Her research centers on aid to education and private sector engagement, with a focus on the policies and operations of international financial institutions. Previously she held a position as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Comparative, International and Development Education Centre at the University of Toronto. Her research has been funded by such sources as the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Open Society Foundation. She has published extensively on the topics of public-private partnerships, international education policies, and educational theory. In the past she has worked with an NGO in Laos, and as a teacher in Canada. Francine holds a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto/OISE.