Experience

• 

  ProGen, NGO Benin

  • Cotonou, Benin

  • Co-Founder & Strategic Advisor, Benin, ProGen NGO

    • May 2019 - Present
    • Cotonou, Benin

    2019-present (remotely). Co-founded and guide ProGen, to support inclusive primary and secondary education in disadvantaged areas of Benin. Raise overseas contributions, including Rotary Club, retirement community, diaspora to invest directly in community development, with primary schools as platforms for community development and citizen participation. Collaborated with World Food Program to encourage farmers to raise food for school lunch program. Raised funds for kitchen garden well, solar lamps, schoolbooks, blackboards, sanitary pads

• 

  Egis International

  • Kigali City, Rwanda

  • Senior Consultant for Capacity Building, Rwanda. EU-funded TECAN ag sector project

    • Jan 2020 - Jul 2022
    • Kigali City, Rwanda

    Rwanda. EU-funded Technical Assistance to Enhance Government of Rwanda’s Capacities in Agriculture Sector for Sustainable Use of Land & Water Resources, Value Creation, & Nutrition Security (TECAN). Facilitated institutional & human capacity development of Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI) and Rwandan Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) to strengthen public financial management (PFM), procurement/contract management systems, compliance, and value for money to improve service delivery, including extension and agriculture inputs. Provided RAB with on how to address audit recommendations and create Corrective Action Plans (CAPs). Directed team of local consultants to provide RAB with solutions for audit recommendations and tools for analysis and tracking and reporting on progress. Drafted a procurement procedures manual for RAB. Analyzed and provided recommendations for improving extension services, infrastructure investment, and MINAGRI’s risk management program. Provided recommendations to the Office of Auditor General (OAG) and the MINAGRI Office of the Chief Internal Auditor (OCIA) on improving effectiveness of audits.

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  Counterpart Internationl

  • Niamey, Niger

  • Chief of Party, Niger, USAID Participatory & Responsive Governance-Principal Activity (PRG-PA),

    • Apr 2017 - Jan 2020
    • Niamey, Niger

    4th COP in first 16 months hired to turn around 5-year, $18 million project activity to increase citizen participation and government responsiveness in terms of policy, governance and service delivery for education, health, and security. Supported decentralization and deconcentration of authority and resources, local solutions, collective action, inclusion, accountability mechanisms, and self-sufficient, resilient communities. Worked with central ministries, local branches, and local authorities to improve key services. Project activities included: subcontracts to local civil society organizations (CSOs) to build citizen capacity and promote government responsiveness, multi-stakeholder dialogues, advocacy training, political economy analysis (PEA), power mapping, communication programs, Civil Society Organization (CSO) capacity building. Designed with ICT firm open-source platform for citizens to provide inputs and track responses of authorities. Awarded grant for $2.4 million USAID Women, Peace, & Security grant to empower women to promote peace, reduce vulnerability, and address youth extremism. Promoted service innovations, such as accelerated education, mobile service delivery, community health workers. Security Governance Initiative (SGI) promoted communication and collaboration between security forces and citizens. Developed doctrine of kinetic governance (DKG) for goal-oriented actions. Managed: 30 staff, 3 regional offices. Trained DCOP to be COP.

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  IDS International

  • Kabul, Afghanistan

  • Chief of Party, Afghanistan. USAID Monitoring Support Project/South & West (MSP/SW)

    • Jun 2016 - Apr 2017
    • Kabul, Afghanistan

    Replacement COP for $20 million, 5-year project activity to provide Monitoring & Verification (M&V) to USAID’s portfolio of 33 project activities in 9 Afghan provinces. Sectors included agriculture, education, health, democracy & governance, enterprise development. MSP supported M&V of M&E indicators, Environmental Monitoring & Mitigation Plan (EMMP) indicators, national surveys, and related services. Managed 75 local staff/3 offices.

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  TechnoServe

  • Benin

  • Chief of Party, Benin. USDA Cashew Integration & Acceleration Project (CIAP),

    • Sep 2015 - Apr 2016
    • Benin

    Startup COP for 5-year, $21 million, to develop cashew value chain/market system. Targets: farmer yields, access to finance and market information, revenues, processor capacity, competitiveness; cashew by-products; stakeholder institutions (farmer groups, processor and exporter associations, government agencies, warehouses, business service providers); legal/regulatory environment. Responsible for Work Plan, recruitment, stakeholder relations, M&E Plan, Baseline Survey. Managed 15 staff/2 offices.

