Health care and public health

Since joining PPMI in 2017, Sonata has been involved in implementing more than 10 EU-wide research projects in the areas of public health, research and innovation. These range from analytical studies designed to inform policymaking, to evaluations of various programmes and executive agencies within the EU. She currently leads projects that aim to harness the potential of new technologies in public health and respond to the most pressing global health challenges, such as the lack of equal access to medicines, the spread of infectious diseases, and the rise of antimicrobial resistance.

As a Research Manager at PPMI, Sonata is responsible for liaising with clients and managing the work of international teams of experts. She has extensive experience in designing and implementing a mix of qualitative and quantitative research, and is particularly experienced in applying various stakeholder engagement and consultation methods in complex assignments.

Haroldas has more than 20 years’ experience in leading and coordinating complex assignments that deal with the development, management, monitoring and evaluation of public policy interventions – particularly those co-financed by the European Union. He has accumulated in-depth knowledge and proficiency in the development and practical application of research methodologies and tools, managing large-scale, pan-European empirical research, and making use of advanced approaches to data mining and analysis. Haroldas also has extensive experience in providing technical assistance to  both EU institutions and  authorities in Member States, especially in the design of management and control and monitoring systems, as well as the management, simplification and reporting of a variety of public interventions and programmes under both centralised and shared management. He has an in-depth understanding of the latest trends in performance management, applicable EU and national rules and regulations (state aid, public procurement, etc.); and actively trains public sector managers on all the aforementioned issues.

Vitalis has been a partner in PPMI since 2003. He currently holds the position of Director of Research and Policy Advice. His main responsibility at PPMI is in evaluation and policy analysis, public administration and governance. Vitalis has around 20 years of research experience, with around 15 years’ experience in evaluations and studies conducted for EU institutions, agencies and other public authorities. He has been involved in more than 60 PPMI projects, and has been team leader in around 30 of them.

Vitalis is also employed as a professor in public administration at the Institute of International Relations and Political Science of Vilnius University, where he researches and teaches public administration and public policy. He is involved in the activities of various government commissions and working groups.