We are behavioural
designers
If behaviour connects us, it can be what protects us.
We humans are a complex bunch. Fickle. Erratic. Contradictory. Emotional. Some call these obstacles. At Common Thread, we call them catalysts. And once they’re understood, a few small, careful nudges can move people to positive change. From disease to inequality to climate change. Universal and interconnected problems need solutions that reflect the social and cultural complexity that we all live in.
What We Do
Research Design
We bring the best of applied behavioural science, design thinking and anthropology to original and secondary research.
Experience Design
Through workshops, trainings, services and solutions, we seek to elevate the moments that matter with and for our clients.
Strategy Design
Practical, evidence based and optimised to consider the entire ecosystem of human behaviour.
Storytelling
Context, not content. We support people to explain and reveal their challenges in their own words, to add a human face to graphs and data points. Stories matter.
Our Approach
We listen to all voices and perspectives
Every perspective deserves to be heard so we seek out all voices that play a role in behaviour change. Policymakers and providers, advocates and obstructers, the refusers and early adopters.
We understand the drivers of behavioural change
Uncovering the insights that prove to be the real levers of change. That’s our focus. When we reveal and leverage the motivators of human behaviour, better health is possible.
We unite global science with local context
Our approach fuses the best of design, behavioural science, marketing, public health and anthropology, while amplifying local voices and promoting community solutions.
We design human-centred solutions
We design with people, not for them. From insights, we design and prototype solutions. We test, modify, and start again until they are solving the problems we set out to tackle together.
Our Story
Behavioural design has come a long way.
Common Thread was born out of frustration. Sherine and Mike met while trying to eliminate Polio from Pakistan and immediately bonded over the need to put people, and their actual needs and context at the centre of public health. Five years, a few outbreaks, the births of four children, and a few dozen countries later, we made the leap. Driven by a desire to do great work, with great people, today Common Thread is an emerging leader in behavioral science for global public health. We count the world’s most important organisations as partners, clients and friends.
We want to know what moves you.
Our Team
Mike brings people to the table.
As Director and Lead Storyteller, Mike ensures that critical voices weigh in on the decisions that impact and depict their lives.
Through senior communications posts with UN agencies in Angola, Pakistan, and Viet Nam, and experience in social development, documentary production and international journalism, Mike brings years of experience crafting people-centred narratives to Common Thread. Years spent working to eradicate polio and responding to violence against health workers in Pakistan taught him to waste no time getting to the root of a problem.
Mike holds a MA in Political Communications from Goldsmiths at the University of London. He is part of Design for Health, a community of practice founded by USAID and the Gates Foundation. He has been a guest lecturer at NYU’s School of Global Public Health and a lead trainer for the US Center for Disease Control’s STOP Polio Programme.
When he isn’t working, you can find him coaching his two daughters’ soccer team in Ireland, where he’s currently based (but not for long). He speaks intermediate French and Spanish.
Sherine looks for the people behind the data.
As Director and Lead strategist, Sherine Guirguis turns data into powerful narratives.
She brings over two decades of experience leading large-scale social and behaviour change strategies—helping rid the world of polio, and responding to major public health crises like the Indian Ocean Tsunami, West Africa’s Ebola outbreak, and Covid-19. Before founding Common Thread, she held senior social and behaviour change positions at UNICEF.
Sherine holds a MS in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a MA in International Development and Economics from Johns Hopkins University. She is widely published and cited in the fields of public health and social and behaviour change.
When she isn’t sending the team the latest thought piece on gender and power dynamics in public health, she’s guest lecturing at NYU’s School of Global Public Health or posing tough questions as a member of the Technical Advisory Group for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and PATH.
Sherine speaks Arabic, which doesn’t always come in handy in Bridgetown, Barbados, where she lives with her husband and children and dreams of one day reclaiming her hobbies—horseback riding and diving.
Felicity guides us towards our goals.
As the Senior Project Manager, Felicity makes sure we’re asking ourselves, our clients, and the communities we work with, the right questions.
