| james_boomgard@dai.com | jean_gilson@dai.com | michael_jakobowski@dai.com | christopher_lockett@dai.com | zan_northrip@dai.com | laura_viehmyer@dai.com | helle_weeke@dai.com | michele_piercey@dai.com
James Boomgard
President and Chief Executive Officer | james_boomgard@dai.com
Jim Boomgard has worked at the forefront of economic development issues for more than 30 years in more than 30 countries. For the past 26 years he has worked for DAI—with the exception of a two-year stint with FMC Corporation, where he was seconded to establish a large-scale farming operation in Eastern Indonesia.
Beginning in the early 1990s, Jim assumed progressively responsible roles at DAI, including serving as Senior Vice President of Business Development, Chief Operating Officer, and President. When he was unanimously elected Chief Executive Officer in 2009, he became only the fourth CEO in DAI’s 41-year history.
An economist by training, Jim is a leading development thinker in the areas of private sector, enterprise, and financial sector development; microfinance; and agriculture and agribusiness.
His work on small enterprise development in Thailand in the early 1980s, for example, laid the groundwork for much of the practical work on enterprise development that continues to this day. Subsequently, he helped design and later led the implementation of the Central Java Enterprise Development Project—one of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s first private sector-oriented development projects.
After that, he led USAID’s path-breaking Microenterprise Stocktaking Study, and in 1989 he was appointed director of the joint DAI-ACCION-Michigan State team that implemented USAID’s applied R&D project onmicroenterprise: the Growth and Equity through Microenterprise Investments and Institutions Project (GEMINI).
In the past few years, Jim has emerged as a leading figure in industry debates over aid effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and the value private sector firms bring to the development community. As CEO, Jim has final executive responsibility for all aspects of DAI’s performance: operational, financial, strategic, and marketing.
- Ph.D., agricultural economics (international agricultural development), Michigan State University
- International Executive Program, INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France and Singapore
- Board member, Professional Services Council
- Founding member and Chair, Council of International Development Companies
Jean Gilson
Senior Vice President, Strategy and Information Technology Group | jean_gilson@dai.com
When Jean Gilson left Georgetown University in the early 1980s she went straight into the heady world of high finance. “I was deeply entrenched in the commercial banking and corporate finance world,” she said. But that all came to a halt one night in Cleveland in August 1986.
“We had all come back to the hotel after celebrating the closing and syndication of a multibillion-dollar leveraged buyout,” she recalls. “I had worked on dozens of such deals at this point. I turned on the television to hear the reports of the laying off of 5,000 staff as a result of the buyout. I decided in that room, on that night, that I wanted to do something different with my life.”
In 1987, she headed off to the Fletcher School at Tufts University. Armed with an advanced degree in international law and economics, she began her first stint with DAI in 1990, leading the firm into new technical services such as finance and commercial services, and new geographic areas such as Eastern Europe, where there was a pressing need for socially responsible privatization assistance after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. She also oversaw DAI offices in Hanoi, Bangkok, and Manila.
In 2000, Jean left DAI for a high-profile assignment with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as its first representative in Hanoi since the end of the Vietnam War. She opened that office in September 2000, and it is now a full-fledged USAID Mission. Jean later worked for two years as USAID’s Senior Policy Advisor to the Millennium Challenge Account Secretariat.
A leading figure in the international development community, Jean returned to DAI in 2006 and since 2008 she has led the firm’s work on strategy formulation and execution, market analysis, external relations, communications, and brand.
- Vice President for Program Affairs, Society for International Development, Washington, D.C. Chapter
- M.A., international law and economics, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
- M.B.A. equivalence certificate, First National Bank of Chicago
- Vice President, Executive Committee, Society for International Development
Michael Jakobowski
Chief Financial Officer | michael_jakobowski@dai.com
Michael Jakobowski has more than 20 years of management and consulting experience, including in strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, business process integration, and 11 years in public accounting with Price Waterhouse, Coopers & Lybrand, and Johnson Lambert.
Before joining DAI, he served as CFO for Mission Essentials Personnel (MEP), which provides human capital solutions—principally language and training services—to government and corporate clients via a staff of 8,000 personnel in 13 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. At MEP, he led a team of 60 staff responsible for all finance functions: reporting, forecasting, treasury, pricing and proposal support, quality assurance, information technology, and regulatory compliance.
Michael has significant experience working at senior executive levels in growing businesses. Before joining MEP, he served for more than 10 years as CFO and as Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives for Cambridge Information Group, a Bethesda, Maryland-based firm that oversaw several portfolio companies with consolidated annual revenue of $600 million and 2,000 employees worldwide.
- Certified Public Accountant
- B.S., accounting, University of Maryland
Christopher Lockett
Senior Vice President and Managing Director, DAI Europe | christopher_lockett@dai.com
Christopher Lockett is an accomplished executive who has led projects and teams in both the public and private sectors, focusing for the past decade on donor-funded international development initiatives.
He joined DAI in 2013 when DAI purchased HTSPE Ltd., where as Managing Director he oversaw all day-to-day operations.
Christopher started his career with Hewlett Packard. Having completed his M.B.A., he joined P-E International—one of HTSPE’s predecessor companies—in 1996. He moved to an Interim Management firm in 2002, to set up a public sector practice, before rejoining HTSPE in 2004 as Director of the EU Division. He took over as Managing Director in 2007.
Christopher has worked as a management consultant across the public and private sectors and has worked extensively with U.K. Government departments.
- M.B.A., Aston University
- Fellow of the Institute of Directors
Zan Northrip
Senior Vice President, U.S. Government Business Unit | zan_northrip@dai.com
Growing up in Alaska, Zan Northrip was fascinated by global events and knew he wanted to work in developing countries. “It's why I took foreign languages at a young age,” he said, “though back then I did not know anything about ‘development.’” Zan’s first job out of college was for the United Nations Development Programme in Botswana. He then hit the road for Ernst & Young in Central Asia, working on privatization and financial sector projects and utilizing his Russian language skills. In 1995, Zan was hired by a company with which he was familiar. “I had read papers in grad school written by people at DAI, on value chains and development as a process, and it had stuck with me,” he said.
Zan has since worked extensively on DAI's bank management projects and managed three global contracts held with the U.S. Agency for International Development. Zan also led a Washington, D.C.-based project focused on value chain strengthening and impact assessment. Beginning in late 2006, he took over DAI's new business development group. As Vice President of Acquisitions, he ensured that DAI’s proposals and business acquisition processes embodied the highest standards of professionalism, quality assurance, and efficiency. In 2010, Zan was named to lead DAI’s highly regarded Economic Growth team, in 2012, he was tapped to head up the Delivery unit, and in 2014 he was made Senior Vice President, U.S. Government Business Unit.
- M.A., international economics, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
- Served for two years on DAI’s Board of Directors
Laura Viehmyer
Senior Vice President, Human Resources | laura_viehmyer@dai.com
Laura Viehmyer’s career spans 25 years in human resources management for both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. She is responsible for DAI’s global human resource functions, including benefits, compensation, employee relations, recruitment, talent management, and training and development.
Prior to joining DAI in 2010, Laura served as vice president for human resources for the United States Pharmacopeial Convention, the standards-setting authority for prescription and over-the-counter medicines and other healthcare products manufactured or sold in the United States. Laura previously held executive and senior management positions at the American Institute of Architects, the American Council of Life Insurance, and the Arnold Palmer Golf Management Company. A frequent speaker on strategic and operational human resources management, Laura was recently featured in a white paper by the Human Resources Certification Institute to inspire current and future HR leaders.
- M.S., human resources management, University of Maryland
- Adjunct professor, The Catholic University of America Metropolitan School of Professional Studies
- Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)
- Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS)
- Member, Society for Human Resource Management, Human Resources Association of the National Capital Area
- Former board member, Service Source
Helle Weeke
Senior Vice President and General Counsel | helle_weeke@dai.com
Helle Weeke is DAI’s principal legal advisor, responsible for managing all of the firm’s legal affairs. She provides legal support to DAI’s technical sectors and support departments, as well as DAI’s international offices and projects. She previously led DAI’s economic policy team, managing a portfolio of projects addressing economic governance, labor standards, and trade and investment issues.
From 2006 to 2007, Helle led our Vietnam Competitiveness Initiative in Hanoi, working with provincial and national government counterparts to improve Vietnam’s business enabling environment. From 2002 to 2006, she served as senior trade lawyer to the Support for Trade Acceleration project, also in Hanoi, where she provided technical assistance in implementing the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement and moving Vietnam toward accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Formerly, as an attorney in private practice, she specialized in resolving international trade and commercial disputes. She has also worked as an international trade consultant, conducting research on international trade issues for the WTO, foreign governments, and businesses, as well as for the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- J.D., University of Copenhagen
- LL.M., Duke University
- M.I.P.P., Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies
Agnes Luz
Chief of Party, Liberia Food and Enterprise Development | agnes_luz@dai.com
Agnes Luz is an accomplished international development practitioner with more than 24 years of experience managing and providing technical assistance to value chain and agribusiness development programs in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. She specializes in designing and leading value chain upgrading strategies, facilitating market linkages, enterprise development, investment generation, export market development, institutional strengthening and capacity building of value chain actors, including business support service providers.
She has worked in the fruits, vegetables, seafoods, seaplants, apiculture, dairy, and the textile subsectors with various international organizations and donors, including the International Finance Corporation, the U.S. Agency for International Development, SNV Netherlands Development Organization, and the Asian Development Bank. She was an entrepreneur with hands-on experience developing and managing her own businesses in the field of plantation crops (coffee and black pepper), fish culture, poultry, pottery, IT, consumer products, and food service.
- M.A., agribusiness management, University of the Philippines, Mindanao
- B.S., agriculture, horticulture, University of the Philippines, Los Baños
Albert Cevallos
Agnes Luz is an accomplished international development practitioner with more than 24 years of experience managing and providing technical assistance to value chain and agribusiness development programs in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. She specializes in designing and leading value chain upgrading strategies, facilitating market linkages, enterprise development, investment generation, export market development, institutional strengthening and capacity building of value chain actors, including business support service providers.
Director, Effective Governance, Middle East, North Africa, and Afghanistan | albert_cevallos@dai.com
Prior to joining DAI, Albert Cevallos was the Director of Democracy and Governance at International Relief and Development. He has more than 17 years of experience in democratization, governance, media, human rights, conflict resolution, and youth programs in Syria, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Kosovo, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Cyprus, Rwanda, Cuba, Ecuador, Venezuela, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. Over his career, he has received numerous awards for his work, including four Superior Group Honor Awards presented by the U.S. Government, a United Nations Association Human Rights Community Award, and a Senior Fellowship at the U.S. Institute of Peace, for whom he just completed a book analyzing the democratization of Serbia and how this could apply to other repressive regimes.
He has worked for the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, Freedom House, the International Crisis Group, Internews, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the MTV Europe Foundation—the division within MTV responsible for the organization’s social campaigns including those promoting human rights, antitrafficking initiatives, and youth employment programs.
- B.A., international relations and conflict resolution, Catholic University of America
- M.S., Institute of Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University
Alexander Kitain
Prior to joining DAI, Albert Cevallos was the Director of Democracy and Governance at International Relief and Development. He has more than 17 years of experience in democratization, governance, media, human rights, conflict resolution, and youth programs in Syria, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Kosovo, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Cyprus, Rwanda, Cuba, Ecuador, Venezuela, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan. Over his career, he has received numerous awards for his work, including four Superior Group Honor Awards presented by the U.S. Government, a United Nations Association Human Rights Community Award, and a Senior Fellowship at the U.S. Institute of Peace, for whom he just completed a book analyzing the democratization of Serbia and how this could apply to other repressive regimes.Deputy Chief of Party, Philippines Facilitating Public Investment | alexander_kitain@dai.com
Alex is a Harvard-trained public administration professional with a unique combination of skills in tax policy, tax and customs administration, tax and financial accounting, trade, economics, and public finance. Over the past 18 years, Alex has helped countries strike a balance between creating an enabling business environment and generating revenues for public sector services and infrastructure. He has worked to reform public finance, tax, and customs architecture in some 15 countries, among them: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Georgia, Moldova, Kosovo, Philippines, Russia, South Sudan, and Tajikistan. His clients have included the U.S. Agency for International Development, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Union, and United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
Originally a hydropower engineer, Alex began his “next” career by helping restructure failing former Soviet enterprises and creating a conducive business environment for new entrepreneurs. Alex has since helped countries redesign their tax and customs architecture, improve business licensing environment, reform taxation of capital markets, optimize public finances, and more.
- M.P.A., Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government
- M.S., economics, Erasmus University, Institute of Social Studies, Netherlands
- Civil Service Medal for his service for the U.K. Department for International Development in Afghanistan, by appointment to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
Alia Afshar-Gandhi
Alex is a Harvard-trained public administration professional with a unique combination of skills in tax policy, tax and customs administration, tax and financial accounting, trade, economics, and public finance. Over the past 18 years, Alex has helped countries strike a balance between creating an enabling business environment and generating revenues for public sector services and infrastructure. He has worked to reform public finance, tax, and customs architecture in some 15 countries, among them: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Georgia, Moldova, Kosovo, Philippines, Russia, South Sudan, and Tajikistan. His clients have included the U.S. Agency for International Development, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Union, and United Nations Industrial Development Organization.Development Specialist | alia_afshar-gandhi@dai.com
Alia Afshar-Gandhi works in the area of food security and agriculture, where she specializes in strengthening rural livelihoods in post-conflict countries. Her specific areas of expertise include value chain analysis, alternative livelihoods, and rural economic development. After five years of managing large, complex livelihood programs in Eastern Afghanistan, she now serves as a program manger for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Feed the Future-funded Food and Enterprise Development Program in Liberia and the Strengthening Sustainable Ecosystems in and around Nyungwe National Park program in Rwanda. She has worked in transitional environments including Afghanistan, Angola, Iraq, Liberia, Rwanda, and South Africa. She has conducted value chain analysis around agriculture, tourism and handicraft sectors, developed small grants programs, and has worked with gender and microenterprise teams to identify income-generating opportunities for marginalized women. Alia recently gave an interview as part of a series on Women in Development highlighting the role women play in DAI’s work around the globe
Alia, a member of DAI’s Food Security and Agriculture group, was drawn to international development from an early age. Her strong desire to work with people from all over the world and help to improve their livelihoods has been a challenging and highly rewarding experience.
- M.P.P., international development policy, The University of Maryland
- B.A., international relations, The George Washington University
Allen Hollenbach
Alia Afshar-Gandhi works in the area of food security and agriculture, where she specializes in strengthening rural livelihoods in post-conflict countries. Her specific areas of expertise include value chain analysis, alternative livelihoods, and rural economic development. After five years of managing large, complex livelihood programs in Eastern Afghanistan, she now serves as a program manger for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Feed the Future-funded Food and Enterprise Development Program in Liberia and the Strengthening Sustainable Ecosystems in and around Nyungwe National Park program in Rwanda. She has worked in transitional environments including Afghanistan, Angola, Iraq, Liberia, Rwanda, and South Africa. She has conducted value chain analysis around agriculture, tourism and handicraft sectors, developed small grants programs, and has worked with gender and microenterprise teams to identify income-generating opportunities for marginalized women. Alia recently gave an interview as part of a series on Women in Development highlighting the role women play in DAI’s work around the globeDevelopment Specialist, Environment and Energy | allen_hollenbach@dai.com
Allen Hollenbach is a Senior Project Manager in the Environment and Health Team, Asia region. He specializes in governance and the environment, with an emphasis on environmental services finance and local government administration. His specific areas of expertise include water resources management, water utility financial analysis, microfinance, and local government administration. Allen recently served as the Environmental Finance Coordinator and Operations Manager for the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Environmental Services Program (ESP) in Indonesia. In these capacities, he managed ESP’s Environmental Finance technical component and helped manage the day-to-day operations of ESP, a program with more than 200 staff in offices across six provinces. He is proficient in Bahasa Indonesia.
- M.P.A., Maxwell School of Syracuse University
- B.A., political science, Houghton College
Alma Porciuncula
Allen Hollenbach is a Senior Project Manager in the Environment and Health Team, Asia region. He specializes in governance and the environment, with an emphasis on environmental services finance and local government administration. His specific areas of expertise include water resources management, water utility financial analysis, microfinance, and local government administration. Allen recently served as the Environmental Finance Coordinator and Operations Manager for the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Environmental Services Program (ESP) in Indonesia. In these capacities, he managed ESP’s Environmental Finance technical component and helped manage the day-to-day operations of ESP, a program with more than 200 staff in offices across six provinces. He is proficient in Bahasa Indonesia.Water Finance and Infrastructure PPP Specialist | alma_porciuncula@dai.com
Alma Porciuncula has been leading DAI’s work in the Philippines on innovative financing for water supply and sanitation projects, policy, and regulatory and utility reform since 1994. Under her stewardship, a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) technical support program helped establish the Philippine Water Revolving Fund. She has had the privilege of steering the development of the fund from conceptualization and feasibility assessment through design and implementation. The fund, a credit financing facility that leverages public with private commercial bank funds, thereby augmenting scarce public resources, has changed the water funding paradigm by bringing in sustainable, market-based financing. Alma has done development work for more than 30 years, starting as a transport economist for the Philippine Government and later serving as a consultant for the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and USAID projects, where she specialized on public-private partnership (PPP) policy and program development as well as infrastructure financing. Among her notable experiences in this field are her project management leadership of the Philippine BOT Program and the Gujarat, India PPP Program, where she led the drafting of the state’s build-operate-transfer (BOT) law and the institutional strengthening of the state agency tasked with appraising and approving PPP projects.
- M.A., urban planning, University of the Philippines
- B.A., business economics, University of the Philippines
- Postgraduate studies, development policy, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan
Andrea Chartock
Alma Porciuncula has been leading DAI’s work in the Philippines on innovative financing for water supply and sanitation projects, policy, and regulatory and utility reform since 1994. Under her stewardship, a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) technical support program helped establish the Philippine Water Revolving Fund. She has had the privilege of steering the development of the fund from conceptualization and feasibility assessment through design and implementation. The fund, a credit financing facility that leverages public with private commercial bank funds, thereby augmenting scarce public resources, has changed the water funding paradigm by bringing in sustainable, market-based financing. Alma has done development work for more than 30 years, starting as a transport economist for the Philippine Government and later serving as a consultant for the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and USAID projects, where she specialized on public-private partnership (PPP) policy and program development as well as infrastructure financing. Among her notable experiences in this field are her project management leadership of the Philippine BOT Program and the Gujarat, India PPP Program, where she led the drafting of the state’s build-operate-transfer (BOT) law and the institutional strengthening of the state agency tasked with appraising and approving PPP projects. Senior Development Specialist | andrea_chartock@dai.com
Andrea Chartock’s work at DAI focuses on promoting economic growth. She is currently Team Leader on the Agricultural Competitiveness and Enterprise Development (ACED) program in Moldova. Previous to that, she completed consulting assignments in Serbia, Indonesia, Ghana, Moldova, Haiti, Georgia, Kosovo, and Cambodia. She also served as the home office project team leader for the Indonesia Competitiveness Program (SENADA) and the senior tourism advisor for the Strengthening Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Cambodia (MSME) project. From January 2007 to April 2008, Andrea served as senior tourism advisor for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Enhancing Small and Medium Enterprise Performance Project in Croatia. Before that, she was deputy manager of the Accelerated Microenterprise Advancement Project Business Development Services Knowledge and Practice task order, focusing on market assessment, impact assessment, and promoting development using a value chain framework.
Andrea also was the project quality manager for a micro and small enterprise value chain project in Cambodia, for an enterprise development program in Indonesia, and for an impact assessment project in Bangladesh, and she was a consultant on enterprise development projects in Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Russia, Tanzania, and Ukraine. She joined DAI in April 2004 after spending five years managing and implementing economic development programs for Citizens Developments Corps, where she managed a staff of seven to implement enterprise development programs. Andrea spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer teaching at a university in Russia. She has 13 years of experience in international development, including 11 years of management experience of USAID and other donor programs.
- M.A., international policy studies, Stanford University
- B.A., honors, international relations, Stanford University
Andrew Watson
Andrea Chartock’s work at DAI focuses on promoting economic growth. She is currently Team Leader on the Agricultural Competitiveness and Enterprise Development (ACED) program in Moldova. Previous to that, she completed consulting assignments in Serbia, Indonesia, Ghana, Moldova, Haiti, Georgia, Kosovo, and Cambodia. She also served as the home office project team leader for the Indonesia Competitiveness Program (SENADA) and the senior tourism advisor for the Strengthening Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Cambodia (MSME) project. From January 2007 to April 2008, Andrea served as senior tourism advisor for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Enhancing Small and Medium Enterprise Performance Project in Croatia. Before that, she was deputy manager of the Accelerated Microenterprise Advancement Project Business Development Services Knowledge and Practice task order, focusing on market assessment, impact assessment, and promoting development using a value chain framework.Managing Director, Environment and Health | andrew_watson@dai.com
As a graduate student in geomorphology, Andrew Watson worked on desert soils in Tunisia and Namibia. Over the past 30 years, his technical focus has shifted from the earth sciences and remote sensing to environment policy and impact assessment, natural resource management, and biodiversity conservation, and, most recently, to climate change adaptation, with an emphasis on the sustainable use of water resources. Andrew has worked in diverse natural environments, from the tropical rain forests of Indonesia, Madagascar, Bolivia, and Brazil, to the deserts of Namibia and Saudi Arabia.
In his 18 years with DAI, Andrew has undertaken three long-term assignments—in Madagascar, Malawi, and Morocco. Most recently, he was Chief of Party on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Morocco Economic Competitiveness program, a four-year initiative that promoted trade and created jobs for youth by improving agricultural production and agroprocessing. From 1999 to 2003, Andrew was based in Malawi, where he managed USAID’s Community Partnerships for Sustainable Resource Management (COMPASS) activity. COMPASS supported community-based natural resource management in the forestry, fisheries, and wildlife sectors. Earlier, Andrew spent three years in Madagascar, where he helped build institutional capacity to regulate natural resource conservation and to use and assess the impact of proposed development projects. From 2003 to 2010, Andrew was the Managing Director of DAI’s Environment and Energy sector. From 2007 to 2011, he sat on the DAI Board of Directors.
Anne Simmons-Benton
As a graduate student in geomorphology, Andrew Watson worked on desert soils in Tunisia and Namibia. Over the past 30 years, his technical focus has shifted from the earth sciences and remote sensing to environment policy and impact assessment, natural resource management, and biodiversity conservation, and, most recently, to climate change adaptation, with an emphasis on the sustainable use of water resources. Andrew has worked in diverse natural environments, from the tropical rain forests of Indonesia, Madagascar, Bolivia, and Brazil, to the deserts of Namibia and Saudi Arabia.Global Lead, Regulatory Reform, Trade & Gender | anne_simmons-benton@dai.com
Starting out on her career path, Anne Simmons-Benton wanted to be a lawyer and work in international affairs. After graduating from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and then Antioch School of Law, Anne found that international law was primarily law of the sea. After 15 years of practicing commercial law in Virginia, she had an opportunity to move to Russia in 1996 to work for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on private sector development and helping Russia develop a market economy. Bitten by the development bug, there was no returning to regular law practice, so Anne became senior counsel at the Commercial Law Development Program in 2000, where she headed the U.S. Government assistance program for the Stability Pact in Southeastern Europe. This program allowed her to bring to it her skills on commercial law, trade, and development to catalyze economic growth as an underpinning of stability.
Two years later, USAID asked her to join the agency as it developed a trade team, and added the “T” to EGAT. Anne worked on USAID’s trade strategy, participated in each of the Central America Free Trade Agreement trade rounds bringing trade capacity building for the first time to a trade negotiation, and then served at the World Trade Organization for two years as the donor coordinator. In 2007, Anne joined Booz Allen as key personnel on the BizCLIR project, which provided legal and institutional analyses to USAID missions. As an international development practitioner, she has worked in more than 31 countries.
One of Anne’s passions has always been women’s inclusion in development. She worked with the Women in Development Office in 2009 and created GenderCLIR for USAID—a methodology to analyze impediments for women in income generation and economic empowerment. Despite many naysayers who wanted to know why a trade lawyer would want to work on gender, Anne found a home at DAI where gender is part of every portfolio.
- B.S.F.S., international affairs, Georgetown University, Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service
- J.D., Antioch School of Law
- Change Management for Advanced Practitioners (CMAP), Georgetown McDonough School of Business
Baba Soumare
Starting out on her career path, Anne Simmons-Benton wanted to be a lawyer and work in international affairs. After graduating from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and then Antioch School of Law, Anne found that international law was primarily law of the sea. After 15 years of practicing commercial law in Virginia, she had an opportunity to move to Russia in 1996 to work for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on private sector development and helping Russia develop a market economy. Bitten by the development bug, there was no returning to regular law practice, so Anne became senior counsel at the Commercial Law Development Program in 2000, where she headed the U.S. Government assistance program for the Stability Pact in Southeastern Europe. This program allowed her to bring to it her skills on commercial law, trade, and development to catalyze economic growth as an underpinning of stability.Africa Regional Director, Preparedness & Response | baba_soumare@dai.com
Dr. Baba Soumare is a veterinary epidemiologist with a Ph.D in animal health economics. He worked extensively as food safety specialist and as a trainer and field epidemiologist leading the investigation, control, and prevention of major transboundary animal diseases and zoonoses such as Rinderpest, Peste des Petits Ruminants, Rift Valley fever, and Rabies. Baba coordinated the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) support to mitigate the HPAI H5N1 and the H1N1 crises in 21 West and Central African countries. As Chief of Animal Health for Africa, Baba oversaw policies, strategies, and partnership to enhance animal health towards nutritional security and safeguard of public health in Africa. As Africa Regional Director for the Preparedness & Response project, he is currently overseeing the USAID support to establish functional National One Health Platforms and develop operational plans for collaborative and effective prediction, prevention, and containment of emerging public health threats, potentially of zoonotic origins. Baba is a Senegalese national who believes that change is always possible when beneficiaries can see value for themselves.
Barb Lauer
Dr. Baba Soumare is a veterinary epidemiologist with a Ph.D in animal health economics. He worked extensively as food safety specialist and as a trainer and field epidemiologist leading the investigation, control, and prevention of major transboundary animal diseases and zoonoses such as Rinderpest, Peste des Petits Ruminants, Rift Valley fever, and Rabies. Baba coordinated the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) support to mitigate the HPAI H5N1 and the H1N1 crises in 21 West and Central African countries. As Chief of Animal Health for Africa, Baba oversaw policies, strategies, and partnership to enhance animal health towards nutritional security and safeguard of public health in Africa. As Africa Regional Director for the Preparedness & Response project, he is currently overseeing the USAID support to establish functional National One Health Platforms and develop operational plans for collaborative and effective prediction, prevention, and containment of emerging public health threats, potentially of zoonotic origins. Baba is a Senegalese national who believes that change is always possible when beneficiaries can see value for themselves.Global Practice Lead, Capacity Building & Leadership Development |barb_lauer@dai.com
Barb Lauer has more than 15 years of international field experience in government capacity strengthening, policy formulation, program development, program management, and monitoring and evaluation in post-conflict and transitional settings. A critical component of her work has been to negotiate and implement project agreements and partnerships with foreign government offices, United Nations agencies, international and nation nongovernmental organizations, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and other donor groups. Prior to her current position, she served as the Chief of Party for DAI’s Building Recovery and Reform project in Liberia. Since 1993, Barb has been based in and worked for DAI and other international organizations in Africa (Liberia, Eritrea, Sudan, and Kenya), Asia (Afghanistan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste), and Europe (Croatia, Montenegro, Russia, and Poland).
- M.S.W., community development, University of Maryland at Baltimore
- B.S. degree, elementary education, University of South Dakota
- Editor, Developing Alternatives, Resilience edition
Bertrand Laurent
Barb Lauer has more than 15 years of international field experience in government capacity strengthening, policy formulation, program development, program management, and monitoring and evaluation in post-conflict and transitional settings. A critical component of her work has been to negotiate and implement project agreements and partnerships with foreign government offices, United Nations agencies, international and nation nongovernmental organizations, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and other donor groups. Prior to her current position, she served as the Chief of Party for DAI’s Building Recovery and Reform project in Liberia. Since 1993, Barb has been based in and worked for DAI and other international organizations in Africa (Liberia, Eritrea, Sudan, and Kenya), Asia (Afghanistan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste), and Europe (Croatia, Montenegro, Russia, and Poland).Chief of Party, Haiti AVANSE | bertrand_laurent@dai.com
Bertrand, a Haitian-American agricultural anthropologist with more than 30 years of international development experience, was the Peace Corps’ first Director in Haiti in 1983.
Since that time, he has managed more than $100 million in donor funds. In his work in the agriculture and rural development program area, he successfully combines agriculture, watershed protection and farming systems with workforce, income production and rural business credit. In the governance sector, he links local governance and security with civil society, education, and public and private sector institutional capacity building.
Today he is Chief of Party of Feed the Future’s flagship program in the region, AVANSE, which works to catalyze inclusive, sustainable economic growth in a potentially highly productive agricultural area in Haiti.
When not on assignment, he divides his time between Miami, New Orleans, and a small farm in Haiti, where he manages 5 acres of fruit trees, 300 pigs, 50 sheep, and 5 acres of pasture.
- Master’s degree, anthropology, Columbia University
- Bachelor’s degree, social anthropology, Columbia University
Bill Gardner
Bertrand, a Haitian-American agricultural anthropologist with more than 30 years of international development experience, was the Peace Corps’ first Director in Haiti in 1983.Chief of Party, Philippines Facilitating Public Investment | bill_gardner@dai.com
Bill Gardner has been working in development for more than 30 years, specializing in effective tax policies, tax administration systems, and financial management systems for economies in transition.
He has previously served as Chief of Party on projects in Armenia, Egypt, and Kyrgyzstan. Under his direction, each of these projects achieved significant successes—the development, enactment, and implementation of the first comprehensive new tax code established through a democratic legislative process in Kyrgyzstan; the complete structuring of the Armenian tax administration system in concert with the development of an automated tax system; and the implementation of an integrated Model Tax and Customs Center in Egypt that led the way to future integration of the Sales Tax and Income Tax Departments.