• 

  The Pragma Corporation

  • Tunisia

  • Chief of Party,Tunisia. USAID Business Reform & Competitiveness Project (BRCP)

    • Apr 2014 - Sep 2015
    • Tunisia

    Startup COP for 3-year, $12 million project, to increase employment, especially youth, through 1) technical assistance to enterprises in high potential value chains (VCs), 2) increased access to finance, 3) workforce development through training, curricula reform, job fairs, career development centers (CDCs), 4) technical assistance to government. VCs included food processing, textiles, ICT, electronics, aeronautics, consumer goods, tourism. Accomplishments: local consultants helped 100 enterprises. Over 3,500 jobs created. $6 million in equity/debt mobilized. 5 tourism, textile, olive oil trade missions and events. 8 job fairs. 13 Career Development Centers (CDCs) improved. 12 revised vocational curricula. Technical, soft skills training. Partnered with Microsoft and regional NGO on career development website. Established certification program for Career Counselors to support job seeking skills, employer recruitment and retention issues. Technical assistance to national and local Government of Tunisia entities for vocational curricula reform, employment promotion initiatives, tax policy/administration, and telecommunications regulation. Sponsored policy round tables with American Chamber of Commerce. Responsible for Work Plans; M&E; Communication Plan; procurement. sub-awards, grants; reporting. Managed 26 locals, short-term expat experts. Trained local DCOP to become COP.

• 

  Self-employed

  • Haiti

  • Independent Business & Education Consultant, Haiti SME startups

    • Nov 2013 - Apr 2014
    • Haiti

    Advised local education NGO, start-up creating community water stations, and start-up mobile money platform to increase remittance impact.

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  Pan-American Development Foundation (PADF)

  • Haiti

  • Chief of Party, Haiti. USAID Leveraging Effective Application of Direct Investments (LEAD) program

    • Apr 2012 - Nov 2013
    • Haiti

    Turn-around COP for $6 million matching grant fund to improve SME/social enterprise access to capital. Installed web-based Business Plan Competition to facilitate participation and provide guiding templates. Introduced formal selection criteria, including employment, gender & youth, revenue potential, value chains/market systems impact, innovation, competitiveness, export import substitution, global quality standards, environmental impact. Recipients included plastic and oil recycling, biomass conversion, mango and cacao processing for export, water, garments, handicrafts, construction materials. Post-award assistance through local business service providers (BSPs). BSP and diaspora capacity building. Promoted diaspora investment/remittances. Linked SMEs, local banks, international social investment funds. Oversaw Monitoring & Evaluation (Performance Measurement Plan--PMP), Environmental Mitigation & Monitoring Plan (EMMP). Managed 12 staff/2 offices. Trained DCOP to become COP.

• 

  International Executive Service Corps (IESC)

  • United States
  • International Trade and Development
  • 200 - 300 Employee

  • Chief of Finance, Operations & Compliance, Afghanistan. USDA MAIL/CBCMP

    • Jul 2011 - Mar 2012

    Filled new position for 3-year, $36 million, to build further capacity of MAIL’s 9,300 staff, 400 offices to manage resources through the enhanced and automated Public Financial Management (PFM) system; identify, design, implement, monitor, evaluate policies/programs; improve services and public perception; qualify for US Government funds; increase annual program funding from $50 million to $500 million. Responsible for financial management, reporting, procurement, internal controls, Monitoring & Evaluation (PMP), and training local staff. Managed 2 local experts, 1 (diaspora) expat.

  • Chief of Party, Afghanistan. USDA MAIL/CBCMP

    • Nov 2010 - Jul 2011

    Startup COP-for 3-year, $36 million, to build capacity of MAIL’s 9,300 staff and 400 local offices to establish policy priorities, manage resources through an improved and automated Public Financial Management (PFM) system; identify, design, implement, monitor & evaluate policies/programs; improve services and public perception; qualify for disbursement of US funds; increase annual program funding from $50 million to $500 million, improve financial management, procurement compliance, and internal controls. Accomplishments: participatory MAIL comprehensive institutional assessment. Action Plans in key MAIL Directorates (Extension, Private Sector Development, Monitoring & Evaluation, Finance and Administration). Installed 50+ embedded change agents to increase capacity, introduce innovations, and train civil servants. Managed audit firm for USAID pre-award assessment of MAIL. Oversaw selection and installation of management systems to decentralize accountability through improved communication channels. Oversaw implementation of automated financial management and time & attendance systems. Participated in donor coordination to implement MAIL IT upgrade program. Responsible for Work Plans, M&E (PMP)/Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E). Managed 50+ local Change Agents. 2 locals, 3 expats.