Felicity’s background in public health, health-systems strengthening, and community engagement has allowed her to call many many places home. Over the years, she has worked for Cambridge Economic Policy Associates, the WHO in Geneva and the Philippines, UNICEF in South Asia (Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka), and other national and sub-national governments, and donors. Her career has brought her to South Africa, Switzerland, Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Ghana, and many more countries.
Felicity holds a Postgraduate Degree in Public Health from the University of York and a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology and Development Studies from the University of Sussex.
Although she’s settled down in Leeds, not much has changed. Felicity may hold meetings with a laser focus, but offline she’s still a wanderer—climbing and hiking Yorkshire with her dog, Eevie.
Souada keeps us on track.
As our Project Coordinator, Souada steers the ship and ensures our crew is smooth sailing.
Souada brings over 5 years of experience in SBC programme coordination and management in the Global South. Her experience leading diverse project teams in behavioural research, SBC strategy design, and capacity building for both governmental and non-governmental donors has primed her to design projects that achieve impact. Before joining Common Thread, Souada consulted at MAGENTA where she supported a range of SBC projects spanning water conservation, violence against women and children, and HCD for immunisation in Jordan, Zanzibar and Yemen, respectively. She has also worked for the OECD, where she conducted research on wildlife trafficking and disaster risk reduction.
Souada holds a BA in Political Science from the Université Libre de Bruxelles, and a MA in International Development from Paris Dauphine University. She speaks native French and Arabic, fluent English and conversational Spanish.
When she is not busy building meticulous work plans, you can find Souada practising shoulder mounts or the butterfly at her nearest pole studio. Don’t ask us where Souada is based—we can’t keep up.
Olivia helps us grow as people, and as a company.
As the People and Project Manager, Olivia makes sure every team member has what they need to thrive.
Her advocacy for wellness in the workplace and knack for connecting people with their passions grew over the years as Managing Director for Impact Hub Phnom Penh. There, she worked with organisations like UNDP, USAID, and Oxfam to train and empower the next generation of local change-makers and entrepreneurs. She has consulted on design research projects to trainings for organisations like 17 Triggers, Swiss EP, Youth Business International, and Frontier Labs Asia.
She holds a 1:1 BSc in Climate Change and Energy Management from the University of the West of England, and is a certified coach. She has continued her education through short courses on moral leadership, positive psychiatry, and mental health. She is also an Advisory Board Member for Klahaan and Impact Hub Phnom Penh.
Olivia is currently based in Southampton, UK but is fond of taking her work around the world. Though her location may change, her love for crafting and karaoke-ing remains.
Regina engages people.
As our Communications Lead and Storyteller, Regina uses words, media, and design to tell stories that detail rather than distil the texture and complexity of people’s lives. Her ability to transform complex scientific jargon into digestible and engaging narratives for targeted audiences has contributed to a number of international projects for UNICEF, the Gates Foundation and Save the Children. Her ability to connect with people and find meaning in the mess has been instrumental to our work in Poland to improve services for Ukrainian refugees and our short films created in partnership with refugees from Syria and Iraq.
Regina holds a BA in Environmental Design and American Social and Cultural Landscapes from the University of California, Berkeley. There, she received certificates in Design Innovation and Global Urban Humanities.
She is based in San Francisco most of the time but is often logging in from anywhere there are good waves. When she isn’t in the water, she’s getting lost in an art museum, on a trail, or in a recipe for a complex stew or a simple loaf of bread.
Jim makes us look good.
As our Creative Director, Jim architects thoughtful, creative solutions to design and communications challenges.
His nearly two decades-long career cuts across print, UI/UX, 2D animation, illustration, graphic design, photography, and copywriting. Over the years, he has amassed extensive experience working with NGOs and international development and environmental agencies including UNICEF, UNDP, and the WHO, to name a few.
Jim holds a Diploma of Arts from RMIT University and a BA in Public Relations from Deakin University.
In his spare time, he pretends he’s a folk musician and wears plaid shirts. He also enjoys hiking and swimming as often as possible. Jim is based in Vancouver and speaks a smattering of Bahasa Indonesia, that he picked up while living in Java.
