Mitchell McDonald

About Mitchell

Mitchell is a Senior Consultant based in ACIL Allen’s Melbourne office. He works across a wide range of domains, including energy, infrastructure, education, the environment, and public and social policy. Mitchell supports both government and private sector clients, contributing to evidence-based decision-making through analysis and practical insights.

Mitchell brings particular strength in data analytics, programming, and quantitative modelling. His ability to distil complex information into clear, actionable insights enables clients to make sense of challenging policy questions. He has delivered work in areas such as economic modelling, impact analysis, and the use of data attribution techniques in evaluations.

What sets Mitchell apart is his unique blend of technical expertise and clear communication. He is proficient in Python and other programming languages, and has developed and applied methods in natural language processing (NLP), geospatial analysis, and statistical modelling. His approach is especially valuable when working with large, complex datasets or emergent policy challenges that demand tailored, innovative solutions. His geospatial analyses provide clients with critical insight into the distributional impacts of policy, supporting more equitable and targeted interventions.

Some of his significant projects include:

• analysis of the economic benefits of a regulated fuel efficiency standard in Australia (now implemented as the New Vehicles Efficiency Standards)
• forecasting teacher supply and demand across early childhood, primary and secondary settings
• cost modelling for the production of nuclear medicine by ANSTO
• cost benefit analysis examining the effect of climate change on extreme wind conditions and electricity outages

Mitchell holds a Master of Applied Econometrics and a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics and Finance) from the University of Melbourne.