Prior to his work on development projects, Bill held a number of roles in local government affairs including as an economist on the revenue estimating staff of the Joint Committee of Taxation of the U.S. Congress and in the Office of Revenue Estimating and Economic Analysis of the Kentucky Revenue Cabinet.
- Ph.D. coursework, economics, University of Kentucky
- B.A., economics, Johns Hopkins University
Bill Grant
Bill Gardner has been working in development for more than 30 years, specializing in effective tax policies, tax administration systems, and financial management systems for economies in transition.Global Practice Lead, Market Systems Development | william_grant@dai.com
For some, international development is a walk on the wild side. For Bill Grant, it is the family business. His family has been involved in international health and economic development for more than 120 years. His great-grandfather built the first major hospital in Ningpo, China, in the 1880s; his grandfather was the first doctor of public health in China in the 1920s; and his father was an architect of the U.S. Government’s foreign assistance programs in the 1950s and 1960s, before helping to lead the United Nations Children’s Fund to its current position in the world of international development.
So it is not surprising that Bill followed in the family footsteps and joined the Peace Corps in 1978. After spending nearly four years in the Central African Empire/Republic running a regional community development program and two years in Burundi working with the U.S. Agency for International Development, Bill saw that development was changing from a predominantly government-driven process to one in which the private sector would play an increasing role in bringing economic benefits to the poor.
So in 1984, after driving his motorcycle across Africa, he enrolled in Stanford Business School. He joined DAI in 1986 and has been focused on bringing new models of market-led, sustainable economic development to bear around the world. Over the years he has worked in 50 countries, including 35 in Africa. He has played an important role in the development and application of subsector and value chain approaches and is currently leading numerous programs applying the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach for private and international donors.
- M.B.A., international development, small business management, Stanford University
- M.A., agricultural economics, Stanford University
- Author, “In Niger Delta, Chevron Launches New Paradigm for Corporate Social Investment,” DAIdeas
Bill Parente
For some, international development is a walk on the wild side. For Bill Grant, it is the family business. His family has been involved in international health and economic development for more than 120 years. His great-grandfather built the first major hospital in Ningpo, China, in the 1880s; his grandfather was the first doctor of public health in China in the 1920s; and his father was an architect of the U.S. Government’s foreign assistance programs in the 1950s and 1960s, before helping to lead the United Nations Children’s Fund to its current position in the world of international development. Chief of Party, Lebanon Lebanon Water and Wastewater Sector Support Program | bill_parente@dai.com
Nearly 40 years ago, Bill Parente earned multiple degrees in civil engineering with no intention of ever working internationally. His goal was a career with state highway authorities or the consulting firms that served them. After working as a design engineer for a Pennsylvania firm for four years, that company landed projects in Nigeria. Seeking a change of pace, Bill and his wife agreed to go to Nigeria for a two-year assignment, a project that began an odyssey for Bill of working 30 of the next 35 years overseas, working and raising his family in such countries as Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, Romania, South Africa, South Korea, and Thailand.
After working as a highway engineer, rail engineer, drainage and hydrological engineer, and cost engineer, Bill transitioned to the role of project manager for the World Bank’s national road programs in Thailand, the first of numerous assignments as a project manager and chief of party on World Bank, Asian Development Bank, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Agency for International Development projects. Feeling the need to diversify his skills, Bill developed competency in municipal engineering, engineering economics, water supply, and public-private partnerships in infrastructure.
- M.S., transportation engineering and construction management, Drexel University
- B.S., civil engineering, Rutgers University
- Registered Professional Engineer, Pennsylvania
Boaz Tumwesigye
Chief of Party, SSENNP | boaz_tumwesigye@dai.com
Boaz Tumwesigye is the Chief of Party and Ecotourism Team Leader for the Rwanda Strengthening Sustainable Ecotourism in Nyungwe National Park Project (SSENNP). Boaz joined DAI in 2010 as a member of the project management team, providing technical direction and oversight of sustainable, ecotourism development projects in and around Nyungwe National Park, one of the region’s most spectacular destinations. Prior to joining DAI, Boaz served as Country Manager for Volcanoes Safaris, where he oversaw operations and development of tourism packages for this prestigious international tour company. His strong networks and relationships with many of the local, regional, and international tourism providers have made him an invaluable asset to the project and DAI.
- B.A., tourism, Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda
- Fluent in English, Kinyarwanda, Runyankole/Rukiga, Kishwali, and French
Boima Bafaie
Boaz Tumwesigye is the Chief of Party and Ecotourism Team Leader for the Rwanda Strengthening Sustainable Ecotourism in Nyungwe National Park Project (SSENNP). Boaz joined DAI in 2010 as a member of the project management team, providing technical direction and oversight of sustainable, ecotourism development projects in and around Nyungwe National Park, one of the region’s most spectacular destinations. Prior to joining DAI, Boaz served as Country Manager for Volcanoes Safaris, where he oversaw operations and development of tourism packages for this prestigious international tour company. His strong networks and relationships with many of the local, regional, and international tourism providers have made him an invaluable asset to the project and DAI.Deputy Chief of Party, Liberia Food and Enterprise Development | boima_bafaie@dai.com
It was in 2004, on the heels of the Second Liberian Civil War, when Boima Bafaie of Grand Cape Mount County volunteered to be an unpaid assistant for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Energy and Environment Unit. In a few months, he was fully hired by the UNDP and putting his degree in forestry to use by helping draft the “National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan” for Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency, and a career in development was born.
Boima has since become one of the most well-connected development professionals in Liberia. He joined the DAI-led Liberia Community Infrastructure Project in 2005 as a specialist in environmental standards, and became an expert in geographic information systems and monitoring and evaluation, and a manager of DAI’s work in Liberia for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). “In learning USAID regulations and DAI policies, I have become extremely disciplined and have really appreciated this experience,” Boima said. Now Deputy Chief of Party of the Liberia Food and Enterprise Development Program, Boima supervises direct field implementation work in six counties to build indigenous markets and capacity to increase food availability and create jobs.
- B.S., general forestry, University of Liberia, Monrovia
- Diploma, general agriculture, Booker Washington Institute, Kakata
Brigit Helms
It was in 2004, on the heels of the Second Liberian Civil War, when Boima Bafaie of Grand Cape Mount County volunteered to be an unpaid assistant for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Energy and Environment Unit. In a few months, he was fully hired by the UNDP and putting his degree in forestry to use by helping draft the “National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan” for Liberia’s Environmental Protection Agency, and a career in development was born.Chief of Party, Support Program for Economic and Enterprise Development (SPEED) | brigit_helms@dai.com
Brigit Helms has more than 25 years of experience pioneering innovative approaches to financial inclusion and seeking enterprise and market-based solutions to poverty. She came to DAI after working at McKinsey & Company in Seattle. Drawing on her deep expertise in market-based solutions to global development problems, Brigit has supported and helped lead projects focused on expanding private sector involvement in extending financial services to poor households and small businesses that are underbanked. Prior to joining McKinsey, Brigit was Chief Executive Officer of Unitus, a nonprofit with offices in Seattle, Bangalore, and Nairobi. Before that she spent four years with the International Finance Corporation in East Asia, most recently as the Head of Advisory Services for Indonesia. Brigit was a founding management team member of CGAP, the global center of excellence for financial inclusion.
- Ph.D, economic and agricultural development, Stanford University
- M.A. economic & agricultural development, Stanford University
- M.A., advanced international studies, Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies
- Author, “Benefits of Bringing Mobile Banking to the Unbanked,” Developments
Bruce Spake
Brigit Helms has more than 25 years of experience pioneering innovative approaches to financial inclusion and seeking enterprise and market-based solutions to poverty. She came to DAI after working at McKinsey & Company in Seattle. Drawing on her deep expertise in market-based solutions to global development problems, Brigit has supported and helped lead projects focused on expanding private sector involvement in extending financial services to poor households and small businesses that are underbanked. Prior to joining McKinsey, Brigit was Chief Executive Officer of Unitus, a nonprofit with offices in Seattle, Bangalore, and Nairobi. Before that she spent four years with the International Finance Corporation in East Asia, most recently as the Head of Advisory Services for Indonesia. Brigit was a founding management team member of CGAP, the global center of excellence for financial inclusion.Regional Managing Director, Middle East and Afghanistan |bruce_spake@dai.com
Bruce Spake joined DAI in 1982 as a member of the North Shaba Agriculture and Rural Development Project in Zaire, serving as Chief of Party in 1985 and 1986. From 1987 to 1992 he was an Area Development Officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in Zaire, rejoining DAI in 1992 to serve as Chief of Party for the Mahaweli Agriculture and Rural Development Project in Sri Lanka from 1992 to 1995, and then as Chief of Party for the Business Finance Project in Bosnia from 1996 to 1998. Since returning in 1998 to DAI headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, Bruce has worked in various leadership roles, including as Vice President of DAI’s pioneering work in Crisis and Conflict Mitigation and in Democratic Governance. As Managing Director of the Stability Sector, he now directs DAI’s service offerings in the emerging Stability Operations field with the Department of Defense and in Crisis Mitigation and Recovery projects with USAID and other donors. Bruce speaks fluent French, Swahili, and Lingala.
- M.A., English literature, University of Georgia
- B.A., English literature and education, University of Georgia
Carmen Lane
Bruce Spake joined DAI in 1982 as a member of the North Shaba Agriculture and Rural Development Project in Zaire, serving as Chief of Party in 1985 and 1986. From 1987 to 1992 he was an Area Development Officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in Zaire, rejoining DAI in 1992 to serve as Chief of Party for the Mahaweli Agriculture and Rural Development Project in Sri Lanka from 1992 to 1995, and then as Chief of Party for the Business Finance Project in Bosnia from 1996 to 1998. Since returning in 1998 to DAI headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, Bruce has worked in various leadership roles, including as Vice President of DAI’s pioneering work in Crisis and Conflict Mitigation and in Democratic Governance. As Managing Director of the Stability Sector, he now directs DAI’s service offerings in the emerging Stability Operations field with the Department of Defense and in Crisis Mitigation and Recovery projects with USAID and other donors. Bruce speaks fluent French, Swahili, and Lingala.Global Practice Lead, Institutional Reform | carmen_lane@dai.com
While in graduate school for international development, Carmen Lane was surprised to learn there was an emerging field of international democracy assistance, where she could apply her practical U.S. political experience in campaigns to her development studies. Thus began her five-year career with the National Democratic Institute where she played a supporting role in historic democratic transitions in South Africa, Malawi, and Mozambique, and in the peace process in Angola. After working on elections, on political party training, and with parliament, she focused on legislative strengthening and continued related research on cross-donor best practices for the United Nations Development Programme in New York. She carried that expertise to DAI in 2003, and has since helped build a premier practice in the area. In addition to legislative strengthening, Carmen helped build new business and manage projects in areas as diverse as local governance, anticorruption, public administration, and civil society, particularly in post-conflict environments. While her first love is Africa, she has travelled to four continents with DAI and particularly enjoyed her time in Pakistan as the Chief of Party for the Pakistan Legislative Strengthening Project. In early 2012, Carmen was named the Managing Director of Governance, where she is able to draw upon her multiple areas of technical expertise and geographic experience.
- M.A., Africa regional studies/peace and conflict resolution, American University School of International Service
- B.A., political science, College of Charleston
- Author, “Parliamentary Strengthening through the Lens of a Decade of Assistance to Pakistan’s National and Provincial Parliaments,” U.K. Parliament
Carmen Tedesco
While in graduate school for international development, Carmen Lane was surprised to learn there was an emerging field of international democracy assistance, where she could apply her practical U.S. political experience in campaigns to her development studies. Thus began her five-year career with the National Democratic Institute where she played a supporting role in historic democratic transitions in South Africa, Malawi, and Mozambique, and in the peace process in Angola. After working on elections, on political party training, and with parliament, she focused on legislative strengthening and continued related research on cross-donor best practices for the United Nations Development Programme in New York. She carried that expertise to DAI in 2003, and has since helped build a premier practice in the area. In addition to legislative strengthening, Carmen helped build new business and manage projects in areas as diverse as local governance, anticorruption, public administration, and civil society, particularly in post-conflict environments. While her first love is Africa, she has travelled to four continents with DAI and particularly enjoyed her time in Pakistan as the Chief of Party for the Pakistan Legislative Strengthening Project. In early 2012, Carmen was named the Managing Director of Governance, where she is able to draw upon her multiple areas of technical expertise and geographic experience. Senior Spatial Planning and Development Specialist | carmen_tedesco@dai.com
Carmen Tedesco became a geographer after finding other fields of study too limiting. “I was interested in infectious diseases, land management, and global climate change,” she said, “but wasn’t finding the right angle until I took my first geography course—then it all made sense.” Carmen has since earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geography and now applies her skills in spatial analysis and planning to DAI’s work on environment and energy issues. “I’ve had some intense experiences—from volcano tracking at the Alaska Volcano Observatory, to having stern public debates with the U.S. Forest Service, to taking part in participatory mapping with young people all over the world,” she said.
Climate change adaptation is Carmen’s primary interest. From her fieldwork on the North Slope of Alaska and in Glacier National Park in Montana, to work in Bangladesh and the deserts of Tunisia, she has witnessed the direct impacts of climate change on diverse ecosystems and cultures. Carmen has served as a Designated Contact Point to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, leading delegations in Copenhagen, Bonn, and Cancun. As part of the Geographic Information System/Information and Communication Technology team at DAI, Carmen works with projects and proposal teams, serving as a geospatial coordinator, building buy-in, educating teams on the uses of geospatial tools, and conducting analysis. She also co-manages an online peer network of natural resource management practitioners—FRAMEweb.org.
- M.A., geography, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- B.A., geography, Middlebury College
- Founder, Vermont Development Network
- Member: Association of American Geographers, American Geophysical Union, Society for International Development
Catherine Johnston
Carmen Tedesco became a geographer after finding other fields of study too limiting. “I was interested in infectious diseases, land management, and global climate change,” she said, “but wasn’t finding the right angle until I took my first geography course—then it all made sense.” Carmen has since earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in geography and now applies her skills in spatial analysis and planning to DAI’s work on environment and energy issues. “I’ve had some intense experiences—from volcano tracking at the Alaska Volcano Observatory, to having stern public debates with the U.S. Forest Service, to taking part in participatory mapping with young people all over the world,” she said.Chief of Party, Timor-Leste Dezenvolve Agricultura Communitária |catherine_johnston@dai.com
Catherine Johnston is a private sector development specialist who for 12 years has provided technical assistance and strategic planning consulting services to support economic growth driven by and benefiting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. She has significant experience in designing and delivering interventions that increase access to financial services, upgrade and strengthen value chains, and improve the business enabling environment. Catherine has provided technical assistance to donor-funded projects, host-country governments, microfinance institutions, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Most recently, she served as senior advisor for business development services and business association development for the DAI-led Afghanistan Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Development Activity.
- M.B.A., Georgetown University
- B.S., development sociology, Cornell University
Christina Olenik
Catherine Johnston is a private sector development specialist who for 12 years has provided technical assistance and strategic planning consulting services to support economic growth driven by and benefiting micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. She has significant experience in designing and delivering interventions that increase access to financial services, upgrade and strengthen value chains, and improve the business enabling environment. Catherine has provided technical assistance to donor-funded projects, host-country governments, microfinance institutions, and small and medium-sized enterprises. Most recently, she served as senior advisor for business development services and business association development for the DAI-led Afghanistan Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Development Activity.Global Practice Specialist, Youth Development, Engagement, and Workforce Participation | christina_olenik@dai.com
Christina Olenik wanted to work on youth issues since she was a peer counselor in high school. After graduation she began to realize that to enact real change, she would need to work at the policy level. Armed with a Ph.D., she started working in youth programming in earnest. Nearly 20 years later, she has designed, implemented, and evaluated youth programs for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and private foundations—domestically and internationally.
Most recently, she was the Task Order Manager for USAID’s Youth Development Policy, Learning, and Knowledge Management Activity. Christina has partnered with a number of international organizations, local nongovernmental organizations, and donors in working to build youth assets and reduce at-risk behaviors.
- Ph.D., social work, University of Maryland at Baltimore
- M.S.W., University of Maryland at Baltimore
- B.A., social work and political science, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Christopher Seeley
Christina Olenik wanted to work on youth issues since she was a peer counselor in high school. After graduation she began to realize that to enact real change, she would need to work at the policy level. Armed with a Ph.D., she started working in youth programming in earnest. Nearly 20 years later, she has designed, implemented, and evaluated youth programs for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and private foundations—domestically and internationally.Chief of Party, Honduras ProParque | christopher_seeley@dai.com
Christopher Seeley is an expert in sustainable livelihoods, alternative development, and the design and management of large-scale, multi-objective rural development programs. Over a 25-year career in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, and the United States, Chris has worked extensively with local municipalities, nongovernmental organizations, producer associations, and bilateral and multilateral donors in enabling vulnerable communities to prioritize investments, strategically develop enabling infrastructure (social and physical), and target resources on quick-impact yet long-yielding economic initiatives. Due to the nature of his experience, Chris brings analytical and technical insights to a wide range of issues, including agricultural production and agribusiness, public works (irrigation, water and sanitation, roads, and power), small and medium-sized enterprise development, natural resource management, institutional strengthening, and local governance. At DAI, Chris oversees a portfolio of projects in the Environment and Energy sector and provides significant cross-sectoral assistance and support to field projects in agribusiness, economic growth, stability, and natural resources. He also takes part in identifying and mobilizing technical and reconnaissance teams for specific new business opportunities.
- M.Sc, rural development, University of London, Imperial College
- B.A., botany, Miami University of Ohio
Chuck Chopak
Christopher Seeley is an expert in sustainable livelihoods, alternative development, and the design and management of large-scale, multi-objective rural development programs. Over a 25-year career in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, and the United States, Chris has worked extensively with local municipalities, nongovernmental organizations, producer associations, and bilateral and multilateral donors in enabling vulnerable communities to prioritize investments, strategically develop enabling infrastructure (social and physical), and target resources on quick-impact yet long-yielding economic initiatives. Due to the nature of his experience, Chris brings analytical and technical insights to a wide range of issues, including agricultural production and agribusiness, public works (irrigation, water and sanitation, roads, and power), small and medium-sized enterprise development, natural resource management, institutional strengthening, and local governance. At DAI, Chris oversees a portfolio of projects in the Environment and Energy sector and provides significant cross-sectoral assistance and support to field projects in agribusiness, economic growth, stability, and natural resources. He also takes part in identifying and mobilizing technical and reconnaissance teams for specific new business opportunities.Vice President, Technical Services | chuck_chopak@dai.com
Thirty years ago Chuck Chopak earned a bachelor’s degree, but couldn’t see earning a living in biology or sociology, his dual major at Tulane University. He was intrigued, though, by an aquaculture opening in northern Senegal. Figuring it a great way to learn French and fish farming, Chuck joined the Peace Corps for what turned out to be a five-year assignment in a village of 200 people.
The village chief gave him the name Ibrahima Diene, and he went to work building ponds that could be lowered or raised with the season in order to most efficiently raise ceeb u jen, or rice and fish. “In the Peace Corps I realized the decisions we made and solutions we found were the types of things I wanted to be doing,” he said.
After earning his doctorate, Chuck went on to lead some of the world’s most important food security programs, including the Washington, D.C.-based Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). He served long-term postings in Senegal and Zimbabwe and completed numerous assignments in African nations and Haiti. He now leads the DAI team implementing food security projects in Africa and Central Asia. He manages our Support for Food Security Activities indefinite quantity contract with the U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as our long-term agreement with the World Food Programme to analyze work in select countries and recommend improvements.
- President, Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development
- Ph.D., agricultural economics, Michigan State University
- B.S., biology, sociology, Tulane University
Colleen Green
Thirty years ago Chuck Chopak earned a bachelor’s degree, but couldn’t see earning a living in biology or sociology, his dual major at Tulane University. He was intrigued, though, by an aquaculture opening in northern Senegal. Figuring it a great way to learn French and fish farming, Chuck joined the Peace Corps for what turned out to be a five-year assignment in a village of 200 people.Development Specialist | colleen_green@dai.com
Colleen Green graduated from the University of Oregon in 1989 with a dual major in international studies and German. Times were different—the Cold War was still going on, nuclear threats loomed, and job prospects were slim. In August 1989, Colleen began a one-year internship in the German parliament with Social Democrat Renate Schmidt from Nuremberg. Weeks later, the world changed: the Berlin Wall, communism, and centrally planned economies fell, and she convinced her new boss of the unique opportunity to participate in the first free election in East Germany. Colleen continued her post-graduate work in Russia and Ukraine, assisting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in building organizations for the Russian stock exchange, reforming former state-owned enterprises, and helping small businesses register, expand, and gain access to finance.
Since joining DAI in 2000, Colleen has served as a microfinance specialist providing short-term support to bank downscaling and other programs to benefit micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises; as project director for a USAID-funded microfinance research project; and as Technical Area Manager for our HIV/AIDS and livelihoods work. Colleen was most recently managing IMARISHA in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, a project that strengthened economic activities undertaken by U.S. Government-funded programs for orphans, vulnerable children, and home-based care providers.
- M.A.L.D., development economics, Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
- Founder and former board member of Women Advancing Microfinance
- B.A., international studies, German, University of Oregon
- Co-author, “Improving Resilience of the HIV Affected,” Developing Alternatives
Dan Charette
Colleen Green graduated from the University of Oregon in 1989 with a dual major in international studies and German. Times were different—the Cold War was still going on, nuclear threats loomed, and job prospects were slim. In August 1989, Colleen began a one-year internship in the German parliament with Social Democrat Renate Schmidt from Nuremberg. Weeks later, the world changed: the Berlin Wall, communism, and centrally planned economies fell, and she convinced her new boss of the unique opportunity to participate in the first free election in East Germany. Colleen continued her post-graduate work in Russia and Ukraine, assisting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in building organizations for the Russian stock exchange, reforming former state-owned enterprises, and helping small businesses register, expand, and gain access to finance.Technical Advisor for Economic Policy Reform, Africa Lead II |dan_charette@dai.com
Daniel Charette specializes in private sector development. He has experience applying the principles and tools of various international development frameworks, including value chain analysis/development, making markets work for the poor, and business environment reform. Dan has applied each of these frameworks to project design, implementation, evaluation, and knowledge management. For example, he designed the project strategy, staffing plan, and performance monitoring plan for an agriculture-focused value chain development project in Tanzania that DAI later implemented for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). He also contributed to a USAID-funded research task order covering good practices in the impact evaluation of private sector development projects. In 2008, he implemented and managed an International Labour Organization-funded assessment of the regulatory barriers faced by the artisanal weaving value chain in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Subsequently, Dan served on a three-person team tasked by USAID with devising a development strategy for Nigeria’s rice industry. In 2010, he sole authored DAI’s technical approach for the $75 million, USAID-funded Liberia Food and Enterprise Development Project, which DAI implements. More recently, he completed a business environment assessment of Somaliland, a breakaway region of Northern Somalia with a highly functional private sector. Dan also contributes extensively to DAI’s knowledge management efforts, and serves as the home office Project Team Leader for DAI’s Mozambique Economic Policy Reform Program (SPEED) and the Timor-Leste Community Agriculture Development Program (DAC). In addition to his full-time position with DAI, Dan works part-time as an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of International Public Affairs (SIPA).
- M.S., international relations, McCormack Graduate School of Policy Studies, University of Massachusetts
- B.A., psychology, University of North Carolina
Dan Rathbun
Daniel Charette specializes in private sector development. He has experience applying the principles and tools of various international development frameworks, including value chain analysis/development, making markets work for the poor, and business environment reform. Dan has applied each of these frameworks to project design, implementation, evaluation, and knowledge management. For example, he designed the project strategy, staffing plan, and performance monitoring plan for an agriculture-focused value chain development project in Tanzania that DAI later implemented for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). He also contributed to a USAID-funded research task order covering good practices in the impact evaluation of private sector development projects. In 2008, he implemented and managed an International Labour Organization-funded assessment of the regulatory barriers faced by the artisanal weaving value chain in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Subsequently, Dan served on a three-person team tasked by USAID with devising a development strategy for Nigeria’s rice industry. In 2010, he sole authored DAI’s technical approach for the $75 million, USAID-funded Liberia Food and Enterprise Development Project, which DAI implements. More recently, he completed a business environment assessment of Somaliland, a breakaway region of Northern Somalia with a highly functional private sector. Dan also contributes extensively to DAI’s knowledge management efforts, and serves as the home office Project Team Leader for DAI’s Mozambique Economic Policy Reform Program (SPEED) and the Timor-Leste Community Agriculture Development Program (DAC). In addition to his full-time position with DAI, Dan works part-time as an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of International Public Affairs (SIPA).Chief of Party, Vietnam Support for Trade Acceleration Plus (STAR Plus) |dan_rathbun@dai.com
In college, Dan Rathbun traveled to Colombia to study squatter housing settlements and helped found a community development organization in Wisconsin to revitalize an inner-city neighborhood. Intrigued by urbanization, Dan planned to work as a Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) volunteer in Houston, Texas, but he was offered a position in the new Environmental Protection Agency. After a year working on water pollution issues and a stint at the Federal Energy Administration during the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo, where he helped develop contingency plans for rationing gasoline, he joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Botswana, a country he had never heard of and could not locate on a map because it was too new. There, Dan was welcomed as “an educated somebody” and spent the next three years as the census director and, later, as the planning officer for urban development in the Ministry of Local Government and Lands. Upon returning to the United States, he enrolled in graduate studies in city and regional planning and in public health at the University of California, Berkeley, before joining the U.S. Agency for International Development in 1980 as a foreign service officer. He spent the next 24 years designing, implementing, and evaluating economic development programs in Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and the United States. Dan joined DAI in 2004 and managed our Support for Economic Growth and Institutional Reform contract, where he specialized in economic growth, enterprise restructuring, and trade in Azerbaijan, Egypt, Palestine, and Nigeria. In 2006, he was named to lead the Support for Trade Acceleration (STAR) project.
- M.A., city and regional planning, University of California, Berkeley
- Founder of Better Life Vietnam, a nongovernmental organization that advises and mentors Students in Free Enterprise chapters at several universities, AIESEC, and other organizations engaged in leadership and economic development
- Awarded the Medal for the Cause of Science and Technology by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
- Awarded a Certificate of Merit in 2007 by the Directorate for Standards and Quality, Ministry of Science and Technology
- Given the title of Comrade by the Communist Party’s Ho Chi Minh Academy for Political and Administrative Development
Daniel Martinko
In college, Dan Rathbun traveled to Colombia to study squatter housing settlements and helped found a community development organization in Wisconsin to revitalize an inner-city neighborhood. Intrigued by urbanization, Dan planned to work as a Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) volunteer in Houston, Texas, but he was offered a position in the new Environmental Protection Agency. After a year working on water pollution issues and a stint at the Federal Energy Administration during the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo, where he helped develop contingency plans for rationing gasoline, he joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Botswana, a country he had never heard of and could not locate on a map because it was too new. There, Dan was welcomed as “an educated somebody” and spent the next three years as the census director and, later, as the planning officer for urban development in the Ministry of Local Government and Lands. Upon returning to the United States, he enrolled in graduate studies in city and regional planning and in public health at the University of California, Berkeley, before joining the U.S. Agency for International Development in 1980 as a foreign service officer. He spent the next 24 years designing, implementing, and evaluating economic development programs in Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and the United States. Dan joined DAI in 2004 and managed our Support for Economic Growth and Institutional Reform contract, where he specialized in economic growth, enterprise restructuring, and trade in Azerbaijan, Egypt, Palestine, and Nigeria. In 2006, he was named to lead the Support for Trade Acceleration (STAR) project.Senior Global Practice Specialist, Governance | daniel_martinko@dai.com
Daniel, a governance specialist, has seven years of experience working in the international development and legal service industries. He specializes in conducting assessments and developing strategies for donor-funded development programs in areas such as local government reform, human and institutional capacity building, youth at risk, transparency and accountability of government, value chain development, and post-conflict stabilization.
He regularly leads and moderates discussions with DAI technical experts and partners to provoke critical thinking and exchange of ideas and incorporates best practices for good governance, capacity building, and performance measurement into technical strategies. Daniel has worked in Afghanistan, Armenia, the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, Singapore, Tanzania, Vietnam, and the West Bank.
- B.A., political science, Indiana University
Daniel Ticehurst
Daniel, a governance specialist, has seven years of experience working in the international development and legal service industries. He specializes in conducting assessments and developing strategies for donor-funded development programs in areas such as local government reform, human and institutional capacity building, youth at risk, transparency and accountability of government, value chain development, and post-conflict stabilization. Knowledgement Management, Monitoring and Evaluation | daniel_ticehurst@dai.com
Daniel started his career playing cricket for Hampshire County Cricket Club, but after completing his degree in geography and development economics and volunteering in India on an irrigation project, he went on to do a master’s degree and pursue a career in the field of international development. Over the next 10 years, Daniel worked on long-term monitoring and evaluation (M&E) positions in Bangladesh, Lesotho, Malawi, Uganda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, on initiatives supported by the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID), the World Bank, The Community Development Resource Network, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and Danida.
From 1997 to 2003, he was based in the United Kingdom, working first for the Natural Resources Institute mostly on M&E-related assignments and then for the U.K. Department for Trade and Industry as head of performance management. The next seven years were spent on long-term assignments in Tanzania, where he was a chief technical advisor for a UN agriculture programme; in Lesotho, leading a DFID job creation and food security programme; and in Australia, where he was a Principal Advisor for Aid Effectiveness for the Australian Government’s aid programme.
Since joining HTSPE, now DAI, in 2010, Daniel has focused much of his attention on developing systems that put to use financial and non-financial measures of performance in ways that help managers learn from clients through being accountable to them. He is currently leading the development of such systems for a multidonor-funded business sector programme led by Danida, a health programme in Timor-Leste, and a trade integration programme in Vietnam, the latter two funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can read Daniel’s recent writing on M&E issues here, here and here.
