"People at NIRAS are unique," Nathalie says. "[We have] this mindset, or this craving, for change we want to see. Having these people as colleagues is something that keeps me at NIRAS."
As a senior project manager and agricultural economist at NIRAS, Nathalie approaches her work with the dedication of a skilled gardener, nurturing each project with care and intention. She knows that meaningful change does not happen overnight. But with the right conditions, what she plants today can grow into long-term impact for the communities her projects support.
Years ago in a Beirut grocery store, Nathalie watched a group of kids on a rowdy mini shopping spree. Their baskets came back piled high with chips and chocolate – only one child had picked fruit. It was 2009, and Nathalie was working with Consumers Lebanon, a consumer rights organisation running a campaign to address rising obesity rates. The exercise was simple: give kids a budget and let them buy whatever they wanted. The results were telling.
“We analysed the nutritional content of everything they chose,” Nathalie recalls. “Unsurprisingly, salt and sugar-heavy, processed foods dominated.” By cross-referencing this with TV ad content aired during children’s programming, the team quickly found a strong link between junk food marketing and children’s cravings – sparking a national campaign against unhealthy food advertising.
This period in Nathalie’s career may seem rather different compared to her current work at NIRAS, where she is more involved in projects in agriculture and other cross-cutting sectors. But as an agriculture and food systems expert, food remains at the heart of her work – alongside a steadfast commitment to improving people’s lives.
Nathalie recently managed the Swedish-funded Agricultural Valorisation of Small Dams (ProValAB) project in Burkina Faso. Spanning two phases – both overseen by Nathalie – ProValAB aimed, among other things, to strengthen food security in rural communities by rehabilitating small dams and powering water delivery pathways using renewable energy.
It was a years-long endeavour that targeted the sectors of agriculture, water governance and women’s economic empowerment – all vital areas of focus for development in the West African nation. Among the community members who stood to benefit were farmers who needed water to irrigate their crops. Thanks to the restored dams and irrigation systems, many successfully improved their yields, secured sustainable incomes and enriched their social life. As a result, they were no longer distressed about finding water sources and instead used the time to celebrate special occasions with loved ones.
Nathalie on mission in Lebanon
“Farmers do an important job. People can’t live without food, and they’re the ones who bring that to our table,” says Nathalie. “They deserve more than what society often gives them.”
The bright-eyed senior project manager has been around farmers for a large part of her life. Nathalie grew up in a village outside Beirut that housed farming families, and she studied agricultural engineering in university with others who intended to continue their family’s farming business.
Nathalie’s advice for young people pursuing a career in development:
She also has worked closely with farmers and agri-processors in the field in the past, whether for projects or policy work. After spending years in the food system, Nathalie realised much needed to be done to support agricultural workers who cultivate land, grow produce and rear animals, especially in developing countries.
“When I was still working in the public sector drafting policies in Lebanon, I wanted to understand farmers' priorities as stakeholders, as well as their goals and the limitations they face," shares Nathalie. "They lacked access to basic rights like healthcare. I wanted to draft public policies that made farmers feel valued in their work and ensured they had access to essential rights.”
At NIRAS, Nathalie continues to pursue systemic change that improves lives, even exploring sectors beyond agriculture to see this goal through. While she remains one of the ‘go-to’ experts in our Swedish office for all things agriculture, food safety and natural resource management, she has also contributed her time to other assignments, broadening both her impact and expertise.
One project that Nathalie has managed since 2022 was designed to support structural reforms in Lebanon’s waste governance. NIRAS conducted data collection and analysis, organised national and regional policy dialogues with key stakeholders and pushed for guidelines and activities optimising waste management in the nation. Here, Nathalie brought her experience in public policy and her knowledge of the Lebanese context to the table, supporting the team to help translate individuals’ lived experiences into context-specific solutions.
Yet even this project, Nathalie notes, ties back to the food sector. Her years of experience have shown that agriculture does not exist in isolation; it is a whole food system from farming to consumption. For her, they are deeply interconnected. While this project focussed on waste governance, she still considers it an essential piece of the broader food system puzzle. And just as she links these pieces together, Nathalie also remains connected with her roots in Lebanon, hoping to support in some way the country where she was raised.
“In my career, I've been in boots, and I've been in high heels,” she says. “These days, I may not work very often with farmers, but I believe that what I am doing will impact them positively. I’m pursuing my PhD, and my research is about the transition toward sustainable food systems. This will allow me to deep dive in this sector to learn more, but also to help better. It’s for Lebanon. I want to give something back to my country.”
For as long as she can remember, Nathalie’s drive has been inspired by one thing: people. At NIRAS, she enjoys the diversity of project sectors, making every task feel refreshing. But what keeps her going in the company – seven years and counting – are the people who share the same values.
“People at NIRAS are unique. We come from different countries and work across. We may not know each other, but there’s this mindset, or this craving, for change we want to see. Having these people as colleagues is something that keeps me at NIRAS,” Nathalie says.
"Nathalie is a positive and reliable colleague who's interested in various topics and provides solutions to problems that are outside the box. But she is also fun to be with, always ready to feed you with some good Lebanese food," says Framework Contracts Team Leader Ana Gajicic, who is based in Serbia and became one of Nathalie's dear friends at NIRAS after they worked together for over two years on the waste governance project in Lebanon.
"Our friendship started spontaneously, through a common work assignment and frequent consultations on the Framework Contracts. It continued through our travels for work to Italy and Lebanon and, most recently, to Sweden, where Nathalie was so kind to host my family. She's great to be around, as a colleague and friend," Ana continues.
Outside of her job at NIRAS, Nathalie maintains a close network of connections as well. True to being a people person, this is how Nathalie loves to spend her time: with her husband, children and friends. Occasionally, she organises gatherings in her home where she cooks for everyone. And once again, food becomes the glue that binds them together, Nathalie and the people she loves.
