. He is an associate editor for the Review of Development Economics. His research interests are in poverty, agricultural markets and rural infrastructure. He has lived in Madagascar working with Cornell University and the World Bank; in Ethiopia with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI); and is currently spending his sabbatical leave in Sri Lanka with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Prof. Stifel earned his B.A. from Colgate University, his M.A. from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and his Ph.D. in Economics from Cornell University.