Meet the Team

We are #PanagoraProud

Panagora Group offers an array of global health, international development, and learning services and experts across a wide range of technical and cross-cutting areas. We can provide expertise as short-term or long-term technical assistance in-country or in Washington, D.C. through institutional support mechanisms.

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Executive Leadership
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Team Member

Betsy Bassan
Chair of the Board
President Emeritus

Betsy Bassan is the Chair of the Board and President Emeritus of Panagora Group, a woman- and employee-owned social enterprise she founded in 2011. She served as Panagora’s President and CEO until September 2024 and continues to provide leadership and targeted support with strategic growth, external engagement, and culture and knowledge retention.

Betsy brings over 30 years of experience as an innovator in the international development field. From 2011 to 2024, Betsy grew Panagora into a successful company with a proven track record of excellence providing novel solutions in health, development, and learning, with more than 200 long-term employees and over 300 short-term contractors working in and supporting 55 countries. The company was named Small Business of the Year for FY2018 by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Panagora’s main client.

Betsy is an industry leader who has developed novel approaches to address major global health challenges and she works tirelessly to elevate the voice of small and women-owned business in international development. Through the Panagora platform, Betsy led the founding of the Council for International Development Companies (CIDC) and, as chair, transformed the Small Business Association for International Companies (SBAIC) over three pivotal years from an informal network into a registered and recognized advocate. Through the USGLC, a membership-based foreign aid advocacy group, Betsy helped build support for critical foreign aid programs. As Program Vice President and then Chair of the Society for International Development-Washington D.C., a leading professional association, she greatly enhanced its profile as the “the public square of development” through cutting-edge knowledge exchange. In 2021, she co-founded the Global Small Business Sustainability Coalition, which works to voice the needs of larger small businesses seeking to graduate successfully and continue partnering in support of international health and development.

As a 2021 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Mid-Atlantic region and a 2020 Enterprising Woman of the Year Awardee for her leadership and mentorship of other women entrepreneurs, Betsy is a recognized business leader. Panagora was on Inc. Magazine’s list of “5,000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America” three times; in 2019 and 2020, we ranked in the top 10 percent and top 20 percent respectively and in 2022 in the top 30 percent. We also ranked number 12 on the Women Presidents’ Organization list of “50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned and Led Companies” in 2020.

She lived overseas for seven years in Kenya and Sudan, where she worked for a variety of NGOs and USAID missions. She holds an M.A. from Columbia University in New York City, where she completed a joint degree program (Planning in Developing Nations) in the School of International Affairs and the Division of Urban Planning; and a B.A. cum laude from St. John’s College, Great Books Program, in Annapolis, Maryland. She speaks French. Betsy has three children: Madeleine, Rebecca, and Ben.

Team Member

Benjamin Feit
President and CEO

Benjamin Feit is the President and CEO of Panagora Group, a woman- and employee-owned social enterprise. He first joined Panagora Group as Chief Operating Officer in February 2024. During his tenure, he has helped drive Panagora’s continued growth and impact, co-leading strategic planning with Betsy, cultivating partnerships, and fostering innovation and learning. Ben is a seasoned international development professional with 30 years of experience working in Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia on development assistance programs funded by USAID, World Bank, State Department, EU, UN, and host country governments. During his career, Ben has lived for extended periods in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he served as USAID’s governance advisor supporting post-war reconciliation; Romania and Niger, where he managed and implemented multi-year democracy, rights, and governance projects; and South Africa, where he supported provincial governments in the more equitable delivery of education sector infrastructure to overcome the Apartheid legacy of ‘children learning under trees.’ 

For the past 15 years Ben has been in a variety of US-based positions with an emphasis on strategic leadership, business development, and driving next generation operating models for both international consulting firms and NGOs. Most recently, Ben was Chief Growth Officer for Creative Associates, responsible for the company’s business development, marketing and communications, and growth strategy amidst a shifting landscape in international development. Prior to Creative, he was Associate Vice President for CARE US, leading resource development with institutional donors.

Ben has also focused on establishing and leading impactful technical practices at top consulting firms. At Palladium, Ben was Director of Governance, with responsibility for strategy development, global coordination, business development and program delivery. At Deloitte Consulting he led the firm’s expansion to inclusive local governance in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Earlier, he served in a variety of senior-level roles at DAI, including as Executive Director (Vice President) of its South African subsidiary where he successfully built a new consulting division from the ground-up.

In addition to his work responsibilities, Ben was a member of the Board for the Society for International Development, United States Chapter (SID-US) from 2021 to 2023. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service where he taught graduate-level classes on development aid management and state institution building.  Most recently he designed and taught a new Master’s level class for Georgetown’s Global Human Development Program on the policy and practice of locally led development. Ben holds a MA in International Affairs from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and a BA in History from Tulane University.

Team Member

David Binns
Senior ESOP Consultant
Member of the Board of Directors

David Binns is an experienced corporate executive with extensive expertise with employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), equity compensation strategies and international economic development. At Panagora, he serves as an independent member of the Board of Directors and worked closely with Panagora leadership to establish the company as an ESOP.

He served as President & CEO of Macfadden & Associates, a 100% ESOP-owned company, from 2011 through 2018. A professional services government contracting company with approximately 325 employees, Macfadden specializes in delivering a broad range of services to support the U.S. government’s response to international disasters and humanitarian crises. From 2008-2011 he served as Macfadden’s Chief Operating Officer where he was responsible for management and oversight of operations, including integrating an acquisition that effectively doubled the number of professional staff. Macfadden was acquired by PAE in February 2018.

From 1991-2008 Mr. Binns served as Associate Director of the Beyster Institute, where he consulted with scores of companies on the use of equity compensation plans and managed many of the Institute’s international economic development and privatization programs.

He served as Executive Director of The ESOP Association from 1984-1991. His experience includes work in over 20 countries on a variety of entrepreneurship and economic development programs, including the design and implementation of employee ownership plans to facilitate the privatization of state-owned enterprises.

Mr. Binns has served on multiple corporate and non-profit boards of directors and advisory boards including Macfadden & Associates, Mattos Pro Finishes, the Beyster Foundation for Enterprise Development, Wilson Global Communications and several other private companies.

A published author, Mr. Binns has written extensively on ESOP-related issues and is Co-Editor of Employee Stock Ownership Plans: ESOP Planning, Financing, Implementation, Law & Taxation.

Mr. Binns is a graduate of the University of Virginia. He and his wife Beth live in Silver Spring, MD.

Team Member

Darlene Andrews
Executive Vice President, Programs
Member of the Board

Darlene Faye Andrews is an international development executive with a passion for effective management and leadership. She