Bwalya guides people towards impact.
As our Behavioural Design Researcher, Bwalya synthesises complexity with empathy to help communities thrive.
She brings 13 years of international experience in research design, workshop facilitation, and programme implementation. From leading nationwide health and hygiene training sessions to mitigate the risk of cholera outbreaks to driving the success of digital finance start-ups in Africa, Bwalya’s diverse achievements are a testament to her innovative and agile problem-solving. Through her work with 17 Triggers, she was able to bring her expertise in inclusive innovation, management, and strategy design to projects across Zambia, Cambodia, Uganda, Mozambique, Rwanda, and DRC.
Bwalya holds a MPhil in Inclusive Innovation and a PGDip in Business from the University of Cape Town. She is based in Zambia. When she’s not busy ideating, Bwalya can be found canoeing down the Kafue river and harvesting grapes from her farm.
Katrina brings our ideas to life.
As our Graphic Designer, Katrina transforms messy first drafts into works of art, whilst ensuring our values, message and meaning shine through.
Katrina boasts over 12 years of international experience providing art direction, building brands, and creating digital and physical artwork. She has led the visual design of numerous Common Thread projects including the Call for Change Kenya, UNICEF SBC Programme Guidance, and the Vax Up initiative, to name a few. Her passion for the beautiful and practical has helped us create materials that sit in the hands of frontline workers and leaders across the globe.
Katrina holds a MA in Roman-German Philology from Lomonosov Moscow State University and a BA in Visual Communications from British Higher School of Design and Art.
In her free time, she loves drawing people and is currently working on her own series of illustrations. She loves curling up with a fiction book and a glass of wine. She is also fluent in Russian.
Cassie wonders why.
As our Behavioural Design Lead, Cassie blends scientific rigour with strong ethical practice to understand the complexities of people’s lived experiences and the conscious and subconscious factors that influence behaviour.
Driven by her curiosity for social and behaviour change and passion for improving public policies and services, Cassie spent the last few years working in design research and consulting for organisations like ThinkPlace, Deloitte Digital UK and the UK’s public sector programmes. She brings over six years of experience leading multi-disciplinary teams across Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Senegal through collaborations with UNICEF, Aga Khan Foundation, JSI, The Nature Conservancy, SightSavers and Johnson and Johnson, sharpening her skills in service design, prototype design and usability testing along the way.
Cassie holds a BA in Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford and speaks fluent French and conversational Spanish. When she’s not working with people, you can find her in the front row of her weekly dance class or at the studio firing her latest creation.
Matthew creates with care.
As our Graphic Designer, Matthew brings accessibility and fun into frame.
A whiz at all things web, from the graphics to the very font on the page, Matthew has made sure bold visions fit all screens. He has spent 15 years designing for the social impact space, helping key missions and messages resonate with the right people. Before joining Common Thread, Matthew led design at 350.org and designed for various non-profits and NGOs including Greenpeace International, Rainforest Action Network, and Grassroots Law Project.
Matthew holds a Bachelor of Philosophy in Sustainable Architecture from Miami University. When he’s not pushing pixels in his Brooklyn apartment, he’s enjoying time outside as the most in-demand goalkeeper for his local Sunday football league (soccer, for his fellow Americans), thanks to his ability to show up on time and willingness to hurl his body through the air.
Paula solves puzzles.
As our Behavioural Designer, Paula enhances user insights and context analysis with evidence and understanding to move the needle forward on some of the most taboo topics.
Armed with a research toolkit that combines the best of design research, anthropology and behavioural science, Paula is drawn to designing behavioural solutions that reduce sexual harassment in the workplace, prevent intimate partner violence, connect rural communities with digital health and education services, combat loneliness and cultivate financial safety for underserved populations. She has lived many lives over her 14-year career, which has brought her all over the globe. Her previous work as a journalist and a public policy analyst focused on indigenous rights in Peru were crucial to building her understanding of human behaviour as a function, rather than a friction. She has worked extensively with underserved populations in collaboration with organisations like the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the International Rescue Committee, Equimundo, and Innovations for Poverty Action.