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  The Mitchell Group Inc.

  • Zambia

  • Team Leader, Zambia. USAID Market Access Trade & Enabling Policies Project Evaluation

    • Jul 2010 - Sep 2010
    • Zambia

    Managed 3-month evaluation and disposition of USAID investment fund to support exports of agricultural and natural resource products. Directed local audit firm and consultants to review loans, visit sites, negotiate with defaulters, and assess repayment capacity. Identified gaps in selection and oversight.

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  Pragma Corporation

  • United States
  • International Trade and Development
  • 100 - 200 Employee

  • Chief of Party, Kazakhstan. USAID Kazakhstan Small Business Dvlpt Project

    • Oct 2007 - Jun 2010

    Replacement Chief of Party for 4-year, $9.2 million project to build capacity of Business Service Providers (BSPs), support entrepreneurship and SMEs. Accomplishments: GOK Entrepreneurship Development Fund (EDF) reformed credit program to use commercial banks resulting in additional $1.5 billion funding. EDF adopted US Small Business Administration (SBA) Loan Guarantee program through USAID Development Credit Agency (DCA). Raised over $1 million in US corporate grants for women, youth business training and vocational entrepreneurship course. Certified 600 vocational and higher education teachers under ILO program who annually teach 125,000 students; Provided 130 BSPs with management courses and toolkit. Assisted National Statistics Office to improved SME statistics, consumer surveys. Implemented first Kazakh Global Entrepreneurship Monitoring (GEM) survey. Responsible for Work Plans, Performance Measurement Plan (PMP)/M&E, progress reports. Managed 14 staff/3 offices. Trained two local staff to become future COPs.

  • Senior SME Consultant/Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP)/Kazakhstan Small Business Development (KSBD)

    • Mar 2007 - Oct 2007

    Developed Business Service Provider (BSP) consultant core business knowledge training program, and BSP toolkit. Transitioned to COP.

  • Senior Consultant, USAID Certified International Professional Accountant (CIPA) project

    • Oct 2006 - Mar 2007

    Provided technical assistance for regional accounting and audit reform, including curricula reform through ministries of higher and vocational education. Further developed regional accountant, and auditor certification (CIPA) based on independent testing and international standards. Built capacity and compliance of national accounting and audit association. Oversaw M&E. Managed 6 staff/3 offices.

  • Director for Accounting Reform USAID Enterprise Development Project (EDP)

    • Mar 2005 - Oct 2006

    Developed accounting & audit reform program including expansion of Certified International Professional Accountant (CIPA) program to comprise 40+ training-providers. Regional independent testing network provided 12,000 exams per year at 20+ testing sites. Technical assistance to 2 accounting/audit associations to meet International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) technical, professional, ethical standards. Assisted ministries of higher and vocational education to revise accounting and audit curricula to conform to CIPA. Assisted Government of Kazakhstan formally to adopt international standards. Oversaw M&E. Managed 6 staff/3 offices.

  • Accounting Reform Central Asia Regional Dir., USAID Enterprise Dvlpt Project (EDP)

    • May 2003 - Mar 2005

    Managed regional accounting and audit reform program. Worked with ministries and financial regulators to adopt international standards. Project trained and certified 4,000 accounting technicians and 50 fully professional accountants. 3 countries adopted International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Designed SME management tools for transparency, competitiveness, creditworthiness. Qualified professional accounting and audit associations for International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) membership. Trained government tax officials in new accounting and audit framework. Oversaw M&E. Managed 21 staff/5 countries.

  • Regional Director for Accounting Reform and Country Director/Uzbekistan/USAID SME Dvlpt (SMEDP)

    • Jan 2000 - May 2003

    Managed Central Asia regional accounting reform and Uzbekistan SME development. Worked with Ministry of Finance to develop market economy accounting, audit, and tax regulatory framework and provided training to officials. Accomplishments: regional accounting university curricula reform, teacher/trainer associations created, new regulatory framework; Uzbek agriculture value chains (food processors and retailers) developed through short-term experts providing links to international buyers; supported web-based trading platform linked to regional/global platforms. Oversaw framework for M&E. Managed 27 staff/5 countries.

