Joshua Powell is the VP for digital program innovation at IREX, and chief executive officer of Development Gateway: an IREX Venture, where he leads the organization’s strategic direction and operational performance. Josh has played a key role in global multi-stakeholder initiatives, ensuring that international data standards and practices align with the needs of country systems and institutions.

With more than 15 years of experience at the intersection of digital, data, and international development, he has worked across program design and leadership, policy analysis, government engagement, and digital innovation worldwide. Josh has worked with a range of leading philanthropies, as well as multilateral and bilateral development agencies. He chairs the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data Technical Advisory Group, was a two-term member of the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s Advisory Council, is a co-founder and senior advisor of Civic Strength Partners, chairs the board of Open Data Watch, and serves on the Advisory Board of both IDinsight and Athena Infonomics. 

Josh holds a master’s degree in public policy from Brigham Young University and a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Baltimore.