Paula holds a MSc in Media and Communications from the London School of Economics and a BA in Political Science from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru. When she’s not busy researching, you can find her training Capoeira, climbing mountains or dancing salsa.
Associates
Associate
Lusaka, Zambia
Lydia takes complex issues and methodically guides our team towards answers.
An epidemiologist by training and behavioural designer by nature, she has spent most of her career designing and evaluating health programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. Before Common Thread, Lydia worked with ideas42, designing reproductive health programming in Senegal, studying intimate partner violence prevention strategies in India, and understanding how to build empathy between health providers and their clients in Zambia. Whether buried in a dataset or chatting with a couple about their children’s health, Lydia is constantly trying to understand how context shapes people’s decisions.
Lydia holds a MPH from the University of Cape Town and a BA in Political Science and Public Health from George Washington University. She is a part-time lecturer at the University of Zambia School of Public Health.
Outside of work, you can find her outdoors—tending her (slowly) budding vegetable garden in Lusaka, trying not to be thrown off her horses, or deftly avoiding crocodiles on the Zambezi river.
Associate
Nairobi, Kenya
Qali is an advocate, globalist, and storyteller dedicated to fostering connections and driving change. With a background in communications and international development, including roles at World Vision International and the World Bank, Qali is passionate about crafting impactful narratives that build bridges and catalyse transformation. She holds a Masters in Public Health from Imperial College London and is the host and producer of ‘The Qonnect’ podcast, lauded as one of Africa’s best podcasts by The Guardian. Qali seeks to capture the essence of diverse cultures and experiences, whether that be through writing or documentary photography.
Associate
Paris, France
Amel brings behavioural insights to Common Thread. With training in Psychology, Language Sciences, and Public Policy, Amel gets right to the heart of understanding people’s behaviour. Amel is driven by a motivation to design health policies that can truly improve people’s lives.
Amel has lived in Madagascar, South Africa, eSwatini, France, England and the US. Her favourite project? Working with Novo Media to test the influence of a virtual reality film to reduce prejudice in Bangui, Central African Republic.
When she’s not working, Amel is busy making pottery, watching films, and people-watching from Parisian terraces, where she currently lives.
Associate
Islamabad, Pakistan
Ali keeps us on track. Over 11 years, Ali has led 30 qualitative and quantitative studies and monitored systems and work in health, agriculture, education, skills development, energy and financial services sectors. Ali’s focus on research, monitoring, project management and private sector development has contributed to organisations such as UNICEF, UNDP, Jhpiego, MSI and Cardno, as well as projects funded by development agencies like USAID, DFAT, WHH and BMGF. In addition, Ali is an avid sportsman, a trained socio-economic development expert and filmmaker, with success as a radio jockey, stage actor and financial economist, all reflective of the diversity in thought and skills he brings to the team.
Associate
Santiago, Chile
Dan designs beyond nudges. He is passionate about human behaviour and behaviour change for good, understanding not only the what and the how, but mainly the why’s that drive our behaviour.
He is an international development professional with 10 years of experience in the Global South, mostly in Latin America and the MENA region. He holds an MPA in Development from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, and a BA in Economics from the University of Chile.
Dan has worked with ideas42, CollaborateUp, Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors’ Challenge, The Center for Strategic and International Studies, Open Government Partnership Local, and The Earth Institute, in a wide array of projects involving behaviour change, innovation and social impact; in the fields of financial inclusion and economic empowerment, democracy and governance, climate change, and mental health.
In his spare time, Dan goes on long bike rides in nature, rewatches Chef’s Table, and agonises if hasn’t read Sunday’s newspaper properly.
Associate
Chicago, USA
Michelle explores with intention. As a research designer and facilitator, she loves helping teams design for justice and equity. With over 15 years experience in design, digital, and post-production, her multidisciplinary background enables her to find unique ways to tell stories and connect the dots.