- M.Sc., agricultural economics, Wye College
- B.A., geography, University of Sussex
Danijela Kostic
Daniel started his career playing cricket for Hampshire County Cricket Club, but after completing his degree in geography and development economics and volunteering in India on an irrigation project, he went on to do a master’s degree and pursue a career in the field of international development. Over the next 10 years, Daniel worked on long-term monitoring and evaluation (M&E) positions in Bangladesh, Lesotho, Malawi, Uganda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, on initiatives supported by the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID), the World Bank, The Community Development Resource Network, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and Danida.From 1997 to 2003, he was based in the United Kingdom, working first for the Natural Resources Institute mostly on M&E-related assignments and then for the U.K. Department for Trade and Industry as head of performance management. The next seven years were spent on long-term assignments in Tanzania, where he was a chief technical advisor for a UN agriculture programme; in Lesotho, leading a DFID job creation and food security programme; and in Australia, where he was a Principal Advisor for Aid Effectiveness for the Australian Government’s aid programme.
Since joining HTSPE, now DAI, in 2010, Daniel has focused much of his attention on developing systems that put to use financial and non-financial measures of performance in ways that help managers learn from clients through being accountable to them. He is currently leading the development of such systems for a multidonor-funded business sector programme led by Danida, a health programme in Timor-Leste, and a trade integration programme in Vietnam, the latter two funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can read Daniel’s recent writing on M&E issues here, here and here.
Senior ICT Specialist | danijela_kostic@dai.com
Danijela Kostic performs management, coordination, planning, and assessments of information communication technology (ICT) projects, writing technical documentation, reviewing ICT components for DAI active projects, working on proposals with ICT components and designing tailored solutions for project beneficiaries. Over the years, she has provided ICT services for a variety of sectors on DAI development projects around the world. Her services include: project network setup and configuration, ICT needs assessment, developing system design and specifications, ICT procurement management, ICT component strategic planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, ICT project management, assisting project to prepare necessary technical documentation and reports for ADS 548 compliance. She also contributes to internal IT policies and procedures.
- B.A., English language and literature, University of Nis, Serbia
- Speaks Serbian
David Pottebaum
Danijela Kostic performs management, coordination, planning, and assessments of information communication technology (ICT) projects, writing technical documentation, reviewing ICT components for DAI active projects, working on proposals with ICT components and designing tailored solutions for project beneficiaries. Over the years, she has provided ICT services for a variety of sectors on DAI development projects around the world. Her services include: project network setup and configuration, ICT needs assessment, developing system design and specifications, ICT procurement management, ICT component strategic planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, ICT project management, assisting project to prepare necessary technical documentation and reports for ADS 548 compliance. She also contributes to internal IT policies and procedures.Chief of Party, Thailand Sapan Program | david_pottebaum@dai.com
David Pottebaum has more than 20 years of policy, technical, program, and managerial experience in international development, focusing on social, economic, and institutional development in crisis and post-conflict settings. For more than 16 years he has led and managed recovery and reconciliation projects and operations in complex settings in Southeast and South Asia. His technical skills include the statistical analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, and applications of participatory planning and rapid assessment techniques. David recently served as Chief of Party of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Promoting Governance, Accountability, Transparency and Integrity project in Bangladesh, where he led overall program management and the design and implementation of conflict-sensitive anticorruption initiatives with local counterparts. In an environment of heightened tension, he built relationships among senior government officials, media representatives, and civil society leaders, helping them envision and work together toward a more just and better governed society. Currently, Chief of Party for the USAID Thailand Sapan Program, David has also led long-term projects in Indonesia, Cambodia, and elsewhere. He conducted research for the World Bank's World Development Report 2000/2001: Attacking Poverty as a Research and Teaching Assistant at Cornell University, from where he holds a Ph.D. in applied economics. David is fluent in Thai with basic speaking ability in Khmer and Bahasa Indonesia.
- Ph.D., applied economics, Cornell University
- M.S., agricultural eocnomics, University of Minnesota
- B.S., international agriculture, Purdue University
David Tardif-Douglin
Principal Development Specialist | david_tardif-douglin@dai.com
David Tardif-Douglin runs Africa Lead II, a project that builds the capacity of agriculture professionals, institutions and stakeholders to position African leaders and institutions at the forefront of increased agricultural productivity and food security.
It was a high school politics and economics class 37 years ago that sparked David’s interest in economic development. The son of American missionaries in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), David, who was born and raised in the turbulent country, saw the effects of poverty all around him, as well as how things could be on his infrequent trips back to the United States and Europe. He also gained an appreciation for different paths toward economic progress while traveling to and from school through Zaire, Uganda, and Kenya. Wanting to learn more about the process of economic and social development, David went to the United States to attend college, earning a degree in economics and business. He returned to Zaire and ran a cattle ranch for two years before heading back to America for graduate studies in agricultural economics. Upon completing his doctoral degree, David joined DAI and was promptly assigned to long-term work in Rwanda and, later, the Philippines. An agricultural economist with expertise in capacity building, training, and managing and overseeing multiple technical teams operating in multiple project sites, David most recently managed a global project that trained and prepared veterinarians, public health personnel, farmers, and government officials to prepare for and counter avian influenza and pandemic outbreaks. David has also supported DAI projects in Azerbaijan, El Salvador, and Nigeria.
Del McCluskey
David Tardif-Douglin runs Africa Lead II, a project that builds the capacity of agriculture professionals, institutions and stakeholders to position African leaders and institutions at the forefront of increased agricultural productivity and food security.Global Practice Lead, Environment, Climate Change & Urban Services |del_mccluskey@dai.com
Del McCluskey was introduced to international development in 1963 when his father joined the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Growing up in Africa, Latin America, and Asia, and seeing his father work to improve agriculture production and food security, instilled in Del a passion to make a difference in the world.
Twenty years later, Del joined USAID and led several groundbreaking programs that included supporting the diversification of the Dominican Republic’s and Honduras’ agriculture exports; establishing the Honduran Agriculture Research Foundation, one of the first public-private partnerships in agriculture research that still thrives today; designing and testing approaches for community-based management of informal land rights for indigenous Filipinos; and developing one of USAID’s first climate change programs.
Since joining DAI in 2004, Del has helped conceptualize and establish the first revolving fund outside of the United States for financing water and sanitation infrastructure, which secured clean water for hundreds of thousands of Filipinos. He also designed and supported an innovative public-private partnership that uses incentive rebates to rapidly expand access to clean water to thousands of poor households in Cambodia. Currently, he oversees a diverse team of specialists working to help communities and governments become more resilient and adapt to climate change, expand access to clean water and basic sanitation, and promote sustainable and low carbon development.
- M.S., tropical forestry and ecology, University of Florida
- B.S., forest resources management, Oregon State University
- Co-author of “Addressing Resilience to Climate Change with Public-Private Partnerships in Vietnam,” Developing Alternatives, Winter 2013–14
Denise Wales
Del McCluskey was introduced to international development in 1963 when his father joined the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Growing up in Africa, Latin America, and Asia, and seeing his father work to improve agriculture production and food security, instilled in Del a passion to make a difference in the world.
Director, Effective Governance, Asia | denise_wales@dai.com
Denise got hooked on development while serving as Peace Corps volunteer in Slovakia. “It was a fascinating time for an economics major teaching English in a recently formed state looking to become a democracy. It made me realize the importance of active citizenship and good governance for both individuals and societies. I developed a passion for really listening to people, helping them get to the heart of a problem, and supporting them to take action to solve it.”
Over the past 15 years, Denise has applied this passion from designing and managing democracy and governance programs in transitioning societies to developing operational systems and procedures that safeguard taxpayer funds. After the Peace Corps, she joined the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) where she designed and managed programs that enhanced civic education and improved people’s opportunities to express their voice through free and fair elections. As a long-term member of IFES’s team seconded to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, she helped to organize first municipal elections in Kosovo. For the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, she helped establish operational systems and policies to manage U.S. government-funded programs in 10 African countries. For International Relief and Development, she managed a $21.4 million community grants program in Afghanistan and supported and developed rehabilitation and conflict mitigation programs in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
Since joining DAI in 2010, Denise has been project team leader for projects in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
- M.P.M., specialization in international security and economic policy, University of Maryland
- B.A., economics and international affairs, University of New Hampshire
Don Humpal
Denise got hooked on development while serving as Peace Corps volunteer in Slovakia. “It was a fascinating time for an economics major teaching English in a recently formed state looking to become a democracy. It made me realize the importance of active citizenship and good governance for both individuals and societies. I developed a passion for really listening to people, helping them get to the heart of a problem, and supporting them to take action to solve it.” Global Practice Specialist, Agriculture & Food Security | don_humpal@dai.com
Don Humpal has worked for more than 30 years on agricultural production, postharvest handling and storage, marketing, and food safety programs, primarily in Africa as well as in Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, and Middle East. He has worked with a wide variety of crops and processing enterprises across tropical, subtropical, and Mediterranean environments for donor, foundation, and private sector clients. Don is a former member of DAI’s Board of Directors and past trustee of the Employee Stock Ownership Program. He grew up on a dairy and crop farm in Rhode Island, and was a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal developing commercial extension services with the export horticulture industry. He speaks fluent French.
- M.S., international agricultural development, University of California at Davis
- B.S., biology, Yale University
Donald Lunan
Don Humpal has worked for more than 30 years on agricultural production, postharvest handling and storage, marketing, and food safety programs, primarily in Africa as well as in Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, and Middle East. He has worked with a wide variety of crops and processing enterprises across tropical, subtropical, and Mediterranean environments for donor, foundation, and private sector clients. Don is a former member of DAI’s Board of Directors and past trustee of the Employee Stock Ownership Program. He grew up on a dairy and crop farm in Rhode Island, and was a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal developing commercial extension services with the export horticulture industry. He speaks fluent French.Knowledge Management, Energy and Environment | donald_lunan@dai.com
Donald has worked at the company for 10 years and has been instrumental in building its portfolio of environment and climate change work. He is involved in a range of activities, from business development and bid management to project implementation and technical inputs on programmes. He is currently the Regional Coordinator for the U.K. and Ireland LIFE Monitoring team, providing technical monitoring and evaluation support on biodiversity, conservation, and environmental technology. Donald is also Climate Change Coordinator for the Evidence on Demand service. Alongside these long-term assignments, Donald continues to provide short-term technical assistance to a range of donors in the fields of climate change and natural resource management in Africa and South Asia. His overseas experience includes work in Afghanistan, Kenya, and Tanzania.
- B.Sc., ecological science, University of Edinburgh
- M.Sc., sustainable agriculture and rural development, Imperial College at Wye
Doreen Erfe
Donald has worked at the company for 10 years and has been instrumental in building its portfolio of environment and climate change work. He is involved in a range of activities, from business development and bid management to project implementation and technical inputs on programmes. He is currently the Regional Coordinator for the U.K. and Ireland LIFE Monitoring team, providing technical monitoring and evaluation support on biodiversity, conservation, and environmental technology. Donald is also Climate Change Coordinator for the Evidence on Demand service. Alongside these long-term assignments, Donald continues to provide short-term technical assistance to a range of donors in the fields of climate change and natural resource management in Africa and South Asia. His overseas experience includes work in Afghanistan, Kenya, and Tanzania.Senior Policy Development Specialist | doreen_erfe@dai.com
Doreen Erfe joined the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Philippine Water Revolving Fund Support Program in 2008 as Senior Policy and Institutional Development Specialist. As the current Deputy Chief of Party and Senior Policy Development Specialist of the follow-on program, she manages policy-related initiatives focusing on financing and regulatory reforms in the water supply and sanitation sector and capacity-building activities to improve regulation and water service provision. In her work, she maintains close rapport with government entities from executive and legislative branches involved in policy development and regulation and water service providers (e.g., water districts, local government units, co-ops and private utilities). Doreen has helped draft policies on the rationalization of public resource allocation and economic regulation of water supply and sanitation and developed guidelines for the implementation of the government’s water supply program for waterless municipalities. She has packaged knowledge products on water utility governance and performance improvement, which have served as reference in capacity-building activities for water utilities. Her expertise also includes microfinance, program monitoring, and gender development. Before working with DAI, she was involved in the implementation of various foreign-assisted projects funded by the Asian Development Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, theJapan Bank for International Cooperation, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency in the fields of credit and microfinance, environment, enterprise, and rural development.
- M.A., economics, University of the Philippines
- Postgraduate studies, development policy, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan
- Postgraduate studies, environmental economics, Harvard University
Doug McLean
Doreen Erfe joined the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Philippine Water Revolving Fund Support Program in 2008 as Senior Policy and Institutional Development Specialist. As the current Deputy Chief of Party and Senior Policy Development Specialist of the follow-on program, she manages policy-related initiatives focusing on financing and regulatory reforms in the water supply and sanitation sector and capacity-building activities to improve regulation and water service provision. In her work, she maintains close rapport with government entities from executive and legislative branches involved in policy development and regulation and water service providers (e.g., water districts, local government units, co-ops and private utilities). Doreen has helped draft policies on the rationalization of public resource allocation and economic regulation of water supply and sanitation and developed guidelines for the implementation of the government’s water supply program for waterless municipalities. She has packaged knowledge products on water utility governance and performance improvement, which have served as reference in capacity-building activities for water utilities. Her expertise also includes microfinance, program monitoring, and gender development. Before working with DAI, she was involved in the implementation of various foreign-assisted projects funded by the Asian Development Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, theJapan Bank for International Cooperation, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency in the fields of credit and microfinance, environment, enterprise, and rural development.Vice President, International Operations | doug_mclean@dai.com
Doug McLean oversees the company’s international offices, ensuring effective coordination with DAI technical sectors and support departments. From 2005 to 2008, he managed what was then the Private Sector Development Practice. He was responsible for program impact and quality, contract and corporate policy compliance, and profitability of 36 field-based projects with annual revenue exceeding $50 million. Over the course of his 20-year career, Doug has established and managed private and public sector consulting and training programs for microfinance institutions, banks, credit unions, finance companies, and small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging economies. He has designed and managed numerous industry, association, and institutional development programs and provided direct assistance to small, medium-sized, and large industries interested in expanding local procurement via linkages and export opportunities. Doug has managed five multiyear projects for the U.S. Agency for International Development. Prior to joining DAI he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho, worked for the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Malawi and served as Deputy Director of CARE International’s small enterprise unit. He joined DAI and moved to Swaziland to serve Deputy Chief of Party on the Swazi Business Growth Trust Project.
- M.B.A., University of Massachusetts
- B.A., philosophy and history, Mercer University
Douglas Hatch
Doug McLean oversees the company’s international offices, ensuring effective coordination with DAI technical sectors and support departments. From 2005 to 2008, he managed what was then the Private Sector Development Practice. He was responsible for program impact and quality, contract and corporate policy compliance, and profitability of 36 field-based projects with annual revenue exceeding $50 million. Over the course of his 20-year career, Doug has established and managed private and public sector consulting and training programs for microfinance institutions, banks, credit unions, finance companies, and small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging economies. He has designed and managed numerous industry, association, and institutional development programs and provided direct assistance to small, medium-sized, and large industries interested in expanding local procurement via linkages and export opportunities. Doug has managed five multiyear projects for the U.S. Agency for International Development. Prior to joining DAI he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho, worked for the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Malawi and served as Deputy Director of CARE International’s small enterprise unit. He joined DAI and moved to Swaziland to serve Deputy Chief of Party on the Swazi Business Growth Trust Project.Senior Field Epidemiology Officer | douglas_hatch@dai.com
Fresh from his medical internship, Douglas Hatch in 1978 volunteered for the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS), where he provided medical services to underserved Native Americans on reservations in northern Arizona. He volunteered for his first international assignment in 1980 for UNICEF to treat refugees fleeing civil conflict in Laos, working in crowded camps with high death rates due to meningitis/encephalitis, malaria, pneumonia, tetanus, and other conditions. After returning, Douglas completed an infectious disease fellowship at the University of Southern California and a pediatric residency at the Los Angeles County Hospital.
“I always thought clinicians should actually have experience with the classical infectious diseases like cholera, typhoid, and malaria before they tried to teach as professors at medical schools,” Douglas said. He got that opportunity shortly thereafter, in Sudan. Despite being accepted in the famous Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) training course for “disease detectives” at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, he declined the appointment and went instead to work in a resettlement camp for Ethiopian and Eritrean refugees in eastern Sudan during the famine. He was convinced that with nearly 200,000 refugees jammed into the Wad Sherife camp—and shortages of food, potable water, and medications—a cholera epidemic was inevitable. “In the early mornings, we’d drive out to the desert and find dozens of people, including infants and grandparents, who’d survived the trek across the Sahara and collapsed during the night; so we’d transport them back for care and treatment.”
Upon returning home, Douglas and several colleagues started a private pediatric practice in San Francisco. But when he had another opportunity to join CDC’s EIS program and work on infectious diseases internationally, he accepted. Over the next 20 years, CDC assignments included work in Brazil, Central America, China, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Sudan, and Swaziland—mainly focused on outbreaks and epidemics. “I had the good fortune of working internationally, and with my wife watching my children grow-up in cultures in far-off lands and experiencing the Sphinx, Pyramids, and the Amazon basin, while I was able to work with governments to develop their teams of professionals responsible for investigating epidemics and implementing control measures; it was an incredible time.”
After retiring from the USPHS in 2007, Douglas spent two years working as the Chief of California’s Division of Communicable Disease Control (DCDC), overseeing more than 500 employees.
And, in 2009, Douglas began work with DAI on the REPSOND project, as part of USAID’s Emerging Pandemic Threat (EPT) program, designed to improve global public health training and capacity. He now works on the EPT-2 project, Preparedness & Response.
- M.D., Albany Medical College, New York
- Infectious disease fellowship and pediatric residency training, Los Angeles County Hospital/University of Southern California
- Preventive medicine residency, CDC-Atlanta
Duke Burruss
Fresh from his medical internship, Douglas Hatch in 1978 volunteered for the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS), where he provided medical services to underserved Native Americans on reservations in northern Arizona. He volunteered for his first international assignment in 1980 for UNICEF to treat refugees fleeing civil conflict in Laos, working in crowded camps with high death rates due to meningitis/encephalitis, malaria, pneumonia, tetanus, and other conditions. After returning, Douglas completed an infectious disease fellowship at the University of Southern California and a pediatric residency at the Los Angeles County Hospital.Principal Development Specialist, Agribusiness, Acting COP, East Africa Trade and Investment Hub | duke_burruss@dai.com
Duke Burruss launched his development career following 18 years of service with the Virginia and U.S. departments of agriculture. Before joining DAI in November 2010, Duke worked for five years with the Millennium Challenge Corporation as a consultant and personal services contractor as a senior managing technical adviser. He participated in the due diligence and design of the agriculture projects for the Ghana and Namibia Compacts and managed their portfolios in implementation. The projects centered on strengthening value chains through farmer-based capacity building, inputs, technology and irrigation and those involving postharvest infrastructure, trade, and exports. Other country experience includes Afghanistan, Armenia, Ethiopia, India, and Russia. From 2001 to 2005, Duke served as a senior planner and economist at Wilbur Smith Associates, where he was responsible for proposal and new business development and management and delivery of projects. Example projects include the feasibility and development of a new wholesale and retail farmers market, the Federal Highway Administration’s Texas Economic Development Highway Corridor Border Crossing Initiative, and Latin America Trade and Transportation Study.
- B.S., Ferrum College
- M.P.A., Virginia Commonwealth University
Edwin Berk
Duke Burruss launched his development career following 18 years of service with the Virginia and U.S. departments of agriculture. Before joining DAI in November 2010, Duke worked for five years with the Millennium Challenge Corporation as a consultant and personal services contractor as a senior managing technical adviser. He participated in the due diligence and design of the agriculture projects for the Ghana and Namibia Compacts and managed their portfolios in implementation. The projects centered on strengthening value chains through farmer-based capacity building, inputs, technology and irrigation and those involving postharvest infrastructure, trade, and exports. Other country experience includes Afghanistan, Armenia, Ethiopia, India, and Russia. From 2001 to 2005, Duke served as a senior planner and economist at Wilbur Smith Associates, where he was responsible for proposal and new business development and management and delivery of projects. Example projects include the feasibility and development of a new wholesale and retail farmers market, the Federal Highway Administration’s Texas Economic Development Highway Corridor Border Crossing Initiative, and Latin America Trade and Transportation Study.Director, Business Development, Middle East, North Africa, and Afghanistan |edwin_berk@dai.com
Edwin Berk has made a career of building the businesses of professional services companies where public and private sectors intersect. After a brief stint teaching at Yale University, he joined a public policy consulting firm. When that firm grew into a $1 billion-plus engineering and construction company, he shifted into capturing new engineering projects in international markets. Because his targeted markets were mainly developing countries, he typically had to generate the business opportunities—to structure the projects and secure their financing to produce genuine opportunities for revenue-generating business. Ed joined DAI in 2004 to manage and write DAI’s larger, higher priority bids. In 2012, he was posted to Amman, Jordan to concentrate on developing business in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In 2014 he returned to DAI’s U.S. headquarters to continue unearthing and structuring project opportunities in the MENA region while adding Afghanistan to his portfolio.
- B.A., philosophy, Trinity College
- M.Phil., philosophy, Yale University
- Ph.D., philosophy, Yale University
Ejonta Pashaj
Edwin Berk has made a career of building the businesses of professional services companies where public and private sectors intersect. After a brief stint teaching at Yale University, he joined a public policy consulting firm. When that firm grew into a $1 billion-plus engineering and construction company, he shifted into capturing new engineering projects in international markets. Because his targeted markets were mainly developing countries, he typically had to generate the business opportunities—to structure the projects and secure their financing to produce genuine opportunities for revenue-generating business. Ed joined DAI in 2004 to manage and write DAI’s larger, higher priority bids. In 2012, he was posted to Amman, Jordan to concentrate on developing business in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In 2014 he returned to DAI’s U.S. headquarters to continue unearthing and structuring project opportunities in the MENA region while adding Afghanistan to his portfolio.Director, Economic Growth, Environment and Health, Middle East, North Africa, and Afghanistan | ejonta_pashaj@dai.com
Ejonta Pashaj learned of DAI through a public administration program DAI was implementing in Albania. Ejonta says she was impressed with how DAI approaches working with local governments, especially our emphasis on citizen participation in municipal decision making. When a job opportunity opened on the project, Ejonta applied and started her career as a governance specialist and program manager. Her areas of expertise include the design, implementation, and evaluation of citizen participation, community development, outreach, and anti-corruption strategies. She has helped to establish business improvement districts, citizen assistance centers, and one-stop permitting centers in Albania, Serbia, and Macedonia, and designed and delivered training on results-based public engagement in municipal decision making.
After working with DAI in the Balkans, Ejonta managed the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Afghanistan Social Outreach Program for AECOM International Development, where she guided the community development and government outreach program. She also served as AECOM’s long-term home office manager for USAID-funded anti-corruption programs in Cambodia and Tanzania, supported USAID’s Sudan Transition Initiative, and provided technical assistance to a decentralization program in Egypt. Ejonta recently joined DAI’s governance team and is managing a local government program in Afghanistan.
Recalling some of the highlights of her work, Ejonta harks back to her native Albania. “A relatively new district in Tirana had opened their houses to Kosovar refugees in 1998, and as a reward for their gesture each family had received a modest sum of money from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. The families could have done a lot for themselves with that money, but instead they decided to use it to build the sewage system. They came to DAI to ask for help—I was the first one they met with. Their community spirit was so unique that we helped them raise additional money to build a road, conduct a transparent procurement process, and ensure citizen monitoring of the construction work.”
- M.P.P., public management and nonprofit studies, Georgetown University
- B.A., business administration, Tirana University, Albania
Eliud Wakwabubi
Ejonta Pashaj learned of DAI through a public administration program DAI was implementing in Albania. Ejonta says she was impressed with how DAI approaches working with local governments, especially our emphasis on citizen participation in municipal decision making. When a job opportunity opened on the project, Ejonta applied and started her career as a governance specialist and program manager. Her areas of expertise include the design, implementation, and evaluation of citizen participation, community development, outreach, and anti-corruption strategies. She has helped to establish business improvement districts, citizen assistance centers, and one-stop permitting centers in Albania, Serbia, and Macedonia, and designed and delivered training on results-based public engagement in municipal decision making.Livelihoods Advisor | eliud_wakwabubi@dai.com
Eliud Wakwabubi provides technical and strategic oversight for integrating economic strengthening approaches into HIV and AIDS programming under the regional project, ROADS II (Regional Outreach Addressing AIDS through Development Strategies), primed by FHI 360, across eastern and southern Africa. Eliud specializes in economic strengthening activities, focusing on increasing household food production, building savings and access to credit and other financial services, and linking affected households to business activities to enhance food and economic security of participating households and communities. He has expertise in designing community-managed development services targeting diverse, poor, and vulnerable groups. He is skilled and experienced in designing and applying participatory approaches in development programs for improved pro-poor relevance, governance and accountability, civil society strengthening, and citizen engagement.
Before joining DAI, Eliud worked for Participatory Methodologies Forum of Kenya (PAMFORK); as a Network Coordinator. He ensured that PAMFORK remained a broad-based network of participation serving as a forum for experience sharing, learning and policy advocacy in order to deepen understanding and use of participatory methods, principles, and ethics in development processes.
- MA, Linguistics and African Languages, University of Nairobi
- BA, Sociology & Linguistics, University of Nairobi
Elizabeth Villarroel
Eliud Wakwabubi provides technical and strategic oversight for integrating economic strengthening approaches into HIV and AIDS programming under the regional project, ROADS II (Regional Outreach Addressing AIDS through Development Strategies), primed by FHI 360, across eastern and southern Africa. Eliud specializes in economic strengthening activities, focusing on increasing household food production, building savings and access to credit and other financial services, and linking affected households to business activities to enhance food and economic security of participating households and communities. He has expertise in designing community-managed development services targeting diverse, poor, and vulnerable groups. He is skilled and experienced in designing and applying participatory approaches in development programs for improved pro-poor relevance, governance and accountability, civil society strengthening, and citizen engagement.Global Practice Lead, Resilience and Transition | elizabeth_villarroel@dai.com
Elizabeth has 10 years of programmatic and operations experience in designing, managing, monitoring, and assessing programs in conflict and post-conflict environments. Having served as a senior technical manager, she offers a deep understanding of the practical challenges of working in complex environments in countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Moldova, and Sudan.
Prior to joining DAI, Elizabeth was a Senior Associate at Creative Associates and served as the Project Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Transition Initiatives’ program in Afghanistan, where she supported project management efforts and provided strategic leadership in the implementation of small grant activities. Elizabeth also served as Acting Chief of Party in Kabul. She is fluent in Spanish and English, proficient in Russian, and has a basic knowledge of Arabic, Polish, and Dari.
She has also worked for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, the World Food Programme, and AECOM.
- M.A., central and eastern European political and economic studies, Uniwersytet Jagiellonski
- B.A., international affairs, James Madison University
Enrique Giraldo
Elizabeth has 10 years of programmatic and operations experience in designing, managing, monitoring, and assessing programs in conflict and post-conflict environments. Having served as a senior technical manager, she offers a deep understanding of the practical challenges of working in complex environments in countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Moldova, and Sudan.Chief of Party, El Salvador Fiscal Policy and Expenditure Management Program | enrique_giraldo@dai.com
Enrique Giraldo has more than 20 years of experience in tax policy and administration, demonstrated management credentials in leading U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) projects, and established credibility with Salvadoran counterparts. He was formerly Chief of Party of the El Salvador Tax Policy and Administration Reform (TPAR) Project for DAI, when he successfully assisted in the modernization of El Salvador’s national tax administration providing the necessary structure to more efficiently support tax compliance through improved taxpayer services, a modernized IT infrastructure, an aggressive pursuit of fraud and corruption, and improved tax policy analysis, helping the taxing authority gain both accountability and legitimacy.
Enrique has led the design and implementation of tax policy and administrative reforms throughout Latin America. His work has included serving as a Tax Consultant for the U.S. Department of Treasury in Paraguay and Honduras, analyzing tax codes, making recommendations to strengthen enforcement and auditing, and drafting transfer pricing legislation. He also consulted on the USAID/DAI Ecuador Strengthening Access to Microfinance and Economic Liberalization Task Order, advising on the restructuring of the Servicio de Rentas Internas.
Prior to consulting, he held senior positions in the Colombian Customs and Excise Administration, and in the Colombian Social Security Agency. He was a professor of macroeconomics at the Universidad Externo de Colombia and the Universidad Sergio Arboleda.
- M.A., economics, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Eunice Heredia-Ortiz
Enrique Giraldo has more than 20 years of experience in tax policy and administration, demonstrated management credentials in leading U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) projects, and established credibility with Salvadoran counterparts. He was formerly Chief of Party of the El Salvador Tax Policy and Administration Reform (TPAR) Project for DAI, when he successfully assisted in the modernization of El Salvador’s national tax administration providing the necessary structure to more efficiently support tax compliance through improved taxpayer services, a modernized IT infrastructure, an aggressive pursuit of fraud and corruption, and improved tax policy analysis, helping the taxing authority gain both accountability and legitimacy.Public Finance Economist, Senior Development Specialist | eunice_heredia-ortiz@dai.com
Growing up in a developing country and witnessing poverty first hand, Eunice Heredia-Ortiz always knew she wanted to help people get on the path to prosperity. Specializing in public finance, Eunice has helped governments in many countries transform their fiscal policy and management, laying the foundations for more efficient and accountable use of public resources, better public service delivery, and improved living standards.
Eunice’s expertise includes improving tax policy and tax administration, public budgeting, and expenditure management, as well as designing and implementing fiscal decentralization reforms, with a particular focus on countries’ education and health sectors. At Georgia State University (GSU), she authored articles and reports on fiscal policy, tax policy, public budgeting, fiscal decentralization, education financing, and poverty reduction. She also served as a capacity-building expert for civil servants, designing curricula, delivering lectures and technical assistance, and managing the technical and administrative delivery of capacity-building programs, including GSU’s renowned Annual Public Policy Training Programs on fiscal decentralization and local governance; education policy and development; tax policy, fiscal analysis and revenue forecasting; public budgeting and fiscal management; and macroeconomic policies for economic growth.