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  Carana Corporation

  • Kyrgyzstan

  • Consultant/Chief of Party, USAID Enterprise Accounting Reform Project

    • Sep 1998 - Sep 2000
    • Kyrgyzstan

    Introduced international market economy accounting/audit framework into Kyrgyzstan and co-developed reform model with parallel project in Kazakhstan for application across the former Soviet Union. Worked with government ministries to define new roles and relationships in accounting and audit in market economy, including supporting financial markets. Accomplishments: over 250 SMEs converted to international accounting standards (IAS); 4,000 accountants, auditors, teachers, trainers, government officials trained & certified; 40 higher education institutions teaching new curricula to 14,000 students annually. Government adopted new standards. Formed 2 new professional associations. World Bank certified 3 audit firms. Managed 27 staff.

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  United States Agency for Interntl Dvlpt (USAID)

  • Washington, DC, Former Soviet Union

  • Private Enterprise Officer

    • Nov 1994 - Sep 1998
    • Washington, DC, Former Soviet Union

    Key member of USAID/W technical team to design and oversee comprehensive market reforms in former Soviet Union countries, Designed and managed project activities in comprehensive private and public sector accounting and audit reforms, based on international standards (International Accounting Standards/International Financial Reporting Standards (IAS/IFORS) and the emerging International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) to facilitate mobilization of capital and improve accountability. Assessed accounting and audit frameworks in Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Ukraine, and developed comprehensive road maps for reform. Designed and managed additional project activities in privatization, land reform (titling & registration), franchising, MSMEs, and public education.

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  USAID/Rwanda

  • Rwanda

  • Controller

    • Sep 1992 - Nov 1994
    • Rwanda

    Chief Financial Officer in large USAID mission. Responsible for all aspects of US Government financial management, regulatory, and fiscal compliance. Managed overhead and program budgets, payments, accounting, financial analysis, procurement, internal controls, reporting. Arranged and oversaw project audits and follow up. Manager for project to improve Government of Rwanda management of development funds. Evacuated during genocide. Oversaw implementation of US Prompt Payment Act and review and recission of old accounts. After genocide returned to re-open Mission and re-establish financial management system. Managed and trained 20 Staff.

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  USAID/Niger

  • Niger, Africa

  • Deputy Controller

    • Sep 1988 - Sep 1992
    • Niger, Africa

    Responsible for all aspects of US Government financial management and regulatory compliance for large USAID field mission. Managed overhead and program budgets, payments, accounting, financial analysis, procurement, internal controls, reporting. Installed automated system for budget management. Oversaw consultant to improve GON management of USAID local currency funds provided for developing agriculture projects. Managed 15 staff including training.

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  Home by Hemphill

  • Northfield, IL, USA

  • Chief Financial Officer

    • May 1983 - Sep 1988
    • Northfield, IL, USA

    Residential construction. Responsible for financial management, raising capital, budgeting, analysis, managing audits. Introduced Linux-based financial management software and spreadsheet applications. Managed 10 staff.

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  Two Bar Ranch Company

  • Chicago, Illinois, United States

  • Financial Analyst

    • Jun 1980 - May 1982
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States

    Provided financial analysis for re-financing agricultural and ranch properties in western US.

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  Resources for the Future

  • Washington, District of Columbia, United States

  • Researcher

    • Jun 1979 - Jun 1980
    • Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    Researched economics of agricultural inputs in US, including public policy impact.

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  Home by Hemphill

  • Northfield, Illinois, United States

  • Project Manager

    • Jun 1976 - Jun 1978
    • Northfield, Illinois, United States

    Oversaw architectural design; budget formulation, execution, and analysis; contracting; construction; marketing/sale; and customer service of speculative homes.

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  Peace Corps

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Peace Corps Volunteer/Zaire/DRC

    • 1976 - 1978
    • Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Taught English as a second language in two secondary schools in remote town in Equateur Province. Also taught History and Geography in French. Selected to train incoming Peace Corps volunteer teachers after first year.

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  Yalie Institution for Policy Studies

  • New Haven, Connecticut, USA

  • Researcher

    • Jun 1974 - Jun 1975
    • New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Researched comparative evolution of police, fire, refuse collection municipal services in 3 Connecticut cities.