She holds a BA in Interaction Design and recieved training in human-centred design from Hyper Island, Stockholm’s innovation school, where she first worked with UNICEF. Her long list of clients includes MUJI, Deloitte, and adidas.
Michelle spends her free time reading, hiking, and flipping through streaming services in vain.
Associate
Nairobi, Kenya
Azza curates experiences. As a creative facilitator, artist, and social change-maker, Azza has a talent for fostering moments that spark inspiration, connection and action.
She is currently the Head of Community Engagement at African Crossroads, a community of thinkers and doers at Hivos. Before that, she was the Creative Director at Statement Films, an American production company focused on the development, production and financing of film and television by African women filmmakers and content creators.
Azza spent ten years living in New York City, where she received an MA in Art and Public Policy from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and a BA in Film & Media Studies from Hunter College. She is a former Critical Collaborations Fellow, a three-year fellowship at NYU that investigates the relationship between creativity and social change, engaging faculty members and local artists with practitioners based in six different continents.
Azza is fluent in English, French and Arabic and is based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Associate
Cape Town, South Africa
Caroline exudes empathy. Fascinated by the intersection of health and human behaviour, she has built a colourful career in public health seeking to understand health outcomes through the way people live, think, and act.
Since her big move from Boston to Cape Town in 2016 to pursue her MPH at the University of Cape Town, Caroline has contributed to a number of projects that explore health topics through the lens of social and behaviour change. Her experience researching behaviours that fuel tuberculosis transmission, perceptions around HPV vaccination, climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, and leveraging user insights to design new family planning methods has cemented her belief that it’s the people closest to the problem that hold the most valuable insight for solutions.
When Caroline isn’t bouncing between the US and South Africa, you’ll find her hiking in the mountains, enjoying a book on the beach, boxing, biking or catching up with friends and family.
Associate
Beirut, Lebanon
Ali understands choices. Particularly, how people make them. A behavioural scientist and economist with a decade of experience, he’s passionate about investigating people’s behaviour and decision-making in contexts of scarcity.
After completing a PhD in Behavioral Science at Warwick Business School, Ali helped establish the first non-governmental “nudge” unit in the Arab region. A former VP at Nudge Lebanon, Ali helped many institutions apply behavioural insights to their policy challenges, including UNICEF, UNDP, ESCWA, Save the Children, USAID and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy. At Nudge, he helped promote a culture of experimentation and evidence-based policymaking in the Arab region – training and upskilling several public and private organisations in behavioural science, nudging and impact evaluation.
In his spare time, Ali loves to hike, scuba dive, cook and take care of his garden.
Associate
Accra, Ghana
Caroline catalyses. A pragmatic optimist who’s always thinking big picture, Caroline brings years of experience as a Social and Behavioural Scientist and Global Health Practitioner to help us unravel complex social challenges. Caroline boasts extensive leadership experience in human-centred design, community-based participatory methods, health systems strengthening, program design and implementation, mixed-methods research, monitoring and evaluation, project management, and stakeholder engagement.
Our Partners
We bring a network of world-class expertise from a range of disciplines to serve our clients and to bring a multi-dimensional perspective to everything we do.
Co-creation and Facilitation
MATTER GROUP
Matter Group helps people work better together. Their global network of facilitators combine design thinking, visual communication, network science, and collaborative decision-making tools and techniques. With Matter Group, we can help teams make connections, design creative solutions, and build collective action towards change.
Visit WebsiteBehavioral Science
Harvard Opinion Research Programme (HORP)
Harvard Opinion Research Program assesses people’s attitudes to public health issues. They have designed and led over 300 public opinion surveys on health and social policy in nearly 30 countries. Common Thread and HORP join forces to design rigorous, academic-quality research tools that lead to action in the field.
Visit WebsitePublic Health
Babes Bolyai University, Department of Public Health
Located in Cluj, Babes-Bolyai is the largest and highest ranked University in Romania. The Department of Public Health (C-DPH) is an innovative research- focused program with a long and recognized track record in public health. It brings an interdisciplinary approach on Public Health tackling five major fields: Health Policy and Management, Social and Behavioral Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, and Environmental Health.
