About - Michael Jaffarian: Consultant + Researcher

Nonprofit Leadership, Research, & Writing

Served with WorldVenture, an international Christian NGO, for 33 years. Raised my own budget, from individual and institutional donors. Devoted 20% of my time to fundraising, raised a total of $3.6 million.
Executive Director of a nonprofit in Singapore. When I came it was a startup, with a good board, a good idea, and little else. When I turned it over to a well-qualified Singaporean successor six years later, it had a full program of events and services, an extensive resource center, three full-time Singaporean staff, and a strong national and international reputation. The budget grew by 10,000% in my first four years, raised from Singaporean donors.
Associate Editor, World Christian Encyclopedia, Third Edition (2020). Editorial Associate, Second Edition (2001).
Senior Research Associate, Operation World. Contributed to the 6^th and 7^th editions.
130+ published articles, reviews, and book contributions. Published in Missiology, Evangelical Missions Quarterly, Mission Frontiers, International Bulletin of Missionary Research, GlobalMissiology.org, and the annual book of the Evangelical Missiological Society.

Researched and wrote a comprehensive field impact study of a major international Christian NGO (WorldVenture). The project involved surveying 500 international professionals serving in 50+ countries. The report catalyzed and supported extensive organizational change and renewal.
Served as a consultant to the top leadership teams of several leading international Christian NGOs, including TEAM, the Navigators, Entrust, Dynamic Church Planting International, and Christian Missionary Fellowship.
Mission Associate, World Evangelical Alliance Mission Commission.

Helped a prominent international NGO design an outcomes-based system for strategic planning and evaluation of impact.
Researched and wrote a series of comparative reports on the performance of ten nonprofits, for a foundation board that includes billionaire donors.
Designed and implemented a research project that assessed the broadcast and social media content provided by three television channels in the Middle East. This included recruiting, training, and supervising bilingual researchers fluent in Arabic, Turkish, and Farsi.
Researched and published a comprehensive due-diligence report on a large NGO in India. This required on-site visits and an extensive set of interviews. Cut through vast complexity to deliver a product that provided clarity to donors and subjects.
Designed, implemented, and published a research project that verified statistical claims made by a large NGO in India. This involved training and supervising a team of 16 Indian researchers who did grass-roots-level research in seven states of India. Led a related project that assessed the impact of this NGO in the lives of people and their communities.

Grew up in Eugene, Oregon. Studied at the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!) Graduated debt-free by working at Papa’s Pizza. Have eaten pizza in 17 countries.
Ran on the Hayward field track with Steve Prefontaine. Broke a Guinness world record. Life-long runner.
Master’s degree in Cross-Cultural Studies from the School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Seminary. Studied under Paul Hiebert, Chuck Kraft, and C. Peter Wagner.
Worked for four and one-half years with Carl F. George at the Charles E. Fuller Institute, a leading consulting firm for churches and denominations. Recruited, trained, and supervised a team of writers who produced consultant reports, training materials, curricula, and marketing materials.

Married to Dawna, who is a wonderful person. Two brilliant & creative adult children, Calvin & Jasmine.
Runner, reader, gardener, artist, blues fan, sports fan (Go Dodgers! Go Lakers! Go Seahawks!).