Greg Gisvold
Growing up in a developing country and witnessing poverty first hand, Eunice Heredia-Ortiz always knew she wanted to help people get on the path to prosperity. Specializing in public finance, Eunice has helped governments in many countries transform their fiscal policy and management, laying the foundations for more efficient and accountable use of public resources, better public service delivery, and improved living standards.Global Practice Lead, Rule of Law, Security & Justice Reform | greg_gisvold@dai.com
Greg Gisvold has 15 years of international development and postconflict stabilization and reconstruction experience working with the Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, and international and private donor organizations. His expertise in human rights, judicial reform, security sector reform, and anticorruption and have been applied during assignments in Russia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Egypt, Indonesia, Albania, Ukraine, Iraq, and West Bank and Gaza. Greg comes to DAI from BlueLaw International, where he led the security and justice practice. He previously led the democracy and governance practice for Chemonics International. Greg served as country director for American Bar Association programs in Kosovo and Montenegro, including co-director of its War Crimes Documentation Project, which provided unique statistical evidence to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia prosecution of Slobodan Milosevic. Before moving fulltime into international development work, Greg served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Minnesota, worked in private law practice, and was on the staff of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights.
- J.D., University of Minnesota Law School
- B.A., Russian literature, Amherst College
Hadiza Elayo
Greg Gisvold has 15 years of international development and postconflict stabilization and reconstruction experience working with the Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development, and international and private donor organizations. His expertise in human rights, judicial reform, security sector reform, and anticorruption and have been applied during assignments in Russia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Egypt, Indonesia, Albania, Ukraine, Iraq, and West Bank and Gaza. Greg comes to DAI from BlueLaw International, where he led the security and justice practice. He previously led the democracy and governance practice for Chemonics International. Greg served as country director for American Bar Association programs in Kosovo and Montenegro, including co-director of its War Crimes Documentation Project, which provided unique statistical evidence to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia prosecution of Slobodan Milosevic. Before moving fulltime into international development work, Greg served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Minnesota, worked in private law practice, and was on the staff of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights.Deputy National Programme Manager, Nigeria SPARC | hadiza_elayo@dai.com
Hadiza is the Deputy National Programme Manager for SPARC, the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID)’s leading governance reform programme in Nigeria. She also leads SPARC’s federal component, mandated to support the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and central reform agencies such as the Millennium Development Office tasked with delivering state-level reforms. Her work entails managing state offices and government partners across the 10 states where SPARC operates, ensuring that the programme delivers on its governance reform objectives. She has successfully guided and supported the country’s implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) office, resulting in the widely acclaimed Conditional Grants Scheme, Nigeria’s Countdown Strategy to achieving the MDGs, and is currently involved in shaping the country’s direction with plans for the Sustainable Development Goals.
Prior to joining SPARC in 2010, she headed the Civil Service Reform Portfolio in DFID’s Federal Public Service Reform Programme, which supported federal reforms through partner institutions including the Office of the Head of Service of Nigeria, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, and Office to the Secretary to Government, among others. Through her extensive knowledge on public service reforms, she has guided DFID’s support to the development of The National Strategy on Public Service Reforms and the State Peer Review Mechanism.
She has more than a decade of international development experience. She began her career as a lawyer in Nigeria’s National Planning Commission, after which she proceeded to the private sector, eventually becoming an independent consultant, supporting and managing reform processes such as Institutional assessments and policy development.
- LLB and LLM, University of Manchester
- MSc, international development and environmental studies, Open University, U.K
Harris Khalique
Hadiza is the Deputy National Programme Manager for SPARC, the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID)’s leading governance reform programme in Nigeria. She also leads SPARC’s federal component, mandated to support the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and central reform agencies such as the Millennium Development Office tasked with delivering state-level reforms. Her work entails managing state offices and government partners across the 10 states where SPARC operates, ensuring that the programme delivers on its governance reform objectives. She has successfully guided and supported the country’s implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) office, resulting in the widely acclaimed Conditional Grants Scheme, Nigeria’s Countdown Strategy to achieving the MDGs, and is currently involved in shaping the country’s direction with plans for the Sustainable Development Goals. Team Leader, Pakistan—AAWAZ Voice and Accountability Programme | harris_khalique@dai.com
Harris Khalique is an internationally recognized civil society leader with more than 20 years of professional and voluntary work with civil society organizations with a focus on human rights and community development. He has held senior management and advisory positions with national and international nongovernmental organizations and civil society networks. He has work experience across Pakistan and has consulted, worked full time and advised in the U.K., India, Afghanistan, Eastern Europe, and throughout South Asia. His experience also includes working on gender issues, specifically around women’s political rights and gender-based violence. He served on the research advisory committee of the National Commission on the Status of Women in Pakistan.
Harris is also a poet and has penned poetry in both Urdu and English; his poetry appears in anthologies published by the University of Georgia Press, W.W. Norton and Co. and the Oxford University Press and on the web at lyrikline.org. He also co-wrote a book of creative nonfiction with the partition of South Asia in 1947 serving as the backdrop.
- M.Sc., development management, London School of Economics and Political Science
- B.E., mechanical engineering, N.E.D. University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi
Helle Weeke
Harris Khalique is an internationally recognized civil society leader with more than 20 years of professional and voluntary work with civil society organizations with a focus on human rights and community development. He has held senior management and advisory positions with national and international nongovernmental organizations and civil society networks. He has work experience across Pakistan and has consulted, worked full time and advised in the U.K., India, Afghanistan, Eastern Europe, and throughout South Asia. His experience also includes working on gender issues, specifically around women’s political rights and gender-based violence. He served on the research advisory committee of the National Commission on the Status of Women in Pakistan.General Counsel | helle_weeke@dai.com
Helle Weeke specializes in trade, investment, and legal development issues. As Chief of Party and Senior Technical Advisor to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Vietnam Competitiveness Initiative, she supported the release of the Provincial Competitiveness Index. She also served as Legal Advisor to the USAID-funded Support for Trade Acceleration Project, where she assisted the Government of Vietnam in implementing the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement and moving Vietnam toward World Trade Organization accession. Before joining DAI, Helle spent 10 years as an attorney in private practice.
- J.D., University of Copenhagen School of Law
- LLM, Duke University School of Law
- MIPP, international public policy, Johns Hopkins Nietze School of Advanced International Studies
Irene Burns
Helle Weeke specializes in trade, investment, and legal development issues. As Chief of Party and Senior Technical Advisor to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Vietnam Competitiveness Initiative, she supported the release of the Provincial Competitiveness Index. She also served as Legal Advisor to the USAID-funded Support for Trade Acceleration Project, where she assisted the Government of Vietnam in implementing the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement and moving Vietnam toward World Trade Organization accession. Before joining DAI, Helle spent 10 years as an attorney in private practice.Chief of Party, Zimbabwe Competitiveness Program | irene_burns@dai.com
Irene Burns has more than 13 years of experience in donor-funded projects that promote small and medium-sized enterprise development and business-enabling environment reform. She most recently was the Project Quality Manager for two major projects in Afghanistan: the Afghanistan Small and Medium Enterprise Development Project, and the Private Sector Development component of the Afghanistan Capacity Development Project. Prior to that, Irene was Deputy Chief of Party for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s five-year, Trade Facilitation and Investment Project in Central Asia.
- B.S. political science, Iona College
- M.B.A., international business, Iona College
Jack McCarthy
Irene Burns has more than 13 years of experience in donor-funded projects that promote small and medium-sized enterprise development and business-enabling environment reform. She most recently was the Project Quality Manager for two major projects in Afghanistan: the Afghanistan Small and Medium Enterprise Development Project, and the Private Sector Development component of the Afghanistan Capacity Development Project. Prior to that, Irene was Deputy Chief of Party for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s five-year, Trade Facilitation and Investment Project in Central Asia.Chief of Party, Addressing Biodiversity-Social Conflict in Latin America |jack_mccarthy@dai.com
Jack McCarthy has 24 years of international experience in crisis prevention, mitigation and response programming, and has worked with a broad array of stakeholders in fragile states and war-torn societies to develop innovative approaches to increasing stability and to achieving sustainable peace and development. He has developed an expertise in civil-military relations, security sector reform, and the important nexus between security and development. Jack has twice served as a Chief of Party on programs with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Latin and Central America, and also spent a decade working directly for USAID. Jack worked for USAID in Guatemala and Mozambique, where he managed large programs that supported the countries’ critical transitions from war to peace—including activities focused on national reconciliation; disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants; conflict prevention; and demining. He is fluent in Spanish and professionally proficient in Portuguese. He also teaches courses on the dynamics of conflict, security, and development at George Mason University’s Graduate School of Public Policy.
- M.A., economic and political development, Columbia University
Jamal Al Jabiri
Jack McCarthy has 24 years of international experience in crisis prevention, mitigation and response programming, and has worked with a broad array of stakeholders in fragile states and war-torn societies to develop innovative approaches to increasing stability and to achieving sustainable peace and development. He has developed an expertise in civil-military relations, security sector reform, and the important nexus between security and development. Jack has twice served as a Chief of Party on programs with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Latin and Central America, and also spent a decade working directly for USAID. Jack worked for USAID in Guatemala and Mozambique, where he managed large programs that supported the countries’ critical transitions from war to peace—including activities focused on national reconciliation; disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants; conflict prevention; and demining. He is fluent in Spanish and professionally proficient in Portuguese. He also teaches courses on the dynamics of conflict, security, and development at George Mason University’s Graduate School of Public Policy.Component Lead, Jordan Competitiveness Project | jamal_aljabiri@dai.com
While working at The Housing Bank for Trade and Finance in Amman, Jordan, Jamal Al Jabiri progressed from clerical positions to managing a post at the bank’s currency trading desk, then managing a small investment portfolio, and finally directing the correspondent relations department. Ten years into his career at the housing bank, Jamal answered an ad for a position with the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) Economic Growth Office in Jordan. With little expectation of competing for the position, he submitted his qualifications and shortly thereafter was hired as a project management specialist, managing small projects at first and eventually becoming increasingly involved in some of the most cutting-edge economic development projects in Jordan.
James Green
While working at The Housing Bank for Trade and Finance in Amman, Jordan, Jamal Al Jabiri progressed from clerical positions to managing a post at the bank’s currency trading desk, then managing a small investment portfolio, and finally directing the correspondent relations department. Ten years into his career at the housing bank, Jamal answered an ad for a position with the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) Economic Growth Office in Jordan. With little expectation of competing for the position, he submitted his qualifications and shortly thereafter was hired as a project management specialist, managing small projects at first and eventually becoming increasingly involved in some of the most cutting-edge economic development projects in Jordan.Project Management Adviser | james_green@dai.com
For more than 30 years, Jim has worked widely in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and China as a project director and rural development specialist. Jim has worked closely with all the major donor agencies, including the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID), the European Commission, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation. His recent experience includes overseeing land programmes in Mozambique and Rwanda, and the Global DFID Livelihoods Resource Programme. He also coordinates DAI’s Land Governance Team for business development and technical inputs on projects.
He started his career as a DFID young professional and was posted to Nepal as an agronomist on a research station in the Eastern Hills. After joining Hunting Technical Services in 1985 he worked in Indonesia on a DFID-funded irrigation project. He spent the next 10 years on long-term rural development assignments in Bhutan and Bangladesh.
In 1995, James returned to Hunting’s successor company, HTSPE, to head the Asia Division, responsible for business development and programme management in the region, in addition to his technical work as a rural development specialist. He has worked extensively in South Asia (Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka), Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam), the Former Soviet Union (Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Russia,) and China.
More recently, he has concentrated on managing large land programmes in Mozambique and Rwanda, as well as supporting the DFID Climate Environment Infrastructure and Livelihoods Project. His technical interests include Asian agriculture, with an emphasis on Himalayan systems.
- M. Agr. Sci., tropical crop production, University of Reading, UK
- B.A., natural sciences, botany, University of Cambridge, UK
Jennifer Anderson Lewis
For more than 30 years, Jim has worked widely in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and China as a project director and rural development specialist. Jim has worked closely with all the major donor agencies, including the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID), the European Commission, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation. His recent experience includes overseeing land programmes in Mozambique and Rwanda, and the Global DFID Livelihoods Resource Programme. He also coordinates DAI’s Land Governance Team for business development and technical inputs on projects.Director, Effective Governance, Global | jennifer_lewis@dai.com
As a child growing up in a bilingual, multicultural family, Jennifer knew she was called to international work. As an undergraduate at Georgetown University, she believed she would build a career in policy and law in the Foreign Service, but after a post-graduate summer teaching Palestinian girls and young women in Gaza, she became passionate about making a difference in the lives of the poor, disenfranchised, and vulnerable. Over the past 17 years, Jennifer has applied this passion to managing and designing democracy and governance, economic growth, and legal reform programs around the world, and to ensuring transparency and accountability in project management and implementation. After serving in Gaza, Jennifer joined Chemonics International, where for more than 11 years she managed and led a wide diversity of donor-funded projects in the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Eurasia regions in trade and investment enabling reform, poverty alleviation/market access, natural resource management, commercial law reform, and legal development. She also served in senior field leadership positions for Chemonics, including as Acting Chief of Party on a microcredit and finance project in El Salvador and as Chief of Party on a commercial law and bankruptcy reform project in Bosnia.
An attorney, Jennifer practiced law for three years at WilmerHale LLP, where she focused on large-scale Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and False Claims Act internal investigations for corporations and contractors, international trade policy, and trade litigation before the World Trade Organization and the International Trade Commission. She returned to Chemonics as Legal Advisor and Director/Senior Advisor to the Office of Business Conduct, where she provided legal advice to staff in handling contract issues, senior-level inputs to internal investigations of alleged misconduct, and advice on continuous improvement of the company-wide ISO-9001 certified business conduct program, including outreach and issue management to more than 100 field offices around the world.
Since joining DAI in 2013, Jennifer has been Project Team Director for the Global region, where she maintains full technical, financial, and compliance responsibility for a portfolio of governance projects in Eastern Europe and Latin America.
- J.D., Washington College of Law, American University
- B.S.F.S, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
- Certificate, contemporary Arab Studies, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
Jenny Baker
As a child growing up in a bilingual, multicultural family, Jennifer knew she was called to international work. As an undergraduate at Georgetown University, she believed she would build a career in policy and law in the Foreign Service, but after a post-graduate summer teaching Palestinian girls and young women in Gaza, she became passionate about making a difference in the lives of the poor, disenfranchised, and vulnerable. Over the past 17 years, Jennifer has applied this passion to managing and designing democracy and governance, economic growth, and legal reform programs around the world, and to ensuring transparency and accountability in project management and implementation. After serving in Gaza, Jennifer joined Chemonics International, where for more than 11 years she managed and led a wide diversity of donor-funded projects in the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and Eurasia regions in trade and investment enabling reform, poverty alleviation/market access, natural resource management, commercial law reform, and legal development. She also served in senior field leadership positions for Chemonics, including as Acting Chief of Party on a microcredit and finance project in El Salvador and as Chief of Party on a commercial law and bankruptcy reform project in Bosnia.Regional Managing Director, Asia | jenny_baker@dai.com
As Regional Managing Director for Asia, Jenny oversees DAI operations from Central Asia to the Pacific Islands. DAI’s current portfolio of 18 long-term field projects in the region tackle development challenges in sectors as diverse as economic growth, governance, and environment. Her 25-person team supports dozens of long- and short-term expatriates, and hundreds of local professionals in the field.
Jenny’s more than 20 years of international development experience includes long-term field assignments in Morocco, Egypt, Palestine, and South Africa. Prior to joining DAI in 2008 as Principal Development Specialist in the Governance Sector, Jenny was Senior Vice President for Europe & Eurasia at Chemonics. Her technical specialization and interests include civil society strengthening and human and institutional capacity development. Earlier in her career she worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative specialist, and later as a paralegal in an international law firm.
- B.S., international relations, Georgetown University
- Fluent in French
As Regional Managing Director for Asia, Jenny oversees DAI operations from Central Asia to the Pacific Islands. DAI’s current portfolio of 18 long-term field projects in the region tackle development challenges in sectors as diverse as economic growth, governance, and environment. Her 25-person team supports dozens of long- and short-term expatriates, and hundreds of local professionals in the field.Jeremy Kanthor
Global Practice Lead, Governance Integration and Innovation | jeremy_kanthor@dai.com
Jeremy Kanthor’s interest in governance started during a high school trip to Dakar, Senegal, that coincided with presidential elections. After observing an opposition rally and getting caught between opposition supporters hurling rocks and police using tear gas, he was quickly ushered into the home of the leading opposition candidate, Abdoulaye Wade. Meeting Wade, who lost that election, but later went on to become Senegal’s president, was “a thrill and sparked an interest in how other political systems work,” Jeremy says. Later that night at the hotel, he met people working on a U.S. government-funded project to support the electoral process. “I knew then that was the career I wanted.”
Since joining DAI in 2002, he has participated in the design and implementation of numerous governance projects, from local government reform in Romania to legislative strengthening in Armenia, Pakistan, Palestine, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan, and ministerial reform in Palestine. Early in his career, he was awarded a yearlong fellowship to develop a system for monitoring activity impact in post-conflict environments. More recently, he worked in Bangladesh on the Promoting Governance, Accountability, Transparency and Integrity (PROGATI) Project, a major U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded anti-corruption initiative focused on strengthening investigative journalism, civil society monitoring of public services, government oversight, and parliamentary budget analysis.
Jeremy most recently served as a Governance Advisor on USAID’s flagship health system strengthening program, The Health Finance and Governance Project, where he continues to help design governance initiatives to improve health policy and service delivery.
- B.A., political science, Haverford College
- M.Phil, development studies, Institute for Development Studies, Sussex University
- Speaker, Urban Institute, Health and Governance
- Author, “Expanding the Evidence Base for How Accountability, Transparency Contribute to Health Outcomes”
- Chair, DAI Innovation Challenge Committee, 2014-2015
Jerry Martin
Jeremy Kanthor’s interest in governance started during a high school trip to Dakar, Senegal, that coincided with presidential elections. After observing an opposition rally and getting caught between opposition supporters hurling rocks and police using tear gas, he was quickly ushered into the home of the leading opposition candidate, Abdoulaye Wade. Meeting Wade, who lost that election, but later went on to become Senegal’s president, was “a thrill and sparked an interest in how other political systems work,” Jeremy says. Later that night at the hotel, he met people working on a U.S. government-funded project to support the electoral process. “I knew then that was the career I wanted.”Chief of Party, Preparedness and Response | jerry_martin@dai.com
Prior to leading the Preparedness and Response program for the U.S. Agency for International Development, Jerry Martin was the Global Lead for the One Health & Infectious Disease practice, working at the intersection of challenges related to animal health, human health, the environment, and economic development. His major, but not exclusive, focus is on zoonotic diseases that originate in animals and become transmissible to and between humans. As the former head of the agriculture and agribusiness practices and the first managing director of DAI’s Health Sector, Jerry has extensive experience creating multidisciplinary teams to address crosscutting issues such as nutrition, livelihoods for HIV-affected populations, and the impact of climate change on agriculture and health. He works on three priority areas for DAI: human health and the public health consequences of zoonotic diseases; environmental health, including climate change, affecting the spread of disease; and economic drivers that affect behaviors related to animal and human health.
- M.A., applied anthropology, State University of New York at Binghamton
- B.A., English literature, College of the Holy Cross
Jessica Heinzelman
Prior to leading the Preparedness and Response program for the U.S. Agency for International Development, Jerry Martin was the Global Lead for the One Health & Infectious Disease practice, working at the intersection of challenges related to animal health, human health, the environment, and economic development. His major, but not exclusive, focus is on zoonotic diseases that originate in animals and become transmissible to and between humans. As the former head of the agriculture and agribusiness practices and the first managing director of DAI’s Health Sector, Jerry has extensive experience creating multidisciplinary teams to address crosscutting issues such as nutrition, livelihoods for HIV-affected populations, and the impact of climate change on agriculture and health. He works on three priority areas for DAI: human health and the public health consequences of zoonotic diseases; environmental health, including climate change, affecting the spread of disease; and economic drivers that affect behaviors related to animal and human health.Manager, ICT Strategic Initiatives | jessica_heinzelman@dai.com
Early in her career Jessica Heinzelman supported local issue campaigns in her native California with political strategy, grassroots organizing techniques, and communications. Her passion for helping communities achieve their goals grew as she successfully supported dozens of committees of volunteer moms, nurses, and public safety professionals to pass ballot measures that brought more money to local schools, hospitals, and cities.
Every vacation Jessica would run off to explore a new country or culture, feeding an appetite for travel she developed while spending a year of her undergraduate studies at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. On a trip to Cambodia she met a tuk tuk driver who had been able to buy a motorbike and improve his family’s quality of life through a small loan from a generous Australian couple. The driver’s story inspired her to consider a career in development. Jessica applied for a Kiva Fellowship and went to work for a microfinance bank in Nigeria.
While working with Kiva, Jessica was struck by the way in which technology could amplify the impact of traditional development. She thought about her work with communities and how the growing penetration of mobile phones and information communication technologies (ICTs), generally, could support democracy, conflict prevention, and human rights as well as financial access and improved livelihoods.
Jessica returned to school to get a master’s degree in communications and conflict studies from The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy. Since then she has worked with numerous organizations to help them effectively leverage the power of ICTs to achieve development goals. She worked with Ushahidi to launch and manage a crowdsourcing platform to monitor the 2010 Kenyan Constitutional Referendum; helped Quaker Peace Teams in Burundi set up an SMS-based conflict early warning system in preparation for their 2010 election season; built capacity of staff at a nongovernmental organization (NGO) in Pakistan to collaboratively designs and support ICT-enabled projects; advised the Nike Foundation on ICT tools to increase financial access and literacy of girls, and supported the U.S. Institute of Peace-funded Universities for Ushahidi Program that trained activists from 10 conflict and post-conflict countries on peacebuilding and new media. She currently serves on the Board for Kenyan NGO Sisi Ni Amani (We Are Peace) that empowers local chapters of peace activists to conduct civic education/engagement events and counter conflict catalyzing misinformation through an SMS communications platform.
At DAI, Jessica supports projects across multiple sectors. Among other undertakings, she has provided concrete recommendations for the U.S. Agency for International Development on how ICTs can support women’s economic empowerment in Afghanistan and is working to develop mobile communications tools and strategies to support smallholder farmers globally. Jessica recently gave an interview as part of a series on Women in Development highlighting the role women play in DAI’s work around the globe.
Jim Herne
Early in her career Jessica Heinzelman supported local issue campaigns in her native California with political strategy, grassroots organizing techniques, and communications. Her passion for helping communities achieve their goals grew as she successfully supported dozens of committees of volunteer moms, nurses, and public safety professionals to pass ballot measures that brought more money to local schools, hospitals, and cities. Chief of Party, Moldova Agricultural Competitiveness and Enterprise Development (ACED) | jim_herne@dai.com
More than 40 years ago, Jim Herne received a degree in mechanical engineering and took a job with Eastman Kodak to work on the Manned Orbiting Laboratory project for NASA. That job lasted about three months, until the contract was cancelled, so he took a job as a maintenance engineer at a chemical company in rural upstate New York. Not too long after that, Jim decided that perhaps engineering was not what he really wanted to do after all, so he applied to the Peace Corps. He was accepted and ended up becoming a volunteer in Zaire in the early 1970s. That was an experience that changed the direction of his life. Following a three-month motorcycle trip across West Africa in 1973, he arrived back in the United States determined to begin a career in international development.
After the Peace Corps, Jim joined TechnoServe and began a 20-year career with that organization. Over the course of those years he spent about half of his time in the home office and the rest on two long-term assignments in Ghana and Rwanda. In the early 1990s Jim became responsible for a project that TechnoServe was implementing in Poland and that whetted his appetite for more work in Central and Eastern Europe. Jim left TechnoServe and joined ACDI/VOCA to take an assignment in Romania. He later moved to Minnesota to join the International Development Division of Land O’Lakes, with management responsibilities for projects in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. This move eventually led to a long-term assignment in Afghanistan which ended with the completion of a small dairy processing plant in Mazar-i-Sharif.
Jim joined DAI in 2008 as the Deputy Chief of Party of the Serbia Agribusiness Project. Just as his assignment was ending in Serbia, he took on the ACED project in Moldova.
- B.S., mechanical engineering, Western New England University
- Peace Corps training in French and diesel mechanics, ORT School, Switzerland
- MBA, international business, University of Connecticut
Jim Packard Winkler
More than 40 years ago, Jim Herne received a degree in mechanical engineering and took a job with Eastman Kodak to work on the Manned Orbiting Laboratory project for NASA. That job lasted about three months, until the contract was cancelled, so he took a job as a maintenance engineer at a chemical company in rural upstate New York. Not too long after that, Jim decided that perhaps engineering was not what he really wanted to do after all, so he applied to the Peace Corps. He was accepted and ended up becoming a volunteer in Zaire in the early 1970s. That was an experience that changed the direction of his life. Following a three-month motorcycle trip across West Africa in 1973, he arrived back in the United States determined to begin a career in international development.Senior Trade and Investment Advisor | jim_winkler@dai.com
After graduating from Georgetown University’s McDonough Business School, Jim accepted a two-year assignment in Costa Rica as a small business advisor with the Peace Corps rather than the well-heeled path of Wall Street and corporate America that most of his classmates followed. “I found myself working on tough, real life issues that really made a difference in people’s lives in Costa Rica,” Jim said. “I was asked to do much more in a foreign culture and language than I would have been doing in a typical career at home.”
Jim specializes in private sector development, economic growth, competitiveness, and governance. After completing a Ph.D., he joined DAI in 1990 and has since worked for eight years in the head office and 14 years in Bangkok, Jerusalem, Zagreb, and Hanoi. In 2004, he completed a high profile 18-month assessment for the U.S. Agency for International Development on enterprise and economic growth strategies, providing a framework for a new era of development projects that integrate institutional and policy reforms with support for the private sector.
Jim has worked at the highest levels of government with cabinet-level officials and business leaders to develop innovative institutional reform strategies in each country. The creation of innovative institutions such as Paltrade in Palestine to promote trade and economic integration in the global economy and the prime ministers’ administrative reforms in Croatia and Vietnam required careful design and consulting services within the political, economic, legal, and institutional realities of each country.
- Ph.D. in international relations from The Fletcher School, Tufts University
- Report on “Enterprise Growth Initiatives: Strategic Directions and Options” for USAID in 2004, a new approach to emerging and conflicted economies
- Fluent in Spanish and basic knowledge of Arabic, Thai, and Vietnamese
After graduating from Georgetown University’s McDonough Business School, Jim accepted a two-year assignment in Costa Rica as a small business advisor with the Peace Corps rather than the well-heeled path of Wall Street and corporate America that most of his classmates followed. “I found myself working on tough, real life issues that really made a difference in people’s lives in Costa Rica,” Jim said. “I was asked to do much more in a foreign culture and language than I would have been doing in a typical career at home.”Jimmy Zammar
Program Manager, Lebanon Water and Wastewater Sector Support Program | jimmy_zammar@dai.com
Jimmy Zammar, the Program Manager for the Lebanon Water and Wastewater Sector Support Program, joined DAI in 2010. Before joining DAI, Jimmy worked with Davis Langdon (now AECOM) for five years, during which he helped private, government and donor institutions plan and implement projects in areas of institutional strengthening, capacity building, and natural resource management. His experience covers six countries in the Middle East and North Africa, and he speaks English, French, and Arabic fluently. As Program Manager on LWWSS, Jimmy leads the field teams and subcontractors, manages program planning and implementation, ensures coordination with public institutions, donors and key stakeholders, and reports performance and impacts.
- M.S., sustainable development, University of London
- M.S., construction management, University of Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France
- Certificate, water resource management, University of London
- B.A., M.A., architecture, Lebanese University
Joanna Ledgerwood
Jimmy Zammar, the Program Manager for the Lebanon Water and Wastewater Sector Support Program, joined DAI in 2010. Before joining DAI, Jimmy worked with Davis Langdon (now AECOM) for five years, during which he helped private, government and donor institutions plan and implement projects in areas of institutional strengthening, capacity building, and natural resource management. His experience covers six countries in the Middle East and North Africa, and he speaks English, French, and Arabic fluently. As Program Manager on LWWSS, Jimmy leads the field teams and subcontractors, manages program planning and implementation, ensures coordination with public institutions, donors and key stakeholders, and reports performance and impacts.
Team Leader, Financial Sector Deepening Project, Zambia | joanna_ledgerwood@dai.com
After graduating from McGill University with an MBA in international finance, Joanna Ledgerwood took the expected path and joined one of Canada’s largest banks. Six years later she found herself in the private banking department supporting wealthy clients to manage their portfolios. At the same time, she was taking night classes in women’s studies learning about the inequities of poor women around the world. Finding this very hard to reconcile with her day job, she eventually quit banking and dedicated herself to development finance.
At the time, 1994, microcredit was just beginning and within a year, Joanna found herself sitting with Mohammed Yunus in Bangladesh discussing how financial services can help poor women lift themselves out of poverty. Leaving the ivory tower of banking behind, Joanna found her passion sitting in rural villages talking to women about how they juggle many competing demands with very few resources. At a time when most practitioners were anthropologists and aid workers, Joanna’s banking skills provided a much-needed connection with the fundamentals of finance. After working with a number of organizations in Asia and Africa, she joined the Sustainable Banking for the Poor project at the World Bank and in 1998, wrote the Microfinance Handbook. She then moved to the Philippines to work with rural banks to deepen their outreach to the poor, followed by six years in Uganda working with nongovernmental organizations transforming to deposit-taking institutions. In 2006 Joanna joined the Aga Khan Foundation and led its access to finance activities until May 2013 when she joined DAI. She has continued to write, including Transforming MFIs with Victoria White in 2006 and the New Microfinance Handbook in 2013, both published by the World Bank.
- Masters of Business Administration, McGill University
- Bachelor of Science, University of Alberta
John DeRiggi
After graduating from McGill University with an MBA in international finance, Joanna Ledgerwood took the expected path and joined one of Canada’s largest banks. Six years later she found herself in the private banking department supporting wealthy clients to manage their portfolios. At the same time, she was taking night classes in women’s studies learning about the inequities of poor women around the world. Finding this very hard to reconcile with her day job, she eventually quit banking and dedicated herself to development finance.
Senior Geospatial Products Developer | john_deriggi@dai.com
John DeRiggi is a spatial products developer with 10 years of experience in software and data engineering. John learned Java in college and started his career developing Java-based web applications, which were used to help analysts make sense of massive data sets. He became interested in spatial technology after building three-dimensional visualizations in Google Earth in 2006. After working in Washington, D.C., for a few years he to moved to Partners in Health, where he spent a year in Rwanda teaching programing and developing components for an open source medical record system. John’s ties to Rwanda remain strong as he has returned to the country four times since leaving at the end of 2009, once to go camping on the rim of a Congolese volcano. At the World Bank, he built a system for sharing climate data, which supported the 2012 Apps for Climate contest and was added to the Bank’s portfolio of open data products.
