Dena Lomofsky

A development sociologist with more than 25 years’ experience in the field, Dena has an honours degree in Industrial Sociology (UCT) and an MA in Social Development (UWC). She has a special interest in participatory practices and building learning organisations. Dena specialises in the design, planning and evaluation of development interventions. Dena’s core skills include evaluation, research, training and facilitation. As a social development specialist Dena is able to work in a range of sectors including health, social policy, education, labour and gender.  She has passionate about strengthening human rights and inclusion, especially women and girls. Dena is an associate OnThinkTanks.

Dena lectures on complexity evaluation approaches in the MA in Programme Evaluation at the University of Cape Town, and enjoys sharing insights gained from her many adventures in evaluation at conferences and training. Dena is motivated by the inspiring people she meets through her work, and their commitment and passion to improve the lives of others.

Dena is an active member of the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association.

Recent experience highlights:

Applied research and evaluation

  • Lead researcher for the Scaling Learning Project for IDRC in Agricultural Food Systems (2025 – 2027)
  • Team lead for the mid-term and end of project evaluation of CLARE (Climate Adaptation and Resilience Programme), implemented by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and FCDO (2025-2026)
  • Co-team lead for the mid-term and end of project evaluations for Love Alliance, implemented in 10 African countries, 4 regions and global, supported by Aidsfonds and the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2023, 2025)
  • Team lead and key Learning facilitator for the United 4 Prevention Coalition in six African countries, supported by Frontline Aids and the Gates Foundation (2024)
  • Team leader for the Learning Coordinator role for Comic Relief Girls in Gangs Projects in South Africa, Colombia and the United Kingdom (2016 – 2020)
  • Evaluator for the International Growth Centre, London School of Economics and Oxford University, for DFID and GDSI International (2015 – 2018)
  • Team leader for the performance evaluation of the Technical Vocational Educational Skills Colleges Expansion and Capacity Building Programme implemented by the National Skills Fund, for the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation of the South African Government (DPME) and the Department of Higher Education (2016/17)
  • Team leader for an evaluation of the National Drug Master Plan, DPME and Department of Social Development, South African Government (2015/16)
  • Project Manager for the performance evaluation of the Community Work Programme, DPME and Department of Social Development (2014/15)

Programme design, MEL systems

  • Stakeholder engagement and theory of change for the design of a new initiative to support education research in Africa – Enhancing Education Research in Africa – with ESSA (2023 – 2025)
  • Designing the monitoring, evaluation and learning system for the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) (2017)
  • Design of community report card for Philippi Learner Journey for Amandla Development
  • Theory of Change for Building Bridges Young African Leaders Programme of the Graduate School of Development Policy and Practice, University of Cape Town (2016)

Capacity Strengthening

  • Lecturer at the University of Cape Town, Masters in Programme Evaluation, on Evaluation for Complex Programmes
  • Trainer for Southern Hemisphere public and in-house courses, as well as for Politics & Ideas and OnThinkTanks
  • Designed and trained courses for CLEAR, University of Witwatersrand and DPME on Designing Implementation Programmes for Government in South Africa (2015/6)

Organisational Strategy

  • Strategic Planning for the Human Rights Media Centre, 2025
  • Team leader for the strategic review of UNICEF’s Child Protection Strategy in South Africa 2016 – 2019 (2015)
  • Strategic Review of the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town
  • Co-facilitator for Strategic Planning and Theory of Change for the i2i Facility of CENFRI and the Finmark Trust
  • Co-facilitator of the Organisational Strategic Framework for Orbis Africa 2016 – 2020
  • Team leader for the Development of a National Strategy For Prevention And Early Intervention Programmes in support of the Children’s Act, 2014 – 2018 (for UNICEF and DSD) (2013/14)