Abdul Latheef P leads the CommunityConnect Practice at Athena Infonomics, driving a multi-country field operations platform that blends human intelligence, advanced technology, and ethical engagement. His team’s work goes far beyond data collection — they listen deeply, interpret meaningfully, and transform community perspectives into actionable insights that inspire lasting change.
At Athena, Latheef champions the integration of AI-enabled data systems into Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) frameworks to enhance institutional capacity, strengthen community resilience, and ensure decisions are rooted in lived realities. His leadership spans data-driven decision systems, real-time monitoring and impact assessments, ratings and due diligence of community-based organizations, and the deployment of technology for inclusive development. Through initiatives such as the Build–Operate–Transfer model for grassroots programs and participatory design for climate resilience, he ensures that every solution is locally grounded, culturally relevant, and institutionally sustainable.
Before joining Athena, Latheef worked with Catalyst Management Services, where he led multi-country research and evaluation programs across health, education, livelihoods, social inclusion, and climate adaptation. His collaborations include the World Bank, ADB, UNDP, UNICEF, DFID, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, C4ED, ITAD, and 3ie, along with leading academic partners such as Stanford University, University of Greenwich, Oxford, and the University of Houston.
He also served at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), where he contributed to landmark initiatives such as generating evidence that informed India’s Domestic Violence Bill (2006). His broader public health experience includes establishing Comprehensive care and support centers across South India under the Global Fund’s Access Care and Treatment Project at the Freedom Foundation and advancing Pediatric ART initiatives under the Population Council.
Latheef holds a Master of Philosophy from Annamalai University and a Master of Social Work from Mangalore University. Recognised for his ability to bridge grassroots realities with institutional strategy, he continues to champion ethical, data-driven community engagement as a foundation for inclusive and sustainable development.
