Lynne J. Davidson, PhD, MPA, is the President of Lynne J. Davidson, LLC, a company that assists nonprofits, foundations, and corporations in measuring the social value of their programs.

Until 2019, Lynne was the executive director of 2020 MicroClinic Initiative, a nonprofit that seeks to improve health outcomes and maternal and neonatal mortality rates in low-income countries. She has over 30 years of experience in academic administration, political science, policy analysis, equity and inclusion policy, and international development, and has served as an independent consultant to many organizations on issues of equity, poverty and microfinance.

Lynne was named one of the 100 Leading Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy magazine in 2016.

Lynne is a graduate of Northwestern University (BA in economics and political science), Princeton University (MPA in domestic policy analysis, School of Public and International Affairs), and the University of Rochester (PhD in political science).

Lynne’s doctoral dissertation is one of the first in-depth cost analyses of providing public health insurance to uninsured children. Her research critically examines the true incremental costs of insuring children — not just total spending — by accounting for cost offsets and existing uncompensated care. Using a three-part economic model based on medical claims, national survey data, and utilization patterns, the study demonstrates that only about one-third of government expenditures result in new costs, while the remainder reflects a shift in who pays for care. Notably, the analysis found that expanding children’s health coverage may reduce hospitalizations, making the program cost-effective and socially impactful. The findings have since been echoed in national policy and health economics discussions and offer compelling evidence that investing in children’s health is both fiscally responsible and morally urgent.

Lynne lives in Chicago, IL, US.