Their talented group of young researchers and practitioners have extensive regional and international experience in public health, quantitative and qualitative research, and motivational interviewing techniques.
Visit WebsiteAnthropology
Anthrologica
Anthrologica embeds anthropology into global health to conduct people-focused research. Our collaborations with Anthrologica engage the participation of the very people in resource-scarce and emergency settings that health policies are meant to serve.
Visit WebsitePublic Health
Georgetown University’s Center for Global Health and Security
The Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University helps decision makers around the world build long-lasting skills to prevent, detect, and respond to public health emergencies. Their rigorous public health research helps us develop strategies that lead to achievable and effective actions in the field.
Visit WebsiteBehavioral Science
The Busara Center for Behavioral Economics
The Busara Center for Behavioral Economics is dedicated to understanding human decision making using rigorous behavioural insights data. They help governments and organisations collect, interpret, apply and scale-up this knowledge. Together, we find innovative social and behaviour change solutions based on cutting edge behavioural science.
Visit WebsiteHuman Centered Design
GRID Impact
A global research, innovation and design collective, GRID specialises in behavioural and human-centred design (HCD) approaches to policy, program and product challenges. Our partnership with GRID allows us to leverage HCD approaches and creative problem solving to take on the toughest social and behavioural challenges.
Visit WebsiteHuman Centered Design
Riley Group Inc.
Riley Group dives into understanding what matters most to customers, and helps design tailored consumer experience journeys that move people and motivate them to return. With Riley Group as a part of our team, we learn about CX design, management and measurement – and how to apply this art form to design more effective, enjoyable user-centred health services.
Visit WebsiteMarketing
McCann Global Health
McCann Global Health’s marketing and communications expertise help drive demand for healthy behaviours, products and services around the world. The McCann Health family spans 35 countries, with extensive reach and presence in both sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Our partnership with these passionate communications professionals allows us to offer a cohesive, strategic approach to communication.
Visit WebsiteMarketing
We Create Content
Hanoi-based content marketing agency We Create Content brings the perfect mix of international communications expertise, design excellence and local knowledge to clients across Asia. Their bespoke analytics, concepts, production and distribution help us tell real stories that make an impact.
Visit WebsiteBranding and Design
Yummy Colours
The design studio YummyColours defines objectives, approaches them strategically, targets the best idea, and identifies the right medium to tell each story creatively. Together with YummyColours, we tell the story the best way it can be told.
Visit WebsiteEvaluation
orange & teal
orange & teal is a team of development professionals aiming to make a meaningful contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. They use their expertise in skills development, social inclusion, migration, rule of law to design tangible and creative solutions to challenges that people in low- and middle-income countries and communities face.
Visit WebsiteHuman Centered Design
Designist
Designist is a human-centred design agency based in Pakistan. When our work brings us to their corner of the globe, we call up the multidisciplinary team at Designist to help us conduct workshops and supplement our project work with their deep understanding of the context and dynamic HCD practices.
Visit WebsiteHumanitarian
Adeso
Adeso is a pioneer in the field of decolonisation, changing the way people think about and deliver humanitarian aid. Based in Nairobi, Adeso has been working for over 30 years to promote a more equitable aid system where local actors set the humanitarian agenda. Together with Adeso, we are building tools to help people and organisations working in development better understand the power structures they uphold and ways they can put local communities at the centre of humanitarian aid.
Visit WebsiteHuman Centered Design
Firsthand
Firsthand uses a people-first approach to understand the world, giving local communities a voice in the process. With firsthand as a partner, we dove deep into Latin American communities to understand the barriers and enablers to immunisation, opening up a realm of possibilities to create positive, scalable change.
Visit WebsiteWe are always on the lookout for partners who can bring depth and new ideas to our work. Want to work with us?
Let’s Connect ›Our Clients
No cookie cutters here. We build custom tools and solutions for each project.
We can do great things together.
