Advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment around the world.

SAGE is a global development consulting firm providing feminist research, evaluation and analysis services.

Our services.

We offer a broad range of services to help our clients strengthen their gender equality and social justice work and drive transformative change.

  • We design and conduct high-quality research with a focus on participatory, qualitative, and mixed-methods approaches, ensuring meaningful and comprehensive results.

  • We design and strengthen MEAL approaches, frameworks, and systems; lead independent evaluations; and translate key findings into actionable strategies and recommendations that enhance programme effectiveness and promote transformative social change.

  • We provide rapid evidence reviews and conduct systematic analyses of development issues, policies, portfolios, and trends, helping clients make informed, strategic decisions. 

  • We transform complex data and evidence into accessible, compelling knowledge products tailored to diverse audiences, ensuring insights resonate and lead to action.

  • We support clients to integrate a stronger focus on gender equality and social inclusion in their work, policies, and organizational practices, strengthening their commitment to transformative change.

  • We use evidence to engage diverse stakeholders, foster dialogue, and advocate for meaningful social, institutional, and policy changes.

Our team.

  • Stephanie Barić

    Founder/Co-President (she/her)

    Stephanie is a development practitioner, gender justice advocate, and founder of SAGE. She brings 30 years of experience in global development, working with USAID, UN agencies, and international NGOs in Africa, the Middle East, and the Balkans. Stephanie provides strategic leadership in gender equality and child protection, with proven experience in gender integration, participatory research and evaluation, and knowledge translation. She is a recognised thought leader in the global movement to eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage. Stephanie holds an MA in Media Studies from Concordia University in Montreal and is passionate about advancing gender justice through research, advocacy, and capacity-sharing.

    See Resume

  • Dr. Maisa Shquier

    Co-President (she/her)

    Maisa is a social science researcher, analyst, and global development practitioner with over 20 years of experience advancing gender justice and inclusive development. Her work centres on gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) in conflict-affected settings, with a particular focus on shifting power dynamics and amplifying the voices of marginalised communities. She brings deep expertise in monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL), and applies intersectional and participatory approaches to qualitative research. Maisa has led numerous evaluations and action-oriented research that challenge structural inequalities and inform transformative change. She holds a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Sussex.

    See resume

  • Aleksandar Grubačić

    Research Associate (he/him)

    Aleksandar brings strong interdisciplinary research skills, including participatory and community-based methods, policy analysis, and digital humanities approaches such as GIS and textual mapping. He contributes to literature reviews, drafts sections of reports, and supports data collection and analysis across projects. With a deep personal commitment to strengthening youth leadership and participation, his research interests focus on democracy and political representation. Aleksandar is currently pursuing an Honours degree in History with a minor in Political Science at McGill University.

    see resume

Contact us.

sbaric@s4age.com