Mara is the inaugural academic director of the Government Outcomes Lab at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. She leads a multi-disciplinary team of research and policy engagement specialists, focusing on innovative public sector contracting and effective cross-sector partnerships to achieve better social outcomes and tackle grand challenges.
Mara has two decades’ experience in connecting academic insights to decision making for social impact. She has provided input for decisions on Outcome funds and Outcomes Contracts in the UK, the EU, foundations, and international development agencies working in LMICs. In her previous posts she has worked with health policy makers and healthcare providers in the UK, Italy, Ontario and the Global Fund to fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria as well as policy makers at the Home Office, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Office of the Deputy Prime minister in the UK.
Mara is an experienced decision modeller with an interest in impact metrics and the use of data to inform better decisions. She is particularly passionate about the ways in which governments can work with the private and non-for-profit sector to accelerate progress towards shared goals.
She loves making sense of data and currently works on nurturing the INDIGO data collaborative.
She is an economist (welfare economics and health economics) and a decision analyst by background with degrees from Bocconi University in Milan and the London School of Economics and Political Science.
You can see more about her work on the Blavatnik School of Government Faculty Spotlight
C Economy, E Carter, M Airoldi (2022). Have we ‘stretched’ social impact bonds too far? An empirical analysis of SIB design in practice.
M Airoldi, L Savell , (2020) Outcomes-based contracts in a time of crisis, Stanford Social Innovation Review, December 29, 2020
C De Poli, J Oyedobe, C Binns, R Glover, M Airoldi (2020) Effectiveness–implementation hybrid type 2 study evaluating an intervention to support ‘information work’ in dementia care: an implementation study protocol, BMJ Open, 10(12)
C De Poli, J Oyebode, M Airoldi, R Glover (2020) A need-based, multi-level, cross-sectoral framework to explain variations in satisfaction of care needs among people living with dementia. BMC Health Services Research 20
E Carter, C FitzGerald, R Dixon, C Economy, T Hameed, M Airoldi (2018) Building the tools for public service to secure better outcomes: Collaboration, Prevention, Innovation. Government Outcomes Lab, University of Oxford
C FitzGerald, E Carter, R Dixon, M Airoldi. (2019). Walking the Contractual Tight-rope: A Transaction Cost Economics Perspective on Social Impact Bonds. Public Money & Management. DOI: 10.1080/09540962.2019.1583889
S Roberts, E Barry, D Craig, M Airoldi, G Bevan, T Greenhalgh (2017). Preventing Type 2 Diabetes: Systematic review of studies of cost-effectiveness of lifestyle programmes and metformin, with and without screening, for prediabetes, BMJ Open 7 (11), e017184
M Gray, M Airoldi, G Bevan, P McCulloch (2017). Deriving optimal value from each system. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 110 (7): 283-286
M Ncube, M Airoldi, S Thewissen, J Kabajulizi, M Roser & O Sterck (2015) A New Health Classification Framework. Report prepared for the Equitable Access Initiative (EAI) in Health, 18th November 2015.
M. Airoldi, A. Morton, J.A. Smith, G. Bevan (2014) STAR--people-powered prioritization: a 21st-century solution to allocation headaches. Medical Decision Making 34(8):965-75.
M. Airoldi (2013). Disinvestments in practice: overcoming resistance to change through a socio-technical approach with local stakeholders. Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law. 38 (6), 1151-1173.
M. Airoldi. (2013) Engaging local stakeholders: more help on the way with the Star tool, The Health Foundation blog
M. Airoldi (2013) “Stabilire le priorità d’intervento in sanità: dalla teoria alla pratica. L’esperienza inglese del SyMPOSE in Nuti S et al. Un metodo per individuare le priorità in sanità: l’esperienza pilota sul percorso dello scompenso cardiaco, Il Mulino: Bologna
D. Read, S. Frederick, M. Airoldi (2012) "Four days later in Cincinnati: Longitudinal tests of intertemporal preference reversals due to hyperbolic discounting", Acta Psychologica. 140(2):177-185.
H. Dodhia, K. Phillips, M.-I. Zannou, M. Airoldi, G. Bevan (2012) "Modelling the impact on avoidable cardiovascular disease burden and costs of interventions to lower SBP in the England population", Journal of Hypertension, 30(1): 217-226.
M. Airoldi and A. Morton (2009) "Adjusting life for health or disability: stylistic difference or substantial issue?" Health Economics, 18(11): 1237-1247.
A. Morton, M. Airoldi, L. Phillips (2009) "Nuclear Risk Management on Stage: The UK's Committee on Radioactive Waste Management", Risk Analysis, 29(5): 764-779.
M. Airoldi, G. Bevan, A. Morton, M. Oliveira, J Smith (2008) "Requisite models for strategic commissioning: the example of type 1 diabetes", Health Care Management Science, 11: 89-110.
S. Leatherman, K. Sutherland, M. Airoldi (2008) "Bridging the quality gap", Health Foundation.
D. Read, M. Airoldi (2005) "Utility Theory" in BS Everitt and DC Howell (Eds) Encyclopedia of Statistics in Behavioral Science, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, vol. 4: 2098-2101.
M. Airoldi and A. Morton (2011) “Portfolio Decision Analysis for Population Health”, in Salo, A. and Keisler, J. and Morton, Alec, (eds.) Portfolio decision analysis: improved methods for resource allocation. Springer, Berlin.
S. Leatherman, K. Sutherland, M. Airoldi (2008) "Bridging the quality gap", Health Foundation.
G. Bevan, A. Morton, M. Airoldi, M. Oliveira, J. Smith (2007). "Estimating health and productivity gains in England from selected interventions", The Health Foundation.
D. Read, M. Airoldi (2005) "Utility Theory" in BS Everitt and DC Howell (Eds) Encyclopedia of Statistics in Behavioral Science, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, vol. 4: 2098-2101.
L. Phillips, M. Egan, M. Airoldi (2006). CoWRM MCDA Decision Conference 28-30 March 2006, Catalyze Ltd
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