- B.S., computer science, University of Colorado
- M.S., geographic information science, University of Edinburgh
- Author, “Drones for Development?,” The Guardian
John Jepsen
John DeRiggi is a spatial products developer with 10 years of experience in software and data engineering. John learned Java in college and started his career developing Java-based web applications, which were used to help analysts make sense of massive data sets. He became interested in spatial technology after building three-dimensional visualizations in Google Earth in 2006. After working in Washington, D.C., for a few years he to moved to Partners in Health, where he spent a year in Rwanda teaching programing and developing components for an open source medical record system. John’s ties to Rwanda remain strong as he has returned to the country four times since leaving at the end of 2009, once to go camping on the rim of a Congolese volcano. At the World Bank, he built a system for sharing climate data, which supported the 2012 Apps for Climate contest and was added to the Bank’s portfolio of open data products.Global Practice Lead, Financial Services | john_jepsen@dai.com
Eleven years ago, John left his job at Rolling Stone Magazine in New York City to start as an associate with DAI’s Finance, Banking, and Enterprise group. Little did he know his new job would turn into a lifestyle. John studied international relations and French at American University, but it was an internship during his senior year of college with a small Washington, D.C.-based microfinance outfit that first exposed him to development. This experience would prove to be life-changing.
DAI exposed him to a depth of development issues, but his passion was in microenterprise development, particularly microfinance. He worked on several large U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) microfinance development projects, taking a particular interest in Haiti. He also managed and provided technical assistance to several USAID centralized programs, including the SEGIR Financial Services IQCs, BASIS Rural and Agricultural Finance Best Practice Project, and the Office of Development Credit DCA Design Contract.
In 2003, John decided to go back to school to obtain a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business. During this time he maintained full-time employment with DAI. He benefited from DAI’s corporate continued education benefit, which in turn built his credentials in enterprise development.
In 2006, John became the Deputy Chief of Party on the USAID/Haiti Microfinance, Small and Medium Enterprise Project. He conceived and implemented the strategic work plan for the $7.2 million, three-year program. He left Haiti in 2009 to work with the DAI Banking and Financial Services team on a variety of European projects and proposals.
- MBA, University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business
- Fluent in French
- Author, “Financial Services Via Mobile,” Developing Alternatives, Resilience edition; “Facilitating e-Banking in the Philippines,” Developments; and co-editor, “Financial Inclusion: A Wealth of Perspectives,” Developments
John Leckie
Eleven years ago, John left his job at Rolling Stone Magazine in New York City to start as an associate with DAI’s Finance, Banking, and Enterprise group. Little did he know his new job would turn into a lifestyle. John studied international relations and French at American University, but it was an internship during his senior year of college with a small Washington, D.C.-based microfinance outfit that first exposed him to development. This experience would prove to be life-changing.Knowledge Management, Land | john_leckie@dai.com
John, a Principal Consultant in our land team, has 14 years of international project experience in the land, natural resources, and environment sectors in Europe, Africa, Central and Southeast Asia, and South America. During this time he has worked for a diverse range of clients, including the U.K. Department for International Development, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the European Commission, the Pan American Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, UNHCR, the U.K. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and various nonprofits.
His training in land use planning and extensive experience in land registration projects give John a sound understanding of land governance issues. John has expertise in land tenure regularisation (LTR), land administration, geographic information systems (GIS), and participatory tenure and resource mapping, including the use of “crowd-sourcing” techniques.
Most recently, John worked as a Senior LTR Advisor in Rwanda on the award-winning Land Tenure Regularisation Support Programme, where he established a large GIS and map production department, introducing open source GIS tools for the systematic processing of cadastral data. He currently leads DAI Europe’s Land Governance Practice, and provides technical inputs as the Systematic Registration Advisor on the DFID-funded Land Investment for Transformation programme in Ethiopia.
- M.Sc., planning sustainable environments, University of Salford
- B.Sc., development studies, University of East Anglia
John Palmucci
John, a Principal Consultant in our land team, has 14 years of international project experience in the land, natural resources, and environment sectors in Europe, Africa, Central and Southeast Asia, and South America. During this time he has worked for a diverse range of clients, including the U.K. Department for International Development, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the European Commission, the Pan American Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, UNHCR, the U.K. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and various nonprofits.Chief of Party, Rwanda Human and Institutional Capacity Development Project | john_palmucci@dai.com
John Palmucci’s entrepreneurial drive characterizes the major projects he has led, empowering citizens and strengthening institutions in difficult environments. In the run-up to South Sudan’s independence, for example, John assisted his counterparts in the fledgling government to improve their performance as the country was coming together. In Iraq, he increased engagement between community action groups and government entities to deliver infrastructure and service projects. In southern Afghanistan, working with municipal government counterparts and local service providers, he instituted a process of continual performance improvement though cyclical monitoring and management systems.
Now Chief of Party for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s pilot Human and Institutional Capacity Development Project (HICD) in Rwanda, John is charged with helping one of Africa’s most promising countries take its development efforts to the next level. His team began by assessing the Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture and civil society organizations involved in agriculture, and implementing for them a Performance Solutions Package. The HICD approach, which is also being implemented in Georgia, aims to build the capacity of countries to manage their own economic and social development.
A former stock broker and adventure sports entrepreneur in his native New England, John was recruited into development by a friend, where in the late 1980s they worked privatizing farms and agribusinesses in post-communist Hungary. After returning to the United States and earning his M.B.A. at Northeastern University, John formally launched his development career in 1997, when he worked on economic strengthening projects in Egypt and Armenia that, among other results, increased production and exports of agricultural products, improved telecommunications, and delivered business consulting services and grants.
- M.B.A., international business, Northeastern University
- B.S., finance, Merrimack University
- Certified Performance Technologist from the International Society for Performance Improvement
John Reid
John Palmucci’s entrepreneurial drive characterizes the major projects he has led, empowering citizens and strengthening institutions in difficult environments. In the run-up to South Sudan’s independence, for example, John assisted his counterparts in the fledgling government to improve their performance as the country was coming together. In Iraq, he increased engagement between community action groups and government entities to deliver infrastructure and service projects. In southern Afghanistan, working with municipal government counterparts and local service providers, he instituted a process of continual performance improvement though cyclical monitoring and management systems.Global Security Director | john_reid@dai.com
John Reid joined DAI in September 2005. He has extensive international experience, working with clients such as the European Union, nongovernmental organizations, and private security and commercial companies. Before joining DAI, he served as a national security coordinator in Iraq, as DHL’s Country Manager in Afghanistan and the Middle East, and as a Regional Security Adviser in Kosovo—assignments that called on him to design and implement security and contingency planning, develop standard operating procedures for close protection, and conduct security risk surveys in high-risk settings. John’s broad military background includes service with 22 Special Air Service. He speaks colloquial Arabic and has earned a master’s in security risk management from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom
John Sampson
John Reid joined DAI in September 2005. He has extensive international experience, working with clients such as the European Union, nongovernmental organizations, and private security and commercial companies. Before joining DAI, he served as a national security coordinator in Iraq, as DHL’s Country Manager in Afghanistan and the Middle East, and as a Regional Security Adviser in Kosovo—assignments that called on him to design and implement security and contingency planning, develop standard operating procedures for close protection, and conduct security risk surveys in high-risk settings. John’s broad military background includes service with 22 Special Air Service. He speaks colloquial Arabic and has earned a master’s in security risk management from the University of Leicester in the United KingdomPrincipal Strategic Advisor | john_sampson@dai.com
John Sampson has 11 years of experience leading complex, high-speed programs in conflict, post-conflict, and fragile environments, including stability and transition, countering violent extremism, governance, emergency assistance, crisis management, infrastructure, and civil-military coordination programs.
He has worked collaboratively with funding agencies, governments, and the private sector in countries throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. As deputy of IRD’s Stability and Governance Practice from 2013-2015, John led a global portfolio of emergency and post crisis response, transition, conflict prevention, peace building, and governance projects in 18 countries. From 2008-2010 John was the Chief of Party on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Office of Transition Initiatives program in Pakistan. Prior to that, as Emergency and Post Crisis Officer with IOM, John led emergency and post crisis programs in West and Central Asia, including as head of IOM’s Earthquake response in Kashmir following the 2005 Pakistan Earthquake. John is fluent in Pashtu, Urdu, and Hindi with skills in French and Arabic.
- MBA, management of international organizations, Université de Geneve
John Sampson has 11 years of experience leading complex, high-speed programs in conflict, post-conflict, and fragile environments, including stability and transition, countering violent extremism, governance, emergency assistance, crisis management, infrastructure, and civil-military coordination programs. Jonathan Randall
Global Practice Specialist, Climate Change and Natural Resource Management | jonathan_randall@dai.com
Jonathan has been working at the intersection of sustainable economic development, climate change, and environmental conservation for more than 14 years with experience in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, Maldives, Micronesia, Mozambique, Namibia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and United States.
Trained as an ecologist, Jonathan’s career path started as an undergraduate while he was conducting ecological field surveys in the hot sun and stunning landscapes of the Mojave Desert. His field site was located on public land owned by the federal government and the project was funded by geothermal power developers as an environmental offsets project. Witnessing the competing interests of the government, the private sector, local communities and the environment on this land in the Mojave inspired him to follow a career finding solutions to complex problems at the intersection of environment and sustainable development.
Since that time, Jonathan has managed and contributed to the development of a number of successful initiatives including the U.S. Agency for International Development’s climate change adaptation plan, the Executive Order on Climate Resilient International Development, Tropical Forest Alliance 2020, World Wildlife Fund-American Red Cross Partnership, HSBC Freshwater Adaption program, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation’s Green Prosperity program.
Through his work on natural disaster recovery, Jonathan has responded to multiple floods, hurricanes, and wildfires including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Cyclone Jokwe in Mozambique, Hurricane Katrina in the United States, and Typhoons Pongsona and Chata’an in Micronesia. Jonathan conceptualized and managed the Green Recovery and Reconstruction Toolkit for Humanitarian Aid which was awarded the Green Star Award by United Nations Environment Program, UNOCHA, and the Green Cross in 2013. He is also the co-author of the World Bank-funded publication, Natural Security: Protected Areas and Hazard Mitigation which was launched at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties.
At DAI, Jonathan leads business development, technical assistance, and project management with a focus on climate change, environment, natural resource management, and water resources.
- M.S., ecology, University of California, Davis
- B.A., environmental studies and English, Saint Mary’s College
Juan Estrada-Valle
Jonathan has been working at the intersection of sustainable economic development, climate change, and environmental conservation for more than 14 years with experience in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, Maldives, Micronesia, Mozambique, Namibia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and United States.Chief of Party, Afghanistan Agricultural Credit Enhancement II Program | juan_estrada-valle@dai.com
Juan Estrada-Valle has more than 20 years of experience in agriculture, value chain development, and market-based strategies for economic development in conflict-affected environments. Throughout his career, Juan has been an agribusiness entrepreneur, international consultant, researcher and development practitioner. He has led large-scale agricultural development programs in Southern Africa, the Western Balkans, and South Asia. Juan is currently the Chief of Party of the Agricultural Credit Enhancement (ACE) Program, an initiative to establish an Agricultural Development Fund in Afghanistan. He holds degrees in agronomy, agricultural economics, and international development from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala and Michigan State University.
- Commendation from Afghanistan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock
- Board Member, Agribusiness Economics and Management Section, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association
Katja Silva-Leander
Juan Estrada-Valle has more than 20 years of experience in agriculture, value chain development, and market-based strategies for economic development in conflict-affected environments. Throughout his career, Juan has been an agribusiness entrepreneur, international consultant, researcher and development practitioner. He has led large-scale agricultural development programs in Southern Africa, the Western Balkans, and South Asia. Juan is currently the Chief of Party of the Agricultural Credit Enhancement (ACE) Program, an initiative to establish an Agricultural Development Fund in Afghanistan. He holds degrees in agronomy, agricultural economics, and international development from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala and Michigan State University.Senior Sector Manager, Private Sector Development and Finance | katja_silva-leander@dai.com
Katja Silva-Leander comes from a family of international development practitioners. Her Chilean father and Swedish mother both set the path for their children after working many years at UNESCO in Paris. With her brother subsequently at the United Nations Development Programme and her sister with the World Bank, Katja was initially the only one to choose a different career, as she decided to become an investment banker after graduating from business school. But after five years working at Credit Suisse in London, she decided to go back to school and re-train as an international development practitioner. After graduating from Columbia University, she went on to work for a number of international organizations, including the World Bank, the United Nations and the U.K. Department for International Development.
Since changing careers, Katja has specialized in the field of private sector development, covering a number of related areas, including business enabling environment, financial inclusion and Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P). In addition, she has worked on several challenge funds—matching grant schemes that use a venture capital approach to invest in bottom-of-the-pyramid business models. Prior to joining DAI, she also worked for a social impact investor looking at equity and debt investments in similar types of business models. Katja is now responsible for the private sector development portfolio of work at DAI’s U.K. offices, focusing primarily on European donors, but also on international financial institutions and private sector clients.
- Master of International Affairs (M.I.A.), economic and political development, Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA)
- M.Sc., business administration and economics, Stockholm School of Economics
- General Course Diploma, international relations, London School of Economics and Political Science
Keith Doxtater
Katja Silva-Leander comes from a family of international development practitioners. Her Chilean father and Swedish mother both set the path for their children after working many years at UNESCO in Paris. With her brother subsequently at the United Nations Development Programme and her sister with the World Bank, Katja was initially the only one to choose a different career, as she decided to become an investment banker after graduating from business school. But after five years working at Credit Suisse in London, she decided to go back to school and re-train as an international development practitioner. After graduating from Columbia University, she went on to work for a number of international organizations, including the World Bank, the United Nations and the U.K. Department for International Development.Chief of Party, ASEAN PROGRESS | keith_doxtater@dai.com
For the last decade, Keith Doxtater has provided strategic direction and project management expertise from both the field and home office for U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) projects in Indonesia, Kenya, Myanmar, the Philippines, Somalia, and Sri Lanka. He is well versed in all aspects of project implementation, including project startup and closedown, strategic planning, staff recruitment and training, financial management, and administration of technical assistance and grants. Working in volatile political environments, he has honed his ability to adapt program implementation to rapidly changing political landscapes and has developed a keen understanding of the need for flexibility and resourcefulness to achieve project goals.
Over five years in DAI’s U.S. office, Keith conducted on-the-ground reconnaissance and lead new business efforts for opportunities in Cambodia, Colombia, El Salvador, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Venezuela, and Yemen. Over five years in the field, he served as a field-based manager on two USAID Office of Transition Initiatives projects and as acting Chief of Party on multiple occasions. He has also served as DAI’s Country Representative in South Sudan where he led efforts to better position DAI for potential opportunities in the new country.
He is currently the Chief of Party on the ASEAN-US Partnership for Good Governance, Equitable and Sustainable Development and Security (PROGRESS) project in Jakarta.
- M.A., International Economics and Latin American Political Economy, Johns Hopkins University, Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Washington, D.C.
- B.A., English Literature and Religious Studies, University of Virginia
Keith Smith
For the last decade, Keith Doxtater has provided strategic direction and project management expertise from both the field and home office for U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) projects in Indonesia, Kenya, Myanmar, the Philippines, Somalia, and Sri Lanka. He is well versed in all aspects of project implementation, including project startup and closedown, strategic planning, staff recruitment and training, financial management, and administration of technical assistance and grants. Working in volatile political environments, he has honed his ability to adapt program implementation to rapidly changing political landscapes and has developed a keen understanding of the need for flexibility and resourcefulness to achieve project goals. Deputy Director, Project Management | keith_smith@dai.com
A former aircraft engineer, Keith is an experienced development professional who has worked over the past 15 years in Africa, Asia, and Europe. He has managed a range of development programmes focused on infrastructure, agriculture, health, reintegration of ex-combatants, grants management, and governance. His strengths are in team leadership and programme management, both at the field and corporate level. Within DAI he initially worked as Economic Integration Manager on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Liberia Community Infrastructure Programme, where he eventually served as Deputy Chief of Party and acting Chief of Party. From there he moved to be Regional Programme Manager for a USAID Sri Lankan community infrastructure programme, supporting the peace process and tsunami recovery. In 2008, he became Chief of Party on USAID’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas Capacity Building Programme before, in 2010, moving back to the United Kingdom to be DAI’s technical advisor in the areas of post conflict and project management. Building on his field experience in challenging environments, Keith currently has overall responsibility for the U.K. Department for International Development-funded Transforming Education project in Pakistan; Support to FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement in Liberia; Land Investment Transformation Programme in Ethiopia; and the M&E, Environmental and Social Management/Maintenance of Roads in DRC Phase II.
- B.Sc., international disaster engineering and management, University of Coventry
Kirsten Weeks
A former aircraft engineer, Keith is an experienced development professional who has worked over the past 15 years in Africa, Asia, and Europe. He has managed a range of development programmes focused on infrastructure, agriculture, health, reintegration of ex-combatants, grants management, and governance. His strengths are in team leadership and programme management, both at the field and corporate level. Within DAI he initially worked as Economic Integration Manager on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Liberia Community Infrastructure Programme, where he eventually served as Deputy Chief of Party and acting Chief of Party. From there he moved to be Regional Programme Manager for a USAID Sri Lankan community infrastructure programme, supporting the peace process and tsunami recovery. In 2008, he became Chief of Party on USAID’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas Capacity Building Programme before, in 2010, moving back to the United Kingdom to be DAI’s technical advisor in the areas of post conflict and project management. Building on his field experience in challenging environments, Keith currently has overall responsibility for the U.K. Department for International Development-funded Transforming Education project in Pakistan; Support to FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement in Liberia; Land Investment Transformation Programme in Ethiopia; and the M&E, Environmental and Social Management/Maintenance of Roads in DRC Phase II.Global Practice Lead, Health, Nutrition & Livelihoods | kirsten_weeks@dai.com
Kirsten Weeks is the Global Practice Lead for Health, Nutrition, and Livelihoods within Solutions. She provides technical support to DAI’s IMARISHA project in Tanzania, which works to improve livelihoods for HIV-affected populations and communities. Kirsten has more than 15 years of experience in designing, implementing, and managing donor-funded health projects, specializing since 2001 in helping those affected by HIV/AIDS. She joined DAI in April 2011 after six years with the Academy for Educational Development, where she served as Chief of Party on U.S. Agency for International Development and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention-funded HIV/AIDS programs in Botswana and the Dominican Republic, among other leadership roles. Prior to that, Kirsten served for two years at Family Health International, supporting a global HIV program. Over her career, she has supported a broad spectrum of innovative and evidence-based activities for livelihood strengthening and the prevention, care, support, treatment, and mitigation of HIV/AIDS through systems development, workplace programming, public-private partnerships, civil society strengthening, and improved health management information systems.
- M.S., public health, Emory University
- B.A., University of North Carolina
- Fluent in Spanish
- Co-author, “Improving Resilience of the HIV Affected,” Developing Alternatives
Krista Baptista
Kirsten Weeks is the Global Practice Lead for Health, Nutrition, and Livelihoods within Solutions. She provides technical support to DAI’s IMARISHA project in Tanzania, which works to improve livelihoods for HIV-affected populations and communities. Kirsten has more than 15 years of experience in designing, implementing, and managing donor-funded health projects, specializing since 2001 in helping those affected by HIV/AIDS. She joined DAI in April 2011 after six years with the Academy for Educational Development, where she served as Chief of Party on U.S. Agency for International Development and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention-funded HIV/AIDS programs in Botswana and the Dominican Republic, among other leadership roles. Prior to that, Kirsten served for two years at Family Health International, supporting a global HIV program. Over her career, she has supported a broad spectrum of innovative and evidence-based activities for livelihood strengthening and the prevention, care, support, treatment, and mitigation of HIV/AIDS through systems development, workplace programming, public-private partnerships, civil society strengthening, and improved health management information systems.
Manager, ICT Services | krista_baptista@dai.com
From her early research in cultural anthropology and subsequent work in management consulting, Krista Baptista always been engaged around ways to do things better and empower entrepreneurs to use new skills and tools. Combining this with an interest in international development led her to DAI and specifically, to ways that information and communications technology and geospatial tools can be integrated into development work.
As a senior manager with 15 years of experience, Krista leads the Information and Communications Technology (ICT)/Geospatial Services team for DAI’s Office of Information and Management Technology. She is responsible for designing, managing, and supporting ICT and geospatial deliverables for DAI projects and for managing the team. She is also responsible for DAI’s ICT and geospatial strategy, identifying and negotiating with key partners and consultants, and supporting related new business efforts.
Previously at DAI, she has worked in knowledge management, marketing, and business development offices. In 2006, Krista was Team Leader for the Microenterprise Results Reporting project, where she was responsible for managing a database-driven initiative that collected and reported on global microfinance data. At the HayGroup, an international management consulting firm, she was responsible for website marketing, maintaining a customer database, helping to create an overall marketing strategy for the business unit, introducing successful new product releases to broaden the client base, and training staff.
- M.A., Western hemisphere and international economics, Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies
- B.A., geography, Clark University
- Certified Performance Technologist, International Society for Performance Improvement
Kristen Roggemann
From her early research in cultural anthropology and subsequent work in management consulting, Krista Baptista always been engaged around ways to do things better and empower entrepreneurs to use new skills and tools. Combining this with an interest in international development led her to DAI and specifically, to ways that information and communications technology and geospatial tools can be integrated into development work.Principal Mobile Solutions Specialist | kristen_roggemann@dai.com
Before joining DAI, Kristen held advisory and business development positions within a variety of mobile for development and international development organizations, most recently as the Strategic Partnerships Manager for GSMA Women, driving partnership strategy at the intersection of the mobile operator and international development sectors.
Prior to working for GSMA, Kristen was the Business Development Manager at Souktel, Inc. in Palestine. While at Souktel, Kristen delivered mobile partnerships in more than 12 countries, doubling Souktel’s market footprint and developing new product lines. Before Souktel, Kristen was a management consultant at The Bridgespan Group based in New York City, but missed international work too much to fully commit to the tempting lifestyle of a domestic-based consultant.
Kristen has extensive field experience in the Middle East and Africa working on mobile for development initiatives in both public and private sector contexts and got her start in international development through a Fulbright Scholarship to study women’s literacy in Morocco in 2005.
- B.A., comparative literature and society, Columbia University
- Ed.M, international education policy, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Kristi Ragan
Before joining DAI, Kristen held advisory and business development positions within a variety of mobile for development and international development organizations, most recently as the Strategic Partnerships Manager for GSMA Women, driving partnership strategy at the intersection of the mobile operator and international development sectors.Chief of Party, Center for Development Innovation | kristi_ragan@dai.com
Growing up on a family farm in Wisconsin, Kristi Ragan developed a deep urge to see the world. While Kristi was earning her master’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, her professor, Madeleine Albright, urged her to join the United Nations and become “an international civil servant.” She joined the Peace Corps twice—serving in the South Pacific and in Tanzania. Working in Somalia from 1997 to 2000 for the United Nations, Kristi saw how important it is to involve the full spectrum of local actors in development solutions, particularly the private sector. In places like Hargeisa and Berbera, where donors and donor dollars were scarce, she saw businesses moving essential goods and services and generating funds for building homes and schools, stoking Kristi’s determination to bring the private sector more fully into development through public-private partnerships. She joined DAI in 2003 and quickly built relationships with Walmart, Gap, Chevron, and other multinational corporations, and leveraged these relationships after being named to lead the core services team for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of Global Development Alliances. Kristi now leads an initiative for USAID that works to encourage innovative solutions to global problems such as illiteracy. Building on three decades of work in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, Kristi remains committed to finding new ways to raise the quality of life for the world’s poor.
- M.S., Georgetown University
- M.A,. St. John’s College
- Co-Chair, Society for International Development’s Work Group on Corporate Responsibility
Growing up on a family farm in Wisconsin, Kristi Ragan developed a deep urge to see the world. While Kristi was earning her master’s degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, her professor, Madeleine Albright, urged her to join the United Nations and become “an international civil servant.” She joined the Peace Corps twice—serving in the South Pacific and in Tanzania. Working in Somalia from 1997 to 2000 for the United Nations, Kristi saw how important it is to involve the full spectrum of local actors in development solutions, particularly the private sector. In places like Hargeisa and Berbera, where donors and donor dollars were scarce, she saw businesses moving essential goods and services and generating funds for building homes and schools, stoking Kristi’s determination to bring the private sector more fully into development through public-private partnerships. She joined DAI in 2003 and quickly built relationships with Walmart, Gap, Chevron, and other multinational corporations, and leveraged these relationships after being named to lead the core services team for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of Global Development Alliances. Kristi now leads an initiative for USAID that works to encourage innovative solutions to global problems such as illiteracy. Building on three decades of work in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, Kristi remains committed to finding new ways to raise the quality of life for the world’s poor.
Larry Campbell
Vice President, Information Management and Technology | lawrence_campbell@dai.com
Larry Campbell, the Vice President of the Office of Information Management and Technology, has been at DAI for more than 16 years. He oversees the global IT department that supports offices in more than 50 countries.
Larry has also worked on ICT efforts in Pakistan, Bolivia, Jordan, El Salvador, Serbia, and Indonesia as well as championed the development of an ICT team of experts that supports multiple client efforts all around the world. Over the last few years Larry and DAI’s ICT team have strategically focused on identifying and implementing sustainable ICT solutions that make a positive difference for those where we work.
- B.S., computer information systems, Strayer University
- Fluent in Spanish
Lief Doerring
Larry Campbell, the Vice President of the Office of Information Management and Technology, has been at DAI for more than 16 years. He oversees the global IT department that supports offices in more than 50 countries.Global Lead, Agriculture, Agribusiness & Food Security | lief_doerring@dai.com
Lief Doerring is a senior international development expert, leader, and portfolio manager with more than 20 years of experience working in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. He brings proven expertise in design, implementation, and management of agribusiness and food security projects, including in value chain development, horticulture, livelihoods, competitiveness, enterprise development, access to finance, and business development services. At DAI, he develops and manages a portfolio of initiatives and projects in the agribusiness and food security fields, funded by USAID and other donors. He leads efforts to maintain and build DAI’s position as a leading provider of agribusiness and food security technical assistance with particular emphasis on market-led, pro-poor, technically appropriate and cost-effective approaches to improving lives and raising incomes through agricultural development. In addition, he is an adjunct professor at Columbia University in New York, co-teaching a class on small and microenterprise development.
- M.A., international development, American University
Louis O’Brien
Lief Doerring is a senior international development expert, leader, and portfolio manager with more than 20 years of experience working in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. He brings proven expertise in design, implementation, and management of agribusiness and food security projects, including in value chain development, horticulture, livelihoods, competitiveness, enterprise development, access to finance, and business development services. At DAI, he develops and manages a portfolio of initiatives and projects in the agribusiness and food security fields, funded by USAID and other donors. He leads efforts to maintain and build DAI’s position as a leading provider of agribusiness and food security technical assistance with particular emphasis on market-led, pro-poor, technically appropriate and cost-effective approaches to improving lives and raising incomes through agricultural development. In addition, he is an adjunct professor at Columbia University in New York, co-teaching a class on small and microenterprise development.Senior Development Specialist, Water | louis_obrien@dai.com
Louis O’Brien has managed international development programs in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa for 25 years, including programs in water supply and sanitation, urban and regional development, community-based planning and participatory development, infrastructure development, alternative energy promotion, public health, emergency relief and disaster mitigation, and complementary program monitoring and institutional learning. He has managed more than $200 million in contracts and grants from clients including the U.S. Agency for International Development, the World Bank, the United Nations, other bilateral donors, and private foundations. His management duties have included proposal and new business development, contract negotiation, subcontractor management, operations and administrative management, results monitoring, personnel recruitment and supervision, financial management and accounting, procurement, and program reporting. He has also developed partnerships with U.S. corporations to meet their corporate social responsibility priorities.
- M.A., architecture and urban planning, University of California, Los Angeles
- B.A., economics and political science, University of Nebraska at Lincoln
Marina Krivoshlykova
Louis O’Brien has managed international development programs in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa for 25 years, including programs in water supply and sanitation, urban and regional development, community-based planning and participatory development, infrastructure development, alternative energy promotion, public health, emergency relief and disaster mitigation, and complementary program monitoring and institutional learning. He has managed more than $200 million in contracts and grants from clients including the U.S. Agency for International Development, the World Bank, the United Nations, other bilateral donors, and private foundations. His management duties have included proposal and new business development, contract negotiation, subcontractor management, operations and administrative management, results monitoring, personnel recruitment and supervision, financial management and accounting, procurement, and program reporting. He has also developed partnerships with U.S. corporations to meet their corporate social responsibility priorities.Global Practice Lead, Private Sector Development, Economic Growth |marina_krivoshlykova@dai.com
Marina Krivoshlykova specializes in enterprise development and competitiveness. She provides technical assistance and management support to private sector development projects worldwide, focusing on issues of value chain strengthening, market analysis, and design of strategies for firm and industry competitiveness. Marina serves as technical manager for a U.S. Agency for International Development-funded micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise strengthening project in Cambodia that improves competitiveness and business enabling environment in several industries. She also serves as deputy manager for a Washington-based research project that focuses on best practices in value chain development, impact assessment, and linking micro and small enterprises into local and global value chains. Marina has performed assignments in Southeast Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. Before joining DAI, she worked on issues of small and micro enterprise development, technology competitiveness, and innovation policy for the European Union.
