Dr Verena Braehler is the Deputy Director of Research and Evaluation at Ofsted. Her team delivers all major thematic reports, the Chief Inspector's Annual Report, and supports the development and evaluation of Ofsted's inspection practice and impact.

Verena has a PhD in security and human rights from University College London and has 10 years’ experience leading research and evaluation teams on human rights, children’s rights, equality, education and social care in the UK Civil Service.

Prior to joining Ofsted, she led the research programme at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in England and Wales where her team was fundamental in publishing 24 research reports on victims, survivors and perpetrators of child sexual abuse and the role and failure of institutions. At the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Verena led the work on the ‘Is Britain Fairer?’ review to Parliament and developed the Measurement Framework for Equality and Human Rights which is still being used for state of the nation reporting today. Other previous roles included stints at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the International Council on Security and Development. Verena is also Chair of the advisory board at the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE) at the London Schools of Economics and Political Science.