- M.A., European studies and international business, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service
- Author, “Market Trends and Resilience,” Developing Alternatives
Mark Gallagher
Marina Krivoshlykova specializes in enterprise development and competitiveness. She provides technical assistance and management support to private sector development projects worldwide, focusing on issues of value chain strengthening, market analysis, and design of strategies for firm and industry competitiveness. Marina serves as technical manager for a U.S. Agency for International Development-funded micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise strengthening project in Cambodia that improves competitiveness and business enabling environment in several industries. She also serves as deputy manager for a Washington-based research project that focuses on best practices in value chain development, impact assessment, and linking micro and small enterprises into local and global value chains. Marina has performed assignments in Southeast Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. Before joining DAI, she worked on issues of small and micro enterprise development, technology competitiveness, and innovation policy for the European Union.Strategic Advisor | mark_gallagher@dai.com
Mark Gallagher most recently served as Chief of Party of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Jordan Fiscal Reform II Project, which is one of the largest USAID projects of its type. The project builds capacity in and helps to reform tax policy and administration, budgeting systems and public financial management, customs reform and trade facilitation, and making government results-oriented. This was Mark’s eighth time as a USAID Chief of Party. All of his projects have been in public finance reform and economic governance. Mark also worked eight years (two different stints) as a USAID economist. And, he has been an economist at USAID and the World Bank. Mark has published numerous articles and books on economics and fiscal reform. He has worked in 25 emerging market countries, and speaks Spanish, German, and Portuguese.
- Ph.D., economics and public finance, George Mason University
- Created economic resiliency tool
Mark Rostal
Mark Gallagher most recently served as Chief of Party of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Jordan Fiscal Reform II Project, which is one of the largest USAID projects of its type. The project builds capacity in and helps to reform tax policy and administration, budgeting systems and public financial management, customs reform and trade facilitation, and making government results-oriented. This was Mark’s eighth time as a USAID Chief of Party. All of his projects have been in public finance reform and economic governance. Mark also worked eight years (two different stints) as a USAID economist. And, he has been an economist at USAID and the World Bank. Mark has published numerous articles and books on economics and fiscal reform. He has worked in 25 emerging market countries, and speaks Spanish, German, and Portuguese.Chief of Party, Financial Inclusion for Rural Microenterprises (Kenya FIRM) | mark_rostal@dai.com
Mark Rostal is an expert in designing financial services and products for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries, offering directly applicable technical expertise and senior management experience. Mark has managed various DAI projects in the field and backstopped projects in DAI’s home office over the course of his 24-year career in finance and banking. His professional experience in Africa, Asia, and the transitional economies of Eastern Europe and Eurasia, as well as in private U.S. banking, have given him a deep knowledge of international best practices in financial services across a range of markets and institutional models. Most recently, Mark served as Chief of Party of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Kenya Access to Rural Finance program, where he was recognized as an innovator in financial product design and a trusted colleague of the Central Bank of Kenya and the Ministry of Finance. As Chief of Party for the USAID-funded Kenya Microfinance Capacity Building Program, he developed approaches to build the capacity of microfinance institutions (MFIs) and advised on improving the regulatory and policy environment for their prudent growth. Prior to that, he served as Chief of Party for the USAID-funded Georgia Microfinance Stabilization and Enhancement Program that combined legal and regulatory development with MFI performance enhancements, including agricultural finance institutions. Under a USAID cooperative agreement with FINCA International, Mark served as Chief of Party, responsible for developing a commercially viable and locally managed non-bank financial institution in Kyrgyzstan. As FINCA’s Regional Director for Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States, he subsequently supervised $45 million in USAID investments in seven standalone non-bank financial institutions across the region.
Mastin Robeson, Major General (Ret.)
Mark Rostal is an expert in designing financial services and products for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries, offering directly applicable technical expertise and senior management experience. Mark has managed various DAI projects in the field and backstopped projects in DAI’s home office over the course of his 24-year career in finance and banking. His professional experience in Africa, Asia, and the transitional economies of Eastern Europe and Eurasia, as well as in private U.S. banking, have given him a deep knowledge of international best practices in financial services across a range of markets and institutional models. Most recently, Mark served as Chief of Party of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Kenya Access to Rural Finance program, where he was recognized as an innovator in financial product design and a trusted colleague of the Central Bank of Kenya and the Ministry of Finance. As Chief of Party for the USAID-funded Kenya Microfinance Capacity Building Program, he developed approaches to build the capacity of microfinance institutions (MFIs) and advised on improving the regulatory and policy environment for their prudent growth. Prior to that, he served as Chief of Party for the USAID-funded Georgia Microfinance Stabilization and Enhancement Program that combined legal and regulatory development with MFI performance enhancements, including agricultural finance institutions. Under a USAID cooperative agreement with FINCA International, Mark served as Chief of Party, responsible for developing a commercially viable and locally managed non-bank financial institution in Kyrgyzstan. As FINCA’s Regional Director for Eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States, he subsequently supervised $45 million in USAID investments in seven standalone non-bank financial institutions across the region.Senior Adviser, Stability Operations | mastin_robeson@dai.com
Major General Mastin Robeson served 34 years in the Marine Corps with extensive experience in intelligence and counterterrorism. He has served combat tours in Liberia, Somalia, Desert Storm, Bosnia, Horn of Africa, Southern Philippines, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He commanded U.S. forces in the Horn of Africa, two brigades, two Marine divisions, and the Marine Corps Special Operations Command. Major General Robeson serves as a Senior Military Mentor for the Trans-Sahara Security Symposium and instructs modules on trafficking (humans, weapons, and drugs), terrorism, and the nexus between criminal organizations and violent extremist organizations.
Max Goldensohn
Major General Mastin Robeson served 34 years in the Marine Corps with extensive experience in intelligence and counterterrorism. He has served combat tours in Liberia, Somalia, Desert Storm, Bosnia, Horn of Africa, Southern Philippines, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He commanded U.S. forces in the Horn of Africa, two brigades, two Marine divisions, and the Marine Corps Special Operations Command. Major General Robeson serves as a Senior Military Mentor for the Trans-Sahara Security Symposium and instructs modules on trafficking (humans, weapons, and drugs), terrorism, and the nexus between criminal organizations and violent extremist organizations.Team Leader, Ethiopia PEPE and Senior Advisor for Special Projects |max_goldensohn@dai.com
Max Goldensohn joined the Peace Corps after college and spent two years in Gabon building schools with villagers in remote communities. After graduate school, Max went to Laos as a civilian volunteer during the Vietnam War and taught future teachers to do community development. By then he was thoroughly bitten by the international development bug, and has since worked for 40 years in program management, capacity building, training, and monitoring and evaluation, including more than 20 years managing long-term projects in agribusiness and agricultural production in the developing world. Max has augmented his expertise with a deep understanding of strategy development, planning and capacity building, and the impact of policy on citizens’ lives, all of it grounded in his training in anthropology. Max’s work and results cover many disciplines, including: natural resource management; rural health delivery systems; trans-regional initiatives; partnership building between farmers, water-users, entrepreneurs, villagers, city-dwellers, government, and the private sector; and planning and orientation exercises. He has lived and worked in Laos, Gabon, Mauritania, Mali, Sri Lanka, Zaire, Egypt, and Colombia. Max has served as Chief of Party of major USAID-funded projects in Mauritania, Zaire, Sri Lanka and Egypt and as country director in Colombia for the Pan-American Development Foundation. “More than anything else, I have enjoyed my time as a long-term, resident manager of projects,” Max says. “Living for two to five years in a place gives you the chance to have a real impact on people’s lives.” Max is fluent in French and Spanish; useful in German; formerly fluent or useful in Egyptian Arabic, Sinhala, Kiswahili, Ngbandi, Lingala, Lao, and Soninke.
Melanie Beth Oliviero
Max Goldensohn joined the Peace Corps after college and spent two years in Gabon building schools with villagers in remote communities. After graduate school, Max went to Laos as a civilian volunteer during the Vietnam War and taught future teachers to do community development. By then he was thoroughly bitten by the international development bug, and has since worked for 40 years in program management, capacity building, training, and monitoring and evaluation, including more than 20 years managing long-term projects in agribusiness and agricultural production in the developing world. Max has augmented his expertise with a deep understanding of strategy development, planning and capacity building, and the impact of policy on citizens’ lives, all of it grounded in his training in anthropology. Max’s work and results cover many disciplines, including: natural resource management; rural health delivery systems; trans-regional initiatives; partnership building between farmers, water-users, entrepreneurs, villagers, city-dwellers, government, and the private sector; and planning and orientation exercises. He has lived and worked in Laos, Gabon, Mauritania, Mali, Sri Lanka, Zaire, Egypt, and Colombia. Max has served as Chief of Party of major USAID-funded projects in Mauritania, Zaire, Sri Lanka and Egypt and as country director in Colombia for the Pan-American Development Foundation. “More than anything else, I have enjoyed my time as a long-term, resident manager of projects,” Max says. “Living for two to five years in a place gives you the chance to have a real impact on people’s lives.” Max is fluent in French and Spanish; useful in German; formerly fluent or useful in Egyptian Arabic, Sinhala, Kiswahili, Ngbandi, Lingala, Lao, and Soninke.Strategic Adviser, Economic Growth | melanie-beth_oliviero@dai.com
Melanie Beth Oliviero has for 35 years worked for human rights and human development. As a strategic adviser on alliances and global business solutions at DAI, she draws on her expertise in corporate social responsibility, global philanthropy, civil society strengthening, and human rights and economic empowerment. She has designed and delivered innovative global alliances that break ground in leveraging layers of public and private donor and commercial capital to deepen impact for economic and environmental security in poor countries. This work is an extension of her affiliation with the MacArthur Foundation, where she was recruited in 1998 to help develop a philanthropic strategy responsive to new imperatives resulting from economic globalization. Melanie serves on the faculty of the New School for Social Research, teaching courses over the Internet on media in developing countries and civil society, as well as delivering seminars on international law and global corporate accountability. She has worked with different United Nations agencies and held leadership roles in several nonprofits, including the Panos Institute, which strengthens civil society through journalism; the Comparative Constitutionalism Project of the American Council of Learned Societies; and the Indian Rights Association, North America’s oldest education and support organization for American Indians. Widely published, she has written on corporate social responsibility, globalization and philanthropy, and human rights. Melanie holds a Ph.D. and master’s in sociolinguistics from Georgetown University.
Michele Piercey
Melanie Beth Oliviero has for 35 years worked for human rights and human development. As a strategic adviser on alliances and global business solutions at DAI, she draws on her expertise in corporate social responsibility, global philanthropy, civil society strengthening, and human rights and economic empowerment. She has designed and delivered innovative global alliances that break ground in leveraging layers of public and private donor and commercial capital to deepen impact for economic and environmental security in poor countries. This work is an extension of her affiliation with the MacArthur Foundation, where she was recruited in 1998 to help develop a philanthropic strategy responsive to new imperatives resulting from economic globalization. Melanie serves on the faculty of the New School for Social Research, teaching courses over the Internet on media in developing countries and civil society, as well as delivering seminars on international law and global corporate accountability. She has worked with different United Nations agencies and held leadership roles in several nonprofits, including the Panos Institute, which strengthens civil society through journalism; the Comparative Constitutionalism Project of the American Council of Learned Societies; and the Indian Rights Association, North America’s oldest education and support organization for American Indians. Widely published, she has written on corporate social responsibility, globalization and philanthropy, and human rights. Melanie holds a Ph.D. and master’s in sociolinguistics from Georgetown University.Global Practice Specialist, Governance | michele_piercey@dai.com
Michele is a stabilization and governance development practitioner with 17 years of professional experience, including more than 10 years working on political transition and counter-violent extremism (CVE) programs in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Tunisia. After corporate change management and training appointments with the Australian Department of Defense early in her career, she worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on small-scale community engagement projects across Iraq from 2005 to 2008. Upon joining DAI, she partnered with Provincial Reconstruction Teams and Iraqi civil society on local development and voter education projects to support the democratic process, reinforce legitimate local governments, and counteract the influence of extremists throughout south and west Baghdad in 2008 and 2009. From 2009 to 2012 she served as Deputy Chief of Party on DAI/USAID – Office of Transition Initiatives Afghanistan Stabilization Initiative, during which she developed and piloted the District Stability Framework, a counterinsurgency planning tool that was later mandated for use by military engaged in stabilization operations throughout Afghanistan. As Chief of Party of the Tunisian Transition Initiative from 2012 to 2014, Michele led 30 local and expatriate staff in the design and development of an innovative small grants program to support Tunisians in their pursuit of a democratic society, a program that was notable for its creative use of art, music, film, social, and new media to reach a wide cross section of Tunisians and support democratic change. She piloted an innovative new CVE programming strategy that focused on fostering a sense of belonging to moderate Tunisian society for at-risk youth, in response to the disconnection and hopelessness that many young Arabs experienced in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.
- B.A., political science, Australian National University
- Graduate diplomas: maritime security, management (defence studies), project management, training development, and international and community development
Michele is a stabilization and governance development practitioner with 17 years of professional experience, including more than 10 years working on political transition and counter-violent extremism (CVE) programs in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Tunisia. After corporate change management and training appointments with the Australian Department of Defense early in her career, she worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on small-scale community engagement projects across Iraq from 2005 to 2008. Upon joining DAI, she partnered with Provincial Reconstruction Teams and Iraqi civil society on local development and voter education projects to support the democratic process, reinforce legitimate local governments, and counteract the influence of extremists throughout south and west Baghdad in 2008 and 2009. From 2009 to 2012 she served as Deputy Chief of Party on DAI/USAID – Office of Transition Initiatives Afghanistan Stabilization Initiative, during which she developed and piloted the District Stability Framework, a counterinsurgency planning tool that was later mandated for use by military engaged in stabilization operations throughout Afghanistan. As Chief of Party of the Tunisian Transition Initiative from 2012 to 2014, Michele led 30 local and expatriate staff in the design and development of an innovative small grants program to support Tunisians in their pursuit of a democratic society, a program that was notable for its creative use of art, music, film, social, and new media to reach a wide cross section of Tunisians and support democratic change. She piloted an innovative new CVE programming strategy that focused on fostering a sense of belonging to moderate Tunisian society for at-risk youth, in response to the disconnection and hopelessness that many young Arabs experienced in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.
Miguel Baca
Senior Development Consultant, Tourism Development | miguel_baca@dai.com
Miguel Baca is a sustainable tourism development expert with extensive experience in the Middle East, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific region. Over the past 13 years, he has assisted international organizations in designing and implementing tourism development programs, tourism marketing and market research plans, ecotourism and nature-based tourism, certification systems, and small and medium-sized enterprise and community-based business development programs for the tourism industry. He has served as a project manager on tourism assignments in Rwanda, Belize, Dominica, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Jordan, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay, working with clients such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, European Union, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
- Certificate, tourism & hospitality marketing, Cornell University
- Master’s, international development Syracuse University
- Bachelor’s, history, Universidad Católica del Perú
- Co-author, “Natural Resource Conservation through Electronic Hotel Reservations,” Developments
Mike Walsh
Miguel Baca is a sustainable tourism development expert with extensive experience in the Middle East, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific region. Over the past 13 years, he has assisted international organizations in designing and implementing tourism development programs, tourism marketing and market research plans, ecotourism and nature-based tourism, certification systems, and small and medium-sized enterprise and community-based business development programs for the tourism industry. He has served as a project manager on tourism assignments in Rwanda, Belize, Dominica, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Jordan, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay, working with clients such as the U.S. Agency for International Development, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, European Union, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer | mike_walsh@dai.com
Mike Walsh’s credentials as DAI’s leading watchdog were earned over a 30-year career of scrutinizing procurement worldwide. During tenures as the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) contracting officer in Bangladesh, Egypt, and East Africa, Mike managed some of the most successful and innovative projects in the USAID portfolio. As the agency’s Chief Acquisition Officer and procurement executive from 2004 to 2007, he directed 125 professionals in Washington as well as more than 250 staff overseas. He was responsible for approximately $8 billion in contracts and grants per year, and resolved contracting issues in Iraq, Afghanistan, and 75 other missions.
Mike began his development career after college as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines. “It came at a time when I was figuring out what I wanted to do, and it put a human face on development. I realized then that this was very important work and worthy of a career,” Walsh said. Today, Walsh works with DAI’s project and management teams worldwide to uphold our firm’s—and our clients’—ethics and compliance standards.
Mosharraf Zaidi
Mike Walsh’s credentials as DAI’s leading watchdog were earned over a 30-year career of scrutinizing procurement worldwide. During tenures as the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) contracting officer in Bangladesh, Egypt, and East Africa, Mike managed some of the most successful and innovative projects in the USAID portfolio. As the agency’s Chief Acquisition Officer and procurement executive from 2004 to 2007, he directed 125 professionals in Washington as well as more than 250 staff overseas. He was responsible for approximately $8 billion in contracts and grants per year, and resolved contracting issues in Iraq, Afghanistan, and 75 other missions.Team Leader, Transforming Education in Pakistan | mosharraf.zaidi@alifailaan.pk
Mosharraf Zaidi is the Team Leader for the Transforming Education in Pakistan programme and Campaign Director for Alif Ailaan, a political campaign to help end Pakistan’s education crisis. Previously, he has held senior positions with governments and various international organizations. Until January 2013, he was the principal advisor to the Foreign Minister of Pakistan. His responsibilities at the Ministry include working on Pakistan’s key strategic relationships, communication outreach and he helped establish the country’s public diplomacy division.
Over the course of his career as a government advisor, he has supported local government reform in New York City (for the New York City Council), administrative reform in the Government of the Punjab (for the Chief Minister of the Punjab) and numerous reform efforts including technology policy, higher education and capital markets reform for the Government of Pakistan. He has also advised the United Nations, the European Union, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the UK Government’s Department for International Devlopment, and the Danish and Swiss governments on policy issues in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the South Asia region.
Mosharraf writes a regular column for The News in Pakistan. His articles have also appeared in a variety of publications including Al-Shorouk in Egypt (in Arabic), Foreign Policy, The Nation, the Times of India, the Mumbai Mirror, the National, and The Wall Street Journal. He is a frequent contributor to television and radio, including CNN, BBC, Al-Jazeera English, National Public Radio, PTV, and Geo News.
Naghma Imdad
Mosharraf Zaidi is the Team Leader for the Transforming Education in Pakistan programme and Campaign Director for Alif Ailaan, a political campaign to help end Pakistan’s education crisis. Previously, he has held senior positions with governments and various international organizations. Until January 2013, he was the principal advisor to the Foreign Minister of Pakistan. His responsibilities at the Ministry include working on Pakistan’s key strategic relationships, communication outreach and he helped establish the country’s public diplomacy division. Deputy Team Leader, Pakistan—AAWAZ Voice and Accountability Programme | naghma_imdad@dai.com
Naghma Imdad, a social anthropologist, has more than 20 years of experience as a development consultant, a leader in primary research and analysis, management and project coordination in corporate and nongovernmental organization (NGO) sectors. In her professional and voluntary engagements, she has played a major role in designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating various development projects and programs in gender and human rights, health, nutrition, environment, governance, natural resources management, and participatory community development sectors. She has an in-depth understanding of the civil society and the grassroots development organizations in Pakistan. She has worked full-time in senior management positions as well as consulted with community-based organizations, NGOs, government and international organizations in the country and outside.
Her primary research focuses on women’s issues—such as inheritance rights, consensual marriage, political rights and gender-based violence; juvenile justice and community-based child protection systems; refugee rights, social seclusion, and societal transformation.
- D.E.A., Laboratoire d'Anthropologie et de Sociologie, Université Francois‑Rabelais, Tours, France
- M.Sc., anthropology, Quaid‑e-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Naghma Imdad, a social anthropologist, has more than 20 years of experience as a development consultant, a leader in primary research and analysis, management and project coordination in corporate and nongovernmental organization (NGO) sectors. In her professional and voluntary engagements, she has played a major role in designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating various development projects and programs in gender and human rights, health, nutrition, environment, governance, natural resources management, and participatory community development sectors. She has an in-depth understanding of the civil society and the grassroots development organizations in Pakistan. She has worked full-time in senior management positions as well as consulted with community-based organizations, NGOs, government and international organizations in the country and outside. Nate Bourns
Managing Director, International | nathanael_bourns@dai.com
Nate Bourns began learning the value of language as a 12-year-old while on a trip to Mexico with his Spanish class—and the lesson stuck. “Language opens up all sorts of windows to the world, and lets you think the way other people think,” Nate says. “Being able to see things from the local people’s perspective is essential when working in development.” This is certainly true in microfinance, which provides basic financial services—borrowing, saving, insurance, and so on—for people traditionally seen as too poor or isolated to appear as potential consumers for conventional banks. Nate helped develop and implement our portfolio of microfinance and enterprise development projects in Latin America for seven years, work that reinforced his commitment to view project beneficiaries first and foremost as clients. Before his current job, he was deputy director of the U.S. Agency for International Development Access to Rural Finance for Microenterprises project that helped 20,000 of Mexico’s underserved rural and urban people, particularly women, access financial services. His responsibilities included managing the project, coordinating and delivering training and technical assistance to leading Mexican microfinance institutions, and analyzing the microfinance sector in Mexico. He also led the design of the project’s fund for innovation in rural and agricultural finance.
Nick Hobgood
Deputy Chief of Party, South Pacific Islands—Coastal Community Adaptation Project | nicholas_hobgood@dai.com
Nick Hobgood has 22 years of experience leading complex, multi-sector development projects in humanitarian response, democratic initiatives, community-based natural resource management, agriculture, and small business development.
Son of a career U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officer, Nick was lucky to grow up in four Latin American countries, the Ivory Coast and Haiti all before graduating from high school. He began his career in development in 1984, working as an intern in the USAID Office of Agriculture and Rural Development, Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Appreciation for diverse cultures later compelled him to join the Peace Corps and was assigned to an aquaculture program in a very remote village in the Bandundu Province of Zaire, now Democratic Republic of Congo. His work for four years in the Peace Corps prepared him to better understand the problems faced by poor rural populations. This life-changing experience fueled Nick’s desire to continue striving to make a difference.
For the last 16 years he has implemented USAID programs in conflict, post-conflict, and unpredictable environments in the Caribbean, Southeast Asia and Africa. Nick understands challenging contexts and has a proven capacity to deliver results under difficult circumstances. He is currently using his knowledge of community-based natural resource management to help South Pacific Islanders mitigate the effects climate change.
He has worked extensively in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Timor Leste, and Sudan. A prolific photographer, Nick also is also fluent in French and Kikongo.
- M.S., oceanography/marine resource management, Oregon State University
- B.S., physical anthropology, French minor, University of California, Davis
Noemi Danao-Schroeder
Nate Bourns began learning the value of language as a 12-year-old while on a trip to Mexico with his Spanish class—and the lesson stuck. “Language opens up all sorts of windows to the world, and lets you think the way other people think,” Nate says. “Being able to see things from the local people’s perspective is essential when working in development.” This is certainly true in microfinance, which provides basic financial services—borrowing, saving, insurance, and so on—for people traditionally seen as too poor or isolated to appear as potential consumers for conventional banks. Nate helped develop and implement our portfolio of microfinance and enterprise development projects in Latin America for seven years, work that reinforced his commitment to view project beneficiaries first and foremost as clients. Before his current job, he was deputy director of the U.S. Agency for International Development Access to Rural Finance for Microenterprises project that helped 20,000 of Mexico’s underserved rural and urban people, particularly women, access financial services. His responsibilities included managing the project, coordinating and delivering training and technical assistance to leading Mexican microfinance institutions, and analyzing the microfinance sector in Mexico. He also led the design of the project’s fund for innovation in rural and agricultural finance.Nick Hobgood has 22 years of experience leading complex, multi-sector development projects in humanitarian response, democratic initiatives, community-based natural resource management, agriculture, and small business development.Chief of Party, SERVIR Program Demand Activity | noemi_danao-schroeder@dai.com
Noemi first worked internationally as a summer volunteer for a rural vaccination campaign in Paraguay. That experience kickstarted 25 years of international development work. After finishing her undergraduate degree, Noemi took a nine-month volunteer assignment in Nicaragua, eventually staying in the country for nine years. During that time she founded and led a Nicaraguan nongovernmental organization (NGO) that developed the first health and environmental education curriculum for children created for, and by, rural educators. After returning to the United States, she worked as development director for a water and reforestation NGO.
The “call abroad” came once again, and Noemi and her family moved to the cloud forest of Costa Rica where she served as Executive Director of the Monteverde Institute. During her tenure she turned the organization around from near bankruptcy to profitability in two years, and re-established the Institute as a regional leader in place-based education, applied research, and community development. A few years later Noemi joined SNV, an international development organization headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. Noemi served as country representative for Nicaragua, and then was promoted to Head of Business Development and Communications for Latin America in Quito. Noemi and her family returned to the United States in 2012 when she joined DAI on the SERVIR project.
A self-professed generalist who has worked in environment, health, water, child rights, private sector development, vocational education, value chains, renewable energy, and now Earth observations, Noemi is most passionate about making organizations and projects run smoothly and effectively.
- M.S., community development, University of California, Davis
- M.B.A, Graduate School of Management, University of California, Davis
- B.A., social sciences, University of California, Berkeley
Paul Hartman
Noemi first worked internationally as a summer volunteer for a rural vaccination campaign in Paraguay. That experience kickstarted 25 years of international development work. After finishing her undergraduate degree, Noemi took a nine-month volunteer assignment in Nicaragua, eventually staying in the country for nine years. During that time she founded and led a Nicaraguan nongovernmental organization (NGO) that developed the first health and environmental education curriculum for children created for, and by, rural educators. After returning to the United States, she worked as development director for a water and reforestation NGO. Chief of Party, Mekong ARCC | paul_hartman@dai.com
The schoolyards of Queens, New York, where Paul Hartman grew up, are a long way from the jungles of Borneo. But that’s the journey Paul made when he moved to Indonesia in 2001, eventually to run an orangutan conservation program for DAI.
Paul became fascinated by the interaction between communities and their natural environment during his first trip into Borneo’s spectacular tropical forests. The indigenous Dayak community that was Paul’s eventual stopping point was comprised of villagers whose families were forest nomads just 30 years earlier. Animism and the interaction between the physical and spiritual world continued to permeate the belief system of the village, steering their use of natural resources.
Paul has since spent more than a decade in Southeast Asia overseeing natural resources management projects focused on climate change adaptation, sustainable forestry, and biodiversity conservation. He has led three U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded projects, including currently as Chief of Party on the Bangkok-based Mekong Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change project (Mekong ARCC). Mekong ARCC focuses on identifying the environmental, economic and social effects of climate change in the Lower Mekong Basin, and on assisting highly exposed and vulnerable rural populations in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Lao increase their ability to adapt to climate change impacts on water resources, agricultural systems, biodiversity, ecosystems, and livelihood options.
- M.A., international affairs, The George Washington University
The schoolyards of Queens, New York, where Paul Hartman grew up, are a long way from the jungles of Borneo. But that’s the journey Paul made when he moved to Indonesia in 2001, eventually to run an orangutan conservation program for DAI.Peter Morrow
Advisor, Khan Bank of Mongolia | peter_morrow@dai.com
Peter Morrow is a commercial banker and financial consultant with 40 years of experience. His skills include general bank management, problem bank turnarounds, mergers and acquisitions, privatization, bank valuation, strategic planning, loan policy and procedure, troubled loan liquidation, capital raising, and bank regulatory policy. Peter also has substantial experience in insolvency and reorganization, complex debt restructurings, and troubled company workouts. Peter holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University.
Peter Ross
Peter Morrow is a commercial banker and financial consultant with 40 years of experience. His skills include general bank management, problem bank turnarounds, mergers and acquisitions, privatization, bank valuation, strategic planning, loan policy and procedure, troubled loan liquidation, capital raising, and bank regulatory policy. Peter also has substantial experience in insolvency and reorganization, complex debt restructurings, and troubled company workouts. Peter holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University.Project Management and Advisor | peter_ross@dai.com
Peter has been a permanent member of staff for 25 years. A member of the project management team, he is responsible for planning and managing our current long-term U.K. Department for International Development-funded programmes in Malawi, Nigeria, and Zambia. Peter has 35 years of experience of planning, managing, monitoring, and evaluating rural development programmes in Europe, Central and South Asia, the Horn of Africa, and West and Southern Africa.
These projects have included work in agricultural extension, small-scale irrigation development, governance, and institutional change.
- Post-graduate Diploma, agricultural engineering, National College of Agricultural Engineering
- B.Sc., environmental science, University of East Anglia
Polly Gillingham
Business Management and Livelihoods | polly_gillingham@dai.com
Polly is a livelihoods specialist, with a particular interest in social inclusion and institutions for the governance of—and resolution of conflicts over—natural resources. Polly began her career focusing on water resources, but over the years her expertise has expanded to include forestry and land. Her range of work includes programme design, policy reviews, programme evaluations, and socioeconomic impact assessments. An accomplished writer, Polly has authored numerous technical reports, websites, and case studies.
Polly joined the company in 2000. Prior to that she worked for a local consultancy based in Tanzania. Since joining the company she has managed programmes in Bangladesh, Nigeria, and South Africa, as well as being part of the core team for the Evidence on Demand programme and its predecessor programmes.
- Ph.D. and B.A., geography, University of Cambridge
Rebecca Lawrence
Polly is a livelihoods specialist, with a particular interest in social inclusion and institutions for the governance of—and resolution of conflicts over—natural resources. Polly began her career focusing on water resources, but over the years her expertise has expanded to include forestry and land. Her range of work includes programme design, policy reviews, programme evaluations, and socioeconomic impact assessments. An accomplished writer, Polly has authored numerous technical reports, websites, and case studies.Senior Development Specialist | rebecca_lawrence@dai.com
Since 1996, Rebecca Lawrence has planned and implemented more than a dozen large-scale development programs, and contributed to the design or management of at least 20 others. She has more than 15 years of experience in democracy, governance, and stabilization programs in Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Zimbabwe), Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan), the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, and the Middle East. These programs have encompassed good governance, civil society development, conflict mitigation, and municipal services and infrastructure.
Rebecca currently directs the U.K. Department for International Development’s Mozambique Democratic Governance Support Program, which aims to build voice and accountability in urban municipalities. Previously, she managed DAI’s cross-cutting teams implementing stabilization and state-building programs for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in East Africa, and was project team leader for more than $65 million in USAID-funded programs in Pakistan. She has also worked on DAI’s business development team and chaired its Haiti working group.
In 12 years with the Urban Institute’s International Activities Center, Rebecca served as a team leader in the field and home office, working on the development, implementation, research, and assessment of USAID and World Bank local government, decentralization, housing, and urban development programs.
“I like it when things are difficult,” said Rebecca of her international assignments. “Most of the work related to stability and weak governance happens to be in the most volatile regions of the world. I don’t shy away from working in the tough places, to try to bring decent services and government to people living with conflict, natural disasters, extreme poverty, and corruption.”
- M.P.P., international political economy, Georgetown University
- B.A., political science, McGill University
Rich Magnani
Since 1996, Rebecca Lawrence has planned and implemented more than a dozen large-scale development programs, and contributed to the design or management of at least 20 others. She has more than 15 years of experience in democracy, governance, and stabilization programs in Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Zimbabwe), Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan), the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, and the Middle East. These programs have encompassed good governance, civil society development, conflict mitigation, and municipal services and infrastructure.Chief of Party, Afghanistan Regional Agricultural Development Program |rich_magnani@dai.com
Following his graduate program at the University of Minnesota, Rich Magnani joined Experience, an agribusiness consultancy. He focused on new venture analyses, export market development, and policy analysis for grain and oilseed processors, dairy and livestock processors, trade associations, and state government development agencies. During his early years at Experience Inc., Rich was barely involved in the firm’s donor-based business, but that changed dramatically when he was given a four-month assignment in Indonesia for an Asian Development Bank-funded project to encourage development of the palm oil subsector. Helping palm plantation smallholders offered a far different challenge than analyzing the feasibility of a new oilseed processing plant in the Midwest. The world of consulting had changed for Rich, who grew more interested in applying his commercial consulting background to a diverse mix of donor-funded agriculture projects. The transition continued when DAI acquired Experience, Inc. in 1992. Since then, Rich has served as resident adviser on three U.S. Agency for International Development-funded projects for DAI, including the Agriculture Reconstruction and Development project in Iraq, the Agricultural Policy Reform Program in Egypt, and the Agribusiness Development Program in Indonesia. Rich has since worked in DAI’s agribusiness practice, followed by two years as Senior Technical Adviser for DAI’s Stamping Out Pandemic and Avian Influenza (STOP AI) Project, and now as leader of a project in Afghanistan.
Richard Baldwin
Following his graduate program at the University of Minnesota, Rich Magnani joined Experience, an agribusiness consultancy. He focused on new venture analyses, export market development, and policy analysis for grain and oilseed processors, dairy and livestock processors, trade associations, and state government development agencies. During his early years at Experience Inc., Rich was barely involved in the firm’s donor-based business, but that changed dramatically when he was given a four-month assignment in Indonesia for an Asian Development Bank-funded project to encourage development of the palm oil subsector. Helping palm plantation smallholders offered a far different challenge than analyzing the feasibility of a new oilseed processing plant in the Midwest. The world of consulting had changed for Rich, who grew more interested in applying his commercial consulting background to a diverse mix of donor-funded agriculture projects. The transition continued when DAI acquired Experience, Inc. in 1992. Since then, Rich has served as resident adviser on three U.S. Agency for International Development-funded projects for DAI, including the Agriculture Reconstruction and Development project in Iraq, the Agricultural Policy Reform Program in Egypt, and the Agribusiness Development Program in Indonesia. Rich has since worked in DAI’s agribusiness practice, followed by two years as Senior Technical Adviser for DAI’s Stamping Out Pandemic and Avian Influenza (STOP AI) Project, and now as leader of a project in Afghanistan.
Global Practice Lead, Land Tenure and Property Rights | richard_baldwin@dai.com
Richard is a land tenure professional with more than 20 years of experience managing and providing technical assistance to land projects in Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Caribbean. Richard’s first overseas consultancy was in the Philippines in 1992, where he worked on a UNDP land records management project. This was quickly followed by long-term technical assistance in Hungary and the Czech Republic on the re-establishment of land registration systems in these transition states focusing on mapping, cadastre, information technology, and developing land policy. In 1998, Richard undertook a study comparing land markets in Eastern Europe that developed indicators and a tool for assessing the state of development of land markets at a national level. Richard was the Project Director for a $12 million project to develop a computerised land registry in Lebanon and carry out data conversion of all existing paper records. From 2000 to 2004 Richard held a business development role and undertook short-term policy and business strategy and registration projects across Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union territories. From the mid-2000s most of Richard’s work has been in Africa, with major registration projects in Ethiopia, Lesotho, Namibia, and also developing national strategies for information technology in the land sector, as well as undertaking project reviews and appraisals in Rwanda and South Africa. Clients have included the Department for International Development, the European Union, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, and the World Bank.
- B.S., geography/geology from the University of Leeds
- M.S., photogrammetry, University College London
- Ph.D., geomatics, Newcastle University
- MBA, IIED Bled School of Management
Rob Dressen
Richard is a land tenure professional with more than 20 years of experience managing and providing technical assistance to land projects in Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Caribbean. Richard’s first overseas consultancy was in the Philippines in 1992, where he worked on a UNDP land records management project. This was quickly followed by long-term technical assistance in Hungary and the Czech Republic on the re-establishment of land registration systems in these transition states focusing on mapping, cadastre, information technology, and developing land policy. In 1998, Richard undertook a study comparing land markets in Eastern Europe that developed indicators and a tool for assessing the state of development of land markets at a national level. Richard was the Project Director for a $12 million project to develop a computerised land registry in Lebanon and carry out data conversion of all existing paper records. From 2000 to 2004 Richard held a business development role and undertook short-term policy and business strategy and registration projects across Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union territories. From the mid-2000s most of Richard’s work has been in Africa, with major registration projects in Ethiopia, Lesotho, Namibia, and also developing national strategies for information technology in the land sector, as well as undertaking project reviews and appraisals in Rwanda and South Africa. Clients have included the Department for International Development, the European Union, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, and the World Bank.Global Practice Specialist, Financial Services | robert_dressen@dai.com
Rob Dressen is a banker with 25 years of experience in microfinance, commercial banking, and financial advisory services. He worked for Meridien BIAO S.A. for three years and Chase Manhattan Bank for 15 years, where he specialized in trade finance, branch operations, and credit and risk management. On joining DAI in 1997, he served as Chief of Party for two U.S. Agency for International Development-funded microfinance projects in Haiti—projects that became the microfinance reference point for all donors working in Haiti. Subsequently, in the Bethesda office, Rob led DAI’s technical service offerings in economics, business, and finance. In his current position, he is charged with ensuring professionalism, quality assurance, and efficiency in DAI’s project delivery.
- M.B.A., banking and finance, Africa area studies, American Graduate School of International Management
- B.S., business administration, University of North Dakota
Robert Ryan-Silva
Rob Dressen is a banker with 25 years of experience in microfinance, commercial banking, and financial advisory services. He worked for Meridien BIAO S.A. for three years and Chase Manhattan Bank for 15 years, where he specialized in trade finance, branch operations, and credit and risk management. On joining DAI in 1997, he served as Chief of Party for two U.S. Agency for International Development-funded microfinance projects in Haiti—projects that became the microfinance reference point for all donors working in Haiti. Subsequently, in the Bethesda office, Rob led DAI’s technical service offerings in economics, business, and finance. In his current position, he is charged with ensuring professionalism, quality assurance, and efficiency in DAI’s project delivery.Global Practice Specialist, Governance, and Director, DAI Maker Lab| robert_ryan-silva@dai.com
Robert Ryan-Silva has been with DAI since 2002, when he joined the firm as a group business manager in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Group. Working over a wide range of regions and technical areas in his 20 years in international development, Rob approaches the implementation of complex projects in difficult environments at the level of nuts and bolts.
As Director of the DAI Maker Lab, Rob is leading the effort to explore how tools and approaches from the maker movement can enhance DAI’s global development work. Previously, as Project Director for the five-year, $185 million RESPOND project, Rob worked with government ministries, academia, multilateral organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and donors in Africa and Southeast Asia to create new opportunities to build the capacity to prevent and respond to outbreaks of emerging infectious disease. He has led DAI’s Governance practice, worked on agricultural redevelopment in Iraq and Afghanistan, and managed efforts to contain avian influenza. He attributes his success in these disparate areas to an approach that emphasizes understanding the perspectives and incentives of partners, and using that understanding to create space for collaborative work toward common objectives.
He has experience working with projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development in Afghanistan, Egypt, El Salvador, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, and Pakistan. Prior to joining DAI, Rob managed operations for the Egypt field office of the Centre for Development and Population Activities, and worked for other international development organizations.
- B.A., political science, University of Massachusetts at Amherst
- Author, “DIY Development: The maker movement could make a real difference to international development,”The Guardian
Robert Salerno
Robert Ryan-Silva has been with DAI since 2002, when he joined the firm as a group business manager in the Agriculture and Natural Resources Group. Working over a wide range of regions and technical areas in his 20 years in international development, Rob approaches the implementation of complex projects in difficult environments at the level of nuts and bolts.Development Specialist | robert_salerno@dai.com
Robert Salerno specializes in the intersection of health and nutrition and the role of livelihoods to improve health outcomes. He provides technical assistance and management support to DAI’s health projects, focusing on household-level analysis, vulnerability mapping, and the design and support of programming to build the resilience of vulnerable populations. Robert served as technical manager for the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Urban Agriculture Project for HIV/AIDS affected women and children in Ethiopia. From 2009–2010, Robert served as the communications and reporting officer on the USAID-funded RESPOND program, designing program implementation strategies and metrics for monitoring and evaluation. Robert has performed assignments in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In addition to technical assignments, Robert works extensively on new business acquisition initiatives and project performance monitoring and evaluation. Before joining DAI, Robert was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Fiji Islands working on an agribusiness project.
- M.Sc., global health & population medicine, University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine
- Co-author, “Improving Resilience of the HIV Affected,” Developing Alternatives
Roberto Toso
Robert Salerno specializes in the intersection of health and nutrition and the role of livelihoods to improve health outcomes. He provides technical assistance and management support to DAI’s health projects, focusing on household-level analysis, vulnerability mapping, and the design and support of programming to build the resilience of vulnerable populations. Robert served as technical manager for the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Urban Agriculture Project for HIV/AIDS affected women and children in Ethiopia. From 2009–2010, Robert served as the communications and reporting officer on the USAID-funded RESPOND program, designing program implementation strategies and metrics for monitoring and evaluation. Robert has performed assignments in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. In addition to technical assignments, Robert works extensively on new business acquisition initiatives and project performance monitoring and evaluation. Before joining DAI, Robert was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Fiji Islands working on an agribusiness project.Managing Director, Economic Growth | roberto_toso@dai.com
Roberto is a senior economist with more than 25 years of international development experience working on financial sector reform, economic policy, public financial management, international trade, and competitiveness strategy. He was most recently Chief of Party of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Fiscal Reform Project II in Jordan. Previously he was a Director at Chemonics International. As the Senior Program Manager for the USAID Central Asian Republics Macroeconomic Foundations for Growth contract, Roberto provided overall technical leadership for the contract in macroeconomic reform, improving the business environment, public sector capacity building, and trade facilitation.
His extensive experience includes consulting assignments for the World Bank, USAID, the Inter-American Development Bank, UNDP and the EU in more than 50 countries in Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Europe. Prior to joining Chemonics, Roberto was the managing partner for international financial services at Ernst & Young Consulting in New York. He also held a number of prominent government positions, including Undersecretary of Finance in Chile, Director of Chile’s sovereign debt negotiation team in New York, and International Financial Institutions’ Director at the Central Bank of Chile and head of the Research Department of the Central Bank of Chile.
- Advanced Graduate Program in WTO, International Trade and Trade Facilitation, The Graduate Institute-Geneva
- M.B.A., finance, Mississippi State University
- Licentiate in Economics, Universidad de Chile
- Commercial Engineer, Universidad de Chile
- B.A., economics, Universidad de Chile
Robin Young
Roberto is a senior economist with more than 25 years of international development experience working on financial sector reform, economic policy, public financial management, international trade, and competitiveness strategy. He was most recently Chief of Party of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Fiscal Reform Project II in Jordan. Previously he was a Director at Chemonics International. As the Senior Program Manager for the USAID Central Asian Republics Macroeconomic Foundations for Growth contract, Roberto provided overall technical leadership for the contract in macroeconomic reform, improving the business environment, public sector capacity building, and trade facilitation.
His extensive experience includes consulting assignments for the World Bank, USAID, the Inter-American Development Bank, UNDP and the EU in more than 50 countries in Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Europe. Prior to joining Chemonics, Roberto was the managing partner for international financial services at Ernst & Young Consulting in New York. He also held a number of prominent government positions, including Undersecretary of Finance in Chile, Director of Chile’s sovereign debt negotiation team in New York, and International Financial Institutions’ Director at the Central Bank of Chile and head of the Research Department of the Central Bank of Chile.
- Advanced Graduate Program in WTO, International Trade and Trade Facilitation, The Graduate Institute-Geneva
- M.B.A., finance, Mississippi State University
- Licentiate in Economics, Universidad de Chile
- Commercial Engineer, Universidad de Chile
- B.A., economics, Universidad de Chile
Robin Young
Global Practice Specialist, Financial Services | robin_young@dai.com
Robin Young began to focus her career on micro and small enterprise finance after learning in an undergraduate development economics course more than 20 years ago how this emerging field ‘just worked. ... It was so practical and brought macroeconomics and global politics down to a concrete and effective level.’ Since then she has dedicated herself to working with financial institutions and professionals in developing countries to build the capacity to effectively and sustainably service hundreds of thousands of enterprises with financial services. Her career has ranged from fund raising for nonprofit microfinance institutions to guiding a credit union through the tedious licensing process to advising the CEO of large banks on micro and small enterprise finance strategies and designing programs to strengthen national financial systems with modern innovations to increase access to finance. Increasingly, Robin’s work focuses on agricultural finance, blending the lessons from microfinance and value chain development to customize strategies and systems to effectively expand outreach to incorporate small holders and improve commercial agriculture.
Robin works as an advisor, team leader, and project manager developing and overseeing DAI’s portfolio of agricultural and micro and small and medium enterprise finance projects worldwide. She has led financial services advisory and research projects for the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor, the U.K. Department for International Development, Inter-American Development Bank, International Finance Corporation, World Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development and private sector financial institutions and has published and presented on the commercialization of microfinance and public sector financial institutions in retail and agricultural finance.
- M.B.A., Georgetown University
- B.A., economics, Tufts University
Russell Howard, Brigadier General (Ret.)
Robin Young began to focus her career on micro and small enterprise finance after learning in an undergraduate development economics course more than 20 years ago how this emerging field ‘just worked. ... It was so practical and brought macroeconomics and global politics down to a concrete and effective level.’ Since then she has dedicated herself to working with financial institutions and professionals in developing countries to build the capacity to effectively and sustainably service hundreds of thousands of enterprises with financial services. Her career has ranged from fund raising for nonprofit microfinance institutions to guiding a credit union through the tedious licensing process to advising the CEO of large banks on micro and small enterprise finance strategies and designing programs to strengthen national financial systems with modern innovations to increase access to finance. Increasingly, Robin’s work focuses on agricultural finance, blending the lessons from microfinance and value chain development to customize strategies and systems to effectively expand outreach to incorporate small holders and improve commercial agriculture.
Robin works as an advisor, team leader, and project manager developing and overseeing DAI’s portfolio of agricultural and micro and small and medium enterprise finance projects worldwide. She has led financial services advisory and research projects for the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor, the U.K. Department for International Development, Inter-American Development Bank, International Finance Corporation, World Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development and private sector financial institutions and has published and presented on the commercialization of microfinance and public sector financial institutions in retail and agricultural finance.
- M.B.A., Georgetown University
- B.A., economics, Tufts University
Russell Howard, Brigadier General (Ret.)
Senior Advisor, Stability Operations | russell_howard@dai.com
Brigadier General Russell Howard works with DAI on an advisory basis. He is the founding Director of the Jebsen Center for Counter-Terrorism Studies at The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University. Before assuming his current responsibilities, he was the head of the Department of Social Sciences and Founding Director of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. His previous positions include deputy department head of the Department of Social Sciences, Army Chief of Staff Fellow at the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University, and Commander of the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Lewis, Washington. Other assignments include serving as Assistant to the Special Representative to the Secretary General during the United Nations Operation in Somalia II, Deputy Chief of Staff for I Corps, and Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander for the Combined Joint Task Force, Haiti/Haitian Advisory Group. Previously, General Howard was Commander of 3d Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He also served as the Administrative Assistant to Admiral Stansfield Turner and as a Special Assistant to the Commander of U.S. Southern Command.
Ruth Sparrey
Brigadier General Russell Howard works with DAI on an advisory basis. He is the founding Director of the Jebsen Center for Counter-Terrorism Studies at The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy at Tufts University. Before assuming his current responsibilities, he was the head of the Department of Social Sciences and Founding Director of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. His previous positions include deputy department head of the Department of Social Sciences, Army Chief of Staff Fellow at the Center for International Affairs at Harvard University, and Commander of the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Lewis, Washington. Other assignments include serving as Assistant to the Special Representative to the Secretary General during the United Nations Operation in Somalia II, Deputy Chief of Staff for I Corps, and Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander for the Combined Joint Task Force, Haiti/Haitian Advisory Group. Previously, General Howard was Commander of 3d Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He also served as the Administrative Assistant to Admiral Stansfield Turner and as a Special Assistant to the Commander of U.S. Southern Command.
Ruth Sparrey
Project Management and Livelihoods | ruth_sparrey@dai.com
Ruth is the Programme Manager for Evidence on Demand, a U.K. Department for International Development (DFID)-supported knowledge service that covers climate, environment, infrastructure, and livelihoods themes. Ruth has 17 years of experience as a rural development consultant and as a project director on donor-funded projects in Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, South Sudan, Swaziland, and Thailand, for DFID, the European Commission, and the Capacity Building Trust Fund. Prior to managing the Evidence on Demand service, Ruth provided technical support to DFID’s Programme of Advisory Support Services and managed the DFID Livelihood Resource Centre (covering core services and framework contracts). She has worked directly with community-based organisations, nongovernmental organisations, and government agencies to design and implement innovative livelihood initiatives targeted at household, farm, and community levels. Ruth has excellent process, facilitation, and mentoring skills and has led project teams overseas and in the United Kingdom.
- M.Sc., environmental and development education, South Bank University
- B.Sc., agricultural technology and management, Cranfield University
Sambe Duale
Ruth is the Programme Manager for Evidence on Demand, a U.K. Department for International Development (DFID)-supported knowledge service that covers climate, environment, infrastructure, and livelihoods themes. Ruth has 17 years of experience as a rural development consultant and as a project director on donor-funded projects in Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, South Sudan, Swaziland, and Thailand, for DFID, the European Commission, and the Capacity Building Trust Fund. Prior to managing the Evidence on Demand service, Ruth provided technical support to DFID’s Programme of Advisory Support Services and managed the DFID Livelihood Resource Centre (covering core services and framework contracts). She has worked directly with community-based organisations, nongovernmental organisations, and government agencies to design and implement innovative livelihood initiatives targeted at household, farm, and community levels. Ruth has excellent process, facilitation, and mentoring skills and has led project teams overseas and in the United Kingdom.- M.Sc., environmental and development education, South Bank University
- B.Sc., agricultural technology and management, Cranfield University
Sambe Duale
Senior Public Health Advisor | sambe_duale@dai.com
Dr. Sambe Duale serves as a Senior Public Health Advisor for the Preparedness and Response Project, a component of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats 2 Program. He joined the RESPOND Project in 2014 as the Technical Lead for the Ebola Virus Disease preparedness and response for the at-risk countries in Central and West Africa. Sambe has more than 35 years of progressive public health experience and his skills encompass policy dialogue and advocacy, research and analysis, evidence-based policy development, program design and implementation, and evaluation. Sambe works across a range of technical areas, including maternal and child health, infectious disease surveillance and outbreak response, and health systems research. He is very familiar with public health issues in Africa, including those in fragile states such as his native Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Republic of Zaire).
- M.D., University of Kinshasa School of Medicine in Kinshasa
- M.P.H., Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
- Ph.D. (hon.), North Park University, Chicago
- Fluent in French, Lingala, and Gbaka
Sani Daher
Dr. Sambe Duale serves as a Senior Public Health Advisor for the Preparedness and Response Project, a component of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Emerging Pandemic Threats 2 Program. He joined the RESPOND Project in 2014 as the Technical Lead for the Ebola Virus Disease preparedness and response for the at-risk countries in Central and West Africa. Sambe has more than 35 years of progressive public health experience and his skills encompass policy dialogue and advocacy, research and analysis, evidence-based policy development, program design and implementation, and evaluation. Sambe works across a range of technical areas, including maternal and child health, infectious disease surveillance and outbreak response, and health systems research. He is very familiar with public health issues in Africa, including those in fragile states such as his native Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Republic of Zaire).- M.D., University of Kinshasa School of Medicine in Kinshasa
- M.P.H., Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
- Ph.D. (hon.), North Park University, Chicago
- Fluent in French, Lingala, and Gbaka
Sani Daher
Regional Managing Director, Global, LAC, Europe | sani_daher@dai.com
Sani Daher rejoined DAI in 2005 after serving as CEO of the Palestine Trade Center from September 2004 until October 2005. Prior to that, Sani worked for DAI in Palestine from 1999 until 2004, and headed the Business Development Unit for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Market Access Program, advising firms and industries on export-led growth strategies. Sani has 15 years of experience in trade competitiveness, regulated industries, executive management consulting for associations and businesses, and medical device design, manufacturing, and marketing. He holds an executive master’s in business administration from the Kellogg-Recanati School, Northwestern University, and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Oklahoma State University.
Sarah Maguire
Sani Daher rejoined DAI in 2005 after serving as CEO of the Palestine Trade Center from September 2004 until October 2005. Prior to that, Sani worked for DAI in Palestine from 1999 until 2004, and headed the Business Development Unit for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Market Access Program, advising firms and industries on export-led growth strategies. Sani has 15 years of experience in trade competitiveness, regulated industries, executive management consulting for associations and businesses, and medical device design, manufacturing, and marketing. He holds an executive master’s in business administration from the Kellogg-Recanati School, Northwestern University, and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Oklahoma State University.
Sarah Maguire
Director, Technical Services, Governance | sarah_maguire@dai.com
Sarah joined DAI’s London office as a Director of Technical Services, Governance, in March 2015, bringing extensive experience in promoting human rights in fragile and conflict-affected countries and at the policy level with donors, United Nations entities, and nongovernmental organizations. Sarah’s has experience working development sectors such as security and justice, violence against women and girls, child protection, women’s rights, and peace and security. She currently serves as the Technical and Project Director of the Access to Security and Justice Programme in Sierra Leone and as Senior Technical Adviser to the Aawaz (Voice and Accountability) and Enhancing Democracy and Civic Engagement programmes in Pakistan. Sarah practiced at the criminal bar before joining the U.K. Department for International Development as Senior Human Rights Advisor. Since then, Sarah’s country experience includes work in Afghanistan, where she ran the Provincial Reconstruction Team’s justice programme on behalf of the Stabilisation Unit, and in the Balkans, South Asia, and East, Central, and West Africa.
- B.A. (hons), social administration, University of Falmer
- Dip. Law, University of Westminster
- Barrister, Council of Legal Education
- LLM, University of London
Scott Jazynka
Sarah joined DAI’s London office as a Director of Technical Services, Governance, in March 2015, bringing extensive experience in promoting human rights in fragile and conflict-affected countries and at the policy level with donors, United Nations entities, and nongovernmental organizations. Sarah’s has experience working development sectors such as security and justice, violence against women and girls, child protection, women’s rights, and peace and security. She currently serves as the Technical and Project Director of the Access to Security and Justice Programme in Sierra Leone and as Senior Technical Adviser to the Aawaz (Voice and Accountability) and Enhancing Democracy and Civic Engagement programmes in Pakistan. Sarah practiced at the criminal bar before joining the U.K. Department for International Development as Senior Human Rights Advisor. Since then, Sarah’s country experience includes work in Afghanistan, where she ran the Provincial Reconstruction Team’s justice programme on behalf of the Stabilisation Unit, and in the Balkans, South Asia, and East, Central, and West Africa. - B.A. (hons), social administration, University of Falmer
- Dip. Law, University of Westminster
- Barrister, Council of Legal Education
- LLM, University of London
Scott Jazynka
Senior Infrastructure Advisor | scott_jazynka@dai.com
Scott Jazynka has more than 28 years experience as an investment banker, senior manager, financial analyst, consultant and utility regulator in developed and developing countries. He specializes in infrastructure projects, including financial structuring, competitive bidding processes, and project implementation. He has extensive experience with public private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects throughout the developing world. He has worked in several sectors including
transportation, information communications technology, and water. He worked on a $180 million cross-border public-private partnership toll bridge across the Zambezi River between Botswana and Zambia. He was the primary investment banking officer responsible for arranging financing for various infrastructure BOT projects in southern and western Africa, including the TRAC Consortium which was awarded a $500 million, 30 year, cross-border (South Africa and Mozambique) toll road contract. He served as Chief of Party on the USAID-funded Egyptian Information and Communications Technology Entrepreneurship Program. He served as Managing Director of the $10 million Mozambique Private Equity Fund that was established to generate $100 million in investment.
He was also as Senior Consultant to the Government of South Africa responsible for establishing and implementing a central and municipal government Public-Private Partnerships Unit within the National Treasury. As a Financial Specialist in Southeast Asia, he identified existing regional “best practices” for achieving cost recovery and disseminating the findings to all members of the Southeast Asian Water Utilities Network (SEAWUN) including municipal water utilities in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, India and the Philippines. Prior to joining DAI, Scott was with Deloitte Consulting, serving as an advisor to the Government of Kosovo on Public Private Partnerships, responsible for implementing a multimillion-dollar portfolio of infrastructure projects and capacity building initiatives within the ministries and municipalities.
- M.B.A., finance and investments, George Washington University
- B.B.A. international business, George Washington University
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) State of Virginia
Scott Jazynka has more than 28 years experience as an investment banker, senior manager, financial analyst, consultant and utility regulator in developed and developing countries. He specializes in infrastructure projects, including financial structuring, competitive bidding processes, and project implementation. He has extensive experience with public private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects throughout the developing world. He has worked in several sectors includingtransportation, information communications technology, and water. He worked on a $180 million cross-border public-private partnership toll bridge across the Zambezi River between Botswana and Zambia. He was the primary investment banking officer responsible for arranging financing for various infrastructure BOT projects in southern and western Africa, including the TRAC Consortium which was awarded a $500 million, 30 year, cross-border (South Africa and Mozambique) toll road contract. He served as Chief of Party on the USAID-funded Egyptian Information and Communications Technology Entrepreneurship Program. He served as Managing Director of the $10 million Mozambique Private Equity Fund that was established to generate $100 million in investment.
He was also as Senior Consultant to the Government of South Africa responsible for establishing and implementing a central and municipal government Public-Private Partnerships Unit within the National Treasury. As a Financial Specialist in Southeast Asia, he identified existing regional “best practices” for achieving cost recovery and disseminating the findings to all members of the Southeast Asian Water Utilities Network (SEAWUN) including municipal water utilities in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, India and the Philippines. Prior to joining DAI, Scott was with Deloitte Consulting, serving as an advisor to the Government of Kosovo on Public Private Partnerships, responsible for implementing a multimillion-dollar portfolio of infrastructure projects and capacity building initiatives within the ministries and municipalities.
- M.B.A., finance and investments, George Washington University
- B.B.A. international business, George Washington University
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) State of Virginia
Sean Caselli-Mechael
ICT New Business Specialist | sean_caselli-mechael@dai.com
Outside of the classroom, Sean’s first exposure to international development challenges came in the form of a group of teenage boys from the Langa Township in South Africa. Rather than teaching algebra or history, Sean’s work at the LEAP Science & Maths School centered on buy-in, ownership, and incentives. “All five were gifted students with a world of potential,” he said. “Their growth as young men and community leaders depended directly on their investment and commitment to school and studies.” This experience inspired Sean’s own commitment to international development, with a particular interest in localized and high-potential development solutions.
From seedy industrial towns in Mozambique to beautiful but poorly resourced islands in the Caribbean, Sean has applied these principles to design, support, and implement innovative information and communications technology (ICT) solutions for development programs. “The popularity of mobiles and growth of Internet access across the globe represents an unprecedented multiplier for development impact in all sectors, from economic growth and disaster management to public health and governance.” In his current role at DAI, Sean leverages his experience generating new ICT business across the international donor community and hands-on understanding of implementation challenges, best practices, and constraints to support the ICT Geo Services team. His primary responsibilities include proposal development support for DAI’s new business units, United States and international ICT partner identification and relationship management, and ICT new business knowledge management.
- B.A., government, Georgetown University
ICT New Business Specialist | sean_caselli-mechael@dai.com
Outside of the classroom, Sean’s first exposure to international development challenges came in the form of a group of teenage boys from the Langa Township in South Africa. Rather than teaching algebra or history, Sean’s work at the LEAP Science & Maths School centered on buy-in, ownership, and incentives. “All five were gifted students with a world of potential,” he said. “Their growth as young men and community leaders depended directly on their investment and commitment to school and studies.” This experience inspired Sean’s own commitment to international development, with a particular interest in localized and high-potential development solutions.
From seedy industrial towns in Mozambique to beautiful but poorly resourced islands in the Caribbean, Sean has applied these principles to design, support, and implement innovative information and communications technology (ICT) solutions for development programs. “The popularity of mobiles and growth of Internet access across the globe represents an unprecedented multiplier for development impact in all sectors, from economic growth and disaster management to public health and governance.” In his current role at DAI, Sean leverages his experience generating new ICT business across the international donor community and hands-on understanding of implementation challenges, best practices, and constraints to support the ICT Geo Services team. His primary responsibilities include proposal development support for DAI’s new business units, United States and international ICT partner identification and relationship management, and ICT new business knowledge management.
- B.A., government, Georgetown University
Sherry Youssef
Global Practice Specialist, Youth & Workforce | sherry_youssef@dai.com
Sherry has worked in international development for more than 20 years. She has extensive experience in working in youth engagement and workforce development programming as well as innovations in information and communications technology (ICT) and social media. Sherry currently works with DAI as a long-term youth and workforce development specialist. She also is the Project Manager for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Global Broadband Initiative Innovations for Youth Capacity and Engagement program, overseeing the implementation of a gaming pilot aimed to prove a theory of change around innovative youth engagement.
As the Egypt Executive for the Digital Opportunity Trust in Cairo, she was responsible for setting up DOT’s operations in Egypt and launched the IBM Corporate Service Corps Executive leadership program in Egypt, She also designed, implemented, and managed economic development programs such as business entrepreneurship training, executive leadership programs, and youth engagement programs.
Before that she worked as a Public Private Partnerships advisor on the Technology for Improved Learning Outcomes program, USAID project designed to enhance the quality of teaching, learning, and school management through the effective use of technology in schools.
Other projects in Cairo that Sherry worked on include building the capacity of Egypt’s ICT private sector as well as forging sector specific public-private partnerships. She helped launch Egypt’s first fully private sector trade and advocacy association for the ICT sector. She also previously worked in Jordan on the USAID Achievement of Market-Friendly Initiatives and Results project as the Component Lead for the Information and Communications Technology Initiative.
- M.A., Arab studies and international business, Georgetown University
- B.A., political economy, University of Texas, Austin
- B.A., political economy, American University in Cairo
Sherry has worked in international development for more than 20 years. She has extensive experience in working in youth engagement and workforce development programming as well as innovations in information and communications technology (ICT) and social media. Sherry currently works with DAI as a long-term youth and workforce development specialist. She also is the Project Manager for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Global Broadband Initiative Innovations for Youth Capacity and Engagement program, overseeing the implementation of a gaming pilot aimed to prove a theory of change around innovative youth engagement.
As the Egypt Executive for the Digital Opportunity Trust in Cairo, she was responsible for setting up DOT’s operations in Egypt and launched the IBM Corporate Service Corps Executive leadership program in Egypt, She also designed, implemented, and managed economic development programs such as business entrepreneurship training, executive leadership programs, and youth engagement programs.
Before that she worked as a Public Private Partnerships advisor on the Technology for Improved Learning Outcomes program, USAID project designed to enhance the quality of teaching, learning, and school management through the effective use of technology in schools.
Other projects in Cairo that Sherry worked on include building the capacity of Egypt’s ICT private sector as well as forging sector specific public-private partnerships. She helped launch Egypt’s first fully private sector trade and advocacy association for the ICT sector. She also previously worked in Jordan on the USAID Achievement of Market-Friendly Initiatives and Results project as the Component Lead for the Information and Communications Technology Initiative.
- M.A., Arab studies and international business, Georgetown University
- B.A., political economy, University of Texas, Austin
- B.A., political economy, American University in Cairo
Stephen Carpenter
Global Practice Lead, Public Financial Management | stephen_carpenter@dai.com
Stephen Carpenter is a governance specialist with 15 years of experience whose field-based work has focused on anticorruption, public financial management, customs modernization, and institutional strengthening.
Previously at Deloitte Consulting, Stephen led new business development efforts and managed donor projects in governance and economic growth. As Director of Tetra Tech ARD’s Democracy and Governance Sector, Stephen provided strategic leadership in the areas of local governance and decentralization, anticorruption, analytical services, and legislative strengthening.
Prior to this role, Stephen served as Chief of Party on the Jordan Customs Administration Modernization Program, an activity funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation and administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the customs system in Jordan.
Stephen has worked in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- M.Sc., Foreign Service, international commerce and finance and honors certificate in international business diplomacy, Georgetown University
- M.A., theological studies, Harvard University
- B.A., Asian studies and religious studies, Bowdoin College
Stephen Carpenter is a governance specialist with 15 years of experience whose field-based work has focused on anticorruption, public financial management, customs modernization, and institutional strengthening.Previously at Deloitte Consulting, Stephen led new business development efforts and managed donor projects in governance and economic growth. As Director of Tetra Tech ARD’s Democracy and Governance Sector, Stephen provided strategic leadership in the areas of local governance and decentralization, anticorruption, analytical services, and legislative strengthening.
Prior to this role, Stephen served as Chief of Party on the Jordan Customs Administration Modernization Program, an activity funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation and administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the customs system in Jordan.
Stephen has worked in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- M.Sc., Foreign Service, international commerce and finance and honors certificate in international business diplomacy, Georgetown University
- M.A., theological studies, Harvard University
- B.A., Asian studies and religious studies, Bowdoin College
Stephen Smith
Chief of Party, South Pacific Islands—Coastal Community Adaptation Project | stephen_smith@dai.com
Stephen Smith has more than 25 years of experience implementing a range of environment-focused programs, including disaster risk preparedness, coastal and natural resource management, climate change adaptation, and community development. From 2006 to 2009, he led the Regional Disaster Assistance Program (RDAP) that supported disaster risk reduction and preparedness in coastal communities across 26 countries in Latin America and small island states in the Caribbean.
As team leader for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Peru Strengthening Environmental Management project, Stephen led a team of 40 local staff, consultants, and subcontractors to strengthen forestry sector and municipal environmental management systems and implement risk assessment in coastal towns.
Most recently, he served as a USAID Foreign Service Development Officer and U.S. Government Civilian Lead in Faryab Province, Afghanistan from 2010 to 2012. In this challenging environment, he liaised with the U.S. Embassy and military to coordinate development programming across the province, worked at the provincial level to spearhead the Afghan Peace and Reconciliation Process, and was responsible for briefing senior U.S. Embassy delegations visits to the province.
- M.A. and M.S., marine science, College of William & Mary
Stephen Smith has more than 25 years of experience implementing a range of environment-focused programs, including disaster risk preparedness, coastal and natural resource management, climate change adaptation, and community development. From 2006 to 2009, he led the Regional Disaster Assistance Program (RDAP) that supported disaster risk reduction and preparedness in coastal communities across 26 countries in Latin America and small island states in the Caribbean.
As team leader for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Peru Strengthening Environmental Management project, Stephen led a team of 40 local staff, consultants, and subcontractors to strengthen forestry sector and municipal environmental management systems and implement risk assessment in coastal towns.
Most recently, he served as a USAID Foreign Service Development Officer and U.S. Government Civilian Lead in Faryab Province, Afghanistan from 2010 to 2012. In this challenging environment, he liaised with the U.S. Embassy and military to coordinate development programming across the province, worked at the provincial level to spearhead the Afghan Peace and Reconciliation Process, and was responsible for briefing senior U.S. Embassy delegations visits to the province.
- M.A. and M.S., marine science, College of William & Mary
Thomas Erdmann
Global Practice Specialist, Natural Resource Management | tom_erdmann@dai.com
Thomas Erdmann specializes in natural resources management. A trained forester, he offers expertise in community forestry, agroforesty, ecoregional or landscape-scale conservation and development, conservation forestry, and land use planning. Thomas has worked for 17 years in developing countries, most recently in Madagascar (2004 to 2009), where he managed one of two regional programs for the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Eco-Regional Initiatives to Promote Alternatives to Slash & Burn Practices, a project centered on community-based forest management and agricultural intensification and diversification. In this position, he supervised 20 Malagasy technical and administrative staff and was responsible for the ecoregional conservation and development component of the project. Thomas’ previous overseas experience includes assignments in Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, and Rwanda.
- B.S., biology and English, College of William and Mary
- M.S., forestry, University of Florida
- Co-author, “A Comparison of Governance Challenges in Forest Restoration in Paraguay’s Privately-Owned Forests and Madagascar’s Co-managed State Forests”
Thomas Erdmann specializes in natural resources management. A trained forester, he offers expertise in community forestry, agroforesty, ecoregional or landscape-scale conservation and development, conservation forestry, and land use planning. Thomas has worked for 17 years in developing countries, most recently in Madagascar (2004 to 2009), where he managed one of two regional programs for the U.S. Agency for International Development-funded Eco-Regional Initiatives to Promote Alternatives to Slash & Burn Practices, a project centered on community-based forest management and agricultural intensification and diversification. In this position, he supervised 20 Malagasy technical and administrative staff and was responsible for the ecoregional conservation and development component of the project. Thomas’ previous overseas experience includes assignments in Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, and Rwanda.- B.S., biology and English, College of William and Mary
- M.S., forestry, University of Florida
- Co-author, “A Comparison of Governance Challenges in Forest Restoration in Paraguay’s Privately-Owned Forests and Madagascar’s Co-managed State Forests”
Tine Knott
Managing Director, Governance | tine_knott@dai.com
Tine Knott joined DAI in January 2011 on the strength of a 17-year development career that included 15 years of service at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where she managed multimillion-dollar project portfolios in Jordan and Mozambique, among other responsibilities. As senior development advisor at USAID Jordan from 2008–2010, Tine developed cross-sectoral and politically sensitive programming in human rights, good governance, and poverty and was responsible for public outreach and management of relationships with host government counterparts, other U.S. government agencies, civil society, and media. Prior to that, as program manager for USAID Mozambique she developed a new financial mechanism for accessing an additional $5 million in host government resources for local business association development activities, and undertook economic analysis and research on various issues at the policy and project levels, among other accomplishments. Her private sector positions include two years working for business consultancies in Ghana. Tine is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish with skills in French and Norwegian.
- M.S., international development, University of Pennsylvania
Tine Knott joined DAI in January 2011 on the strength of a 17-year development career that included 15 years of service at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where she managed multimillion-dollar project portfolios in Jordan and Mozambique, among other responsibilities. As senior development advisor at USAID Jordan from 2008–2010, Tine developed cross-sectoral and politically sensitive programming in human rights, good governance, and poverty and was responsible for public outreach and management of relationships with host government counterparts, other U.S. government agencies, civil society, and media. Prior to that, as program manager for USAID Mozambique she developed a new financial mechanism for accessing an additional $5 million in host government resources for local business association development activities, and undertook economic analysis and research on various issues at the policy and project levels, among other accomplishments. Her private sector positions include two years working for business consultancies in Ghana. Tine is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish with skills in French and Norwegian.- M.S., international development, University of Pennsylvania
Vishalini Lawrence
Chief of Party, Somalia Transition Initiatives for Stability |vishalini_lawrence@dai.com
Vishalini Lawrence is trusted with designing, managing, and evaluating complex projects in fragile, post-conflict environments, particularly in East Africa and Southeast Asia. In each country where she has worked, Vishalini has met inspiring government champions committed to democratization and good governance, entrepreneurs who emerge as successful business leaders, and individuals and organizations galvanizing for peace and development. “I have most enjoyed the people I've worked with—the smart, resilient, and hardworking Cambodian, Somali, Kenyan, and Indonesian teams,” she says. A native of Bangalore, India, Vishalini pursued a career that combined exploring new cultures with contributing to the developing world. In her 13 years working with DAI she has developed program strategies, overseen implementation of projects, worked with civil society organizations, and led training. She specializes in stabilizing communities in the wake of prolonged conflict and unrest, and offers a strong background in grant development and administration and project evaluation. Vishalini now leads our Transition Initiatives for Stabilization program in Somalia and the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, overseeing the design and implementation of activities with business and local leaders to help promote stability for those living in this unpredictable area. “DAI attracts people who are pragmatic idealists who believe in making a difference in our world and constantly strive to come up with innovative solutions to the most pressing development issues of our times,” Vishalini says.
Waleed Zaru
Vishalini Lawrence is trusted with designing, managing, and evaluating complex projects in fragile, post-conflict environments, particularly in East Africa and Southeast Asia. In each country where she has worked, Vishalini has met inspiring government champions committed to democratization and good governance, entrepreneurs who emerge as successful business leaders, and individuals and organizations galvanizing for peace and development. “I have most enjoyed the people I've worked with—the smart, resilient, and hardworking Cambodian, Somali, Kenyan, and Indonesian teams,” she says. A native of Bangalore, India, Vishalini pursued a career that combined exploring new cultures with contributing to the developing world. In her 13 years working with DAI she has developed program strategies, overseen implementation of projects, worked with civil society organizations, and led training. She specializes in stabilizing communities in the wake of prolonged conflict and unrest, and offers a strong background in grant development and administration and project evaluation. Vishalini now leads our Transition Initiatives for Stabilization program in Somalia and the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, overseeing the design and implementation of activities with business and local leaders to help promote stability for those living in this unpredictable area. “DAI attracts people who are pragmatic idealists who believe in making a difference in our world and constantly strive to come up with innovative solutions to the most pressing development issues of our times,” Vishalini says.
Waleed Zaru
Senior Director of Project Finance | waleed_zaru@dai.com
Even before Waleed Zaru officially started working in the field of international development, he was helping build up his country’s private sector—first managing the rapid growth of a home builder and then working with a local nongovernmental organization (NGO) focused on local capacity building and community education programs for generating jobs.
Waleed currently oversees a group of worldwide professionals responsible for the accounting and management of project financial activities.
Waleed first managed a DAI-led and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded program in the West Bank and Gaza providing project financial management oversight in the administration of millions of dollars in grant funds. The program was successfully completed, and provided assistance to 100 companies and generated approximately 700 new employment opportunities in the rehabilitation of the country’s war-torn economy.
While with the Tamer Institute for Community Education, he managed several grant programs including a U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) grant for assisting Middle East/Palestinian publishing houses; and a Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) multimillion-dollar grant to assist 60 West Bank and Gaza libraries in improving their services and the quality of books and periodicals. He has also handled minor grant programs from Oxfam Britain and the French Development Office in Jerusalem.
Waleed works closely with DAI senior management and liaises regularly with field Finance Directors and Chiefs of Party to deliver the most efficient and sound financial management, worthy of both client and DAI satisfaction.
- B.A., management, Earlham College, Indiana
- M.B.A., project management, Keller Graduate School of Management, Devry University
- Fluent in Arabic
Even before Waleed Zaru officially started working in the field of international development, he was helping build up his country’s private sector—first managing the rapid growth of a home builder and then working with a local nongovernmental organization (NGO) focused on local capacity building and community education programs for generating jobs.
Waleed currently oversees a group of worldwide professionals responsible for the accounting and management of project financial activities.
Waleed first managed a DAI-led and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded program in the West Bank and Gaza providing project financial management oversight in the administration of millions of dollars in grant funds. The program was successfully completed, and provided assistance to 100 companies and generated approximately 700 new employment opportunities in the rehabilitation of the country’s war-torn economy.
While with the Tamer Institute for Community Education, he managed several grant programs including a U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) grant for assisting Middle East/Palestinian publishing houses; and a Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) multimillion-dollar grant to assist 60 West Bank and Gaza libraries in improving their services and the quality of books and periodicals. He has also handled minor grant programs from Oxfam Britain and the French Development Office in Jerusalem.
Waleed works closely with DAI senior management and liaises regularly with field Finance Directors and Chiefs of Party to deliver the most efficient and sound financial management, worthy of both client and DAI satisfaction.
- B.A., management, Earlham College, Indiana
- M.B.A., project management, Keller Graduate School of Management, Devry University
- Fluent in Arabic
Walter Weaver
Technical Area Manager, Water | walter_weaver@dai.com
Walter Weaver has 18 years of experience working on diverse development projects worldwide. At 13, he moved to Alexandria, Egypt, where his father was working on a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) wastewater project.
Inspired by the work his father did, he resolved to pursue a similar career in international development, driven by the conviction that the Earth is a closed loop system, and shaping a more livable world requires that we all contribute to keeping it healthy.
Walter is a skilled project manager in environment and sustainable development and natural resource topics. He has experience conducting research and analysis, performing assessments, engaging stakeholders, developing strategies and workplans, conducting outreach, coordinating with donors and partners, and facilitating workshops and events. He has led policy development and innovative financing approaches, including public sector instruments and commercial bank loan guarantees in Central America and Peru. His most memorable experience was working with street youth in El Alto, Bolivia on a recycling program, to which he contributed by developing economic alternatives that allowed participants to generate income.
Walter is the home office project team leader for the Instituting Water Demand Management project, an award-winning water demand management project funded by USAID/Jordan. He has managed pollution prevention and environmental projects with the public and private sectors, supporting analytical, policy, and financing efforts, for clients including USAID, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the International Finance Corporation.
- M.A., international relations, Johns Hopkins University
- B.A., political economy, University of California, Berkeley
Walter Weaver has 18 years of experience working on diverse development projects worldwide. At 13, he moved to Alexandria, Egypt, where his father was working on a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) wastewater project.
Inspired by the work his father did, he resolved to pursue a similar career in international development, driven by the conviction that the Earth is a closed loop system, and shaping a more livable world requires that we all contribute to keeping it healthy.
Walter is a skilled project manager in environment and sustainable development and natural resource topics. He has experience conducting research and analysis, performing assessments, engaging stakeholders, developing strategies and workplans, conducting outreach, coordinating with donors and partners, and facilitating workshops and events. He has led policy development and innovative financing approaches, including public sector instruments and commercial bank loan guarantees in Central America and Peru. His most memorable experience was working with street youth in El Alto, Bolivia on a recycling program, to which he contributed by developing economic alternatives that allowed participants to generate income.
Walter is the home office project team leader for the Instituting Water Demand Management project, an award-winning water demand management project funded by USAID/Jordan. He has managed pollution prevention and environmental projects with the public and private sectors, supporting analytical, policy, and financing efforts, for clients including USAID, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the International Finance Corporation.
- M.A., international relations, Johns Hopkins University
- B.A., political economy, University of California, Berkeley
Willet Weeks
Advisor, Stability | willet_weeks@dai.com
Willet Weeks has four decades of experience in Africa, mostly in conflict and postconflict zones. He is especially knowledgeable about the cultures and the political and social dynamics of the Great Lakes region. Willet lived and worked for extended periods in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), first as a Peace Corps staff member, then as a founder and director of the Peace Corps Regional Training Center in Bukavu. He subsequently led the first U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) assessment in the DRC following the fall of the Mobutu regime for the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), and was OTI country representative for three years, developing a network with government and civil society leaders and playing an important role in facilitating the Lusaka agreements.
Willet is currently serving as adviser to the Joint Technical Commission on Peace and Security and to the U.S. delegation to the peace talks. He is thus familiar with the key Congolese civilian and military leaders, the Programme Amani leadership, the key bilateral and multilateral actors in Goma, Eastern DRC policy matters, and the complex issues of donor and stakeholder coordination. Willet was DAI’s chief of party and senior adviser for four years for the implementation of USAID’s Peace in East and Central Africa program. In this capacity, he supported district-level governmental and civil society actors in key cross-border local-conflict clusters, using joint problem-solving initiatives between cross-border partners to build trust and experience in preventing, managing and, where necessary, responding to localized violent conflict. He offers proven expertise in building relationships and providing constructive solutions to ease conflicts. Earlier, Willet was team leader for sensitive conflict vulnerability assessments in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Northern Uganda, Mali, and elsewhere. Willet is bilingual in English and French and speaks basic Kiswahili.
William Kedrock
Willet Weeks has four decades of experience in Africa, mostly in conflict and postconflict zones. He is especially knowledgeable about the cultures and the political and social dynamics of the Great Lakes region. Willet lived and worked for extended periods in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), first as a Peace Corps staff member, then as a founder and director of the Peace Corps Regional Training Center in Bukavu. He subsequently led the first U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) assessment in the DRC following the fall of the Mobutu regime for the Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), and was OTI country representative for three years, developing a network with government and civil society leaders and playing an important role in facilitating the Lusaka agreements.
Willet is currently serving as adviser to the Joint Technical Commission on Peace and Security and to the U.S. delegation to the peace talks. He is thus familiar with the key Congolese civilian and military leaders, the Programme Amani leadership, the key bilateral and multilateral actors in Goma, Eastern DRC policy matters, and the complex issues of donor and stakeholder coordination. Willet was DAI’s chief of party and senior adviser for four years for the implementation of USAID’s Peace in East and Central Africa program. In this capacity, he supported district-level governmental and civil society actors in key cross-border local-conflict clusters, using joint problem-solving initiatives between cross-border partners to build trust and experience in preventing, managing and, where necessary, responding to localized violent conflict. He offers proven expertise in building relationships and providing constructive solutions to ease conflicts. Earlier, Willet was team leader for sensitive conflict vulnerability assessments in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Northern Uganda, Mali, and elsewhere. Willet is bilingual in English and French and speaks basic Kiswahili.
William Kedrock
Managing Director, Economic Growth | william_kedrock@dai.com
William brings more than 30 years of experience to the challenges of business competitiveness, enterprise development, business enabling environment, investment facility design, and public-private dialogue. He has worked in dozens of countries on various assignments—ranging from writing a franchise plan for 330 health clinics to designing a regional venture capital project to assessing policy and regulatory constraints to private sector growth to carrying out a risk assessment as part of an analysis for a loan portfolio guarantee program.
Before rejoining DAI, he worked for Deloitte Consulting, Booz Allen Hamilton, Chemonics International, and as a freelance consultant. He has worked long-term in the Caribbean on an agribusiness venture capital initiative, in Uganda serving as an agribusiness advisor on a nontraditional export project, and in Kenya working a mixed portfolio of initiatives including agriculture, water and sanitation, youth leadership, and business development.
As Managing Director for Economic Growth at DAI, he leads a diverse team of professionals in financial services, agriculture/agribusiness growth, and private sector development who are responding to the challenges of shaping a more livable world.
- M.B.A., University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business Administration
William brings more than 30 years of experience to the challenges of business competitiveness, enterprise development, business enabling environment, investment facility design, and public-private dialogue. He has worked in dozens of countries on various assignments—ranging from writing a franchise plan for 330 health clinics to designing a regional venture capital project to assessing policy and regulatory constraints to private sector growth to carrying out a risk assessment as part of an analysis for a loan portfolio guarantee program.
Before rejoining DAI, he worked for Deloitte Consulting, Booz Allen Hamilton, Chemonics International, and as a freelance consultant. He has worked long-term in the Caribbean on an agribusiness venture capital initiative, in Uganda serving as an agribusiness advisor on a nontraditional export project, and in Kenya working a mixed portfolio of initiatives including agriculture, water and sanitation, youth leadership, and business development.
As Managing Director for Economic Growth at DAI, he leads a diverse team of professionals in financial services, agriculture/agribusiness growth, and private sector development who are responding to the challenges of shaping a more livable world.
- M.B.A., University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business Administration
William Thompson
Chief of Party, Jordan Workforce Development Project |william_thompson@dai.com
Long before rising to become one of DAI’s leading project chiefs, William Thompson struck out on a career path guided by a conviction that education, formal and informal, was cornerstone to development. After ditching plans to become a lawyer, William, via the Peace Corps and other organizations, soon found himself teaching math in Fiji and training Afghan teachers along the Afghan/Pakistan border, long before the current conflict. He then ran programs for the International Rescue Committee in Pakistan, Thailand, and Georgia, before joining Save the Children for six years of assignments in Bhutan, Nepal, along with a brief assignment in Kosovo. William served four years as UNICEF’s state representative in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, India. He returned to the United States and worked from 2005-2007 as manager of international affairs for the AIDS Project Los Angeles. From February 2007 until September 2011, William led development projects in Afghanistan, first as country director for Relief International and FLAG International, and since September 2008 as director, deputy chief of party, and chief of party for the DAI-led Local Governance and Community Development project, the flagship governance project in Afghanistan of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Currently he heads up the Jordan Workforce Development Project.
Zach Kaplan
Long before rising to become one of DAI’s leading project chiefs, William Thompson struck out on a career path guided by a conviction that education, formal and informal, was cornerstone to development. After ditching plans to become a lawyer, William, via the Peace Corps and other organizations, soon found himself teaching math in Fiji and training Afghan teachers along the Afghan/Pakistan border, long before the current conflict. He then ran programs for the International Rescue Committee in Pakistan, Thailand, and Georgia, before joining Save the Children for six years of assignments in Bhutan, Nepal, along with a brief assignment in Kosovo. William served four years as UNICEF’s state representative in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, India. He returned to the United States and worked from 2005-2007 as manager of international affairs for the AIDS Project Los Angeles. From February 2007 until September 2011, William led development projects in Afghanistan, first as country director for Relief International and FLAG International, and since September 2008 as director, deputy chief of party, and chief of party for the DAI-led Local Governance and Community Development project, the flagship governance project in Afghanistan of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Currently he heads up the Jordan Workforce Development Project.
Zach Kaplan
Development Specialist and Chief of Party, Chevron Masters Services Agreement | zachary_kaplan@dai.com
Originally from North Carolina, Zachary Kaplan never planned to become a development professional. Instead, he wanted to be a veterinarian. However, after creating an international development outreach program as a graduate student, Zach decided to pursue a career in development instead. He came to DAI after several years at the World Bank Group. His development focus has been on private and financial sector development and unlocking ways to open markets to new private sector actors. In particular, Zach specializes in public-private partnerships (PPP) in both core and social infrastructure, helping governments and private sector clients work together and deliver key services and goods. He is also interested in the intersection of private sector development, natural resource development, and environmental conservation.
His in-country experience includes Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Honduras, Brazil, Vietnam, and the Philippines. With these experiences, Zach has authored works on developing long-term infrastructure finance in sub-Saharan Africa; overcoming constraints to the legal and regulatory challenges for public-private partnerships; strengthening private sector investment in fragile states; and applying innovative financing mechanisms for PPP transactions in emerging sectors. Zach has deep experience working in the extractive industry advising on local content development, supply chain strengthening and enterprise development. Zach has advised governments on issues around leveraging investment in natural resource production for local economic development in Nigeria, Ghana, and Mozambique.
- M.P.P., international policy and development, Georgetown University
- B.A., History and Spanish literature, Cornell University
- Co-author of “Addressing Resilience to Climate Change with Public-Private Partnerships in Vietnam,”Developing Alternatives, Winter 2013–14
- Author, “Mining for Answers: Mozambique Weighs Options for a Practical, Profitable Local Content Policy,”Developments
Originally from North Carolina, Zachary Kaplan never planned to become a development professional. Instead, he wanted to be a veterinarian. However, after creating an international development outreach program as a graduate student, Zach decided to pursue a career in development instead. He came to DAI after several years at the World Bank Group. His development focus has been on private and financial sector development and unlocking ways to open markets to new private sector actors. In particular, Zach specializes in public-private partnerships (PPP) in both core and social infrastructure, helping governments and private sector clients work together and deliver key services and goods. He is also interested in the intersection of private sector development, natural resource development, and environmental conservation.
His in-country experience includes Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Rwanda, Honduras, Brazil, Vietnam, and the Philippines. With these experiences, Zach has authored works on developing long-term infrastructure finance in sub-Saharan Africa; overcoming constraints to the legal and regulatory challenges for public-private partnerships; strengthening private sector investment in fragile states; and applying innovative financing mechanisms for PPP transactions in emerging sectors. Zach has deep experience working in the extractive industry advising on local content development, supply chain strengthening and enterprise development. Zach has advised governments on issues around leveraging investment in natural resource production for local economic development in Nigeria, Ghana, and Mozambique.
- M.P.P., international policy and development, Georgetown University
- B.A., History and Spanish literature, Cornell University
- Co-author of “Addressing Resilience to Climate Change with Public-Private Partnerships in Vietnam,”Developing Alternatives, Winter 2013–14
- Author, “Mining for Answers: Mozambique Weighs Options for a Practical, Profitable Local Content Policy,”Developments
Zaki Raheem
Global Practice Specialist, Agribusiness | zaki_raheem@dai.com
While on a Fulbright scholarship more than 10 years ago, Zaki Raheem first became interested in microenterprise development while being the only male working with a women’s microfinance program in rural Philippines. The experience exposed him to the role of the private sector in a country’s development and the potentially positive impact that smart investments, inclusive policies, and sound market assessments could have on the lives and livelihoods of the enterprising poor in the developing world.
After these early experiences, Zaki joined Innovest Strategic Value Advisors, a socially responsible investment advisory firm, to explore the role of capital markets and multinational corporation investments in emerging markets.
To link these micro- and macro-economic research and consulting experiences, it was a natural progression for Zaki to become a private sector development specialist with a focus on agribusiness value chain development, where he engages in market assessments that look to link micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and producers to growing markets. He has had the opportunity to engage in a variety of training, facilitation, project design, and project management experiences working with agriculture cooperatives, microfinance institutions, investors, business associations, and government ministries, with the support of donor, nongovernmental organizations, private, and UN-funded programs. His field work includes short- and long-term assignments in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ethiopia, Somalia/Somaliland, Côte d’Ivoire, Philippines, Timor-Leste, Myanmar, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan.
He recently completed a two-year field assignment as the Private Sector Specialist/Deputy Chief of Party for the USAID/Partnership for Economic Growth program in Somalia, and now advises the project from Washington, D.C.
- Master’s degree, international affairs, economic development, Columbia University
- B.A., political science, Tufts University
- Author, “Why more diaspora investors are exploring business opportunities in Somaliland,” The Guardian
While on a Fulbright scholarship more than 10 years ago, Zaki Raheem first became interested in microenterprise development while being the only male working with a women’s microfinance program in rural Philippines. The experience exposed him to the role of the private sector in a country’s development and the potentially positive impact that smart investments, inclusive policies, and sound market assessments could have on the lives and livelihoods of the enterprising poor in the developing world.
After these early experiences, Zaki joined Innovest Strategic Value Advisors, a socially responsible investment advisory firm, to explore the role of capital markets and multinational corporation investments in emerging markets.
To link these micro- and macro-economic research and consulting experiences, it was a natural progression for Zaki to become a private sector development specialist with a focus on agribusiness value chain development, where he engages in market assessments that look to link micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises and producers to growing markets. He has had the opportunity to engage in a variety of training, facilitation, project design, and project management experiences working with agriculture cooperatives, microfinance institutions, investors, business associations, and government ministries, with the support of donor, nongovernmental organizations, private, and UN-funded programs. His field work includes short- and long-term assignments in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Ethiopia, Somalia/Somaliland, Côte d’Ivoire, Philippines, Timor-Leste, Myanmar, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan.
He recently completed a two-year field assignment as the Private Sector Specialist/Deputy Chief of Party for the USAID/Partnership for Economic Growth program in Somalia, and now advises the project from Washington, D.C.
- Master’s degree, international affairs, economic development, Columbia University
- B.A., political science, Tufts University
- Author, “Why more diaspora investors are exploring business opportunities in Somaliland,” The Guardian
agnes_luz@dai.com
alexander_kitain@dai.com
boaz_tumwesigye@dai.com
brian_ramsay@dai.com
boaz_tumwesigye@dai.com
brian_ramsay@dai.com
brian_ramsay@dai.com
david_pottebaum@dai.com
don_humpal@dai.com
hadiza_elayo@dai.com
helle_weeke@dai.com
john_jepsen@dai.com
john_reid@dai.com
kristen_roggemann@dai.com
lief_doerring@dai.com
mark_rostal@dai.com
mastin_robeson@dai.com
mastin_robeson@dai.com
No comments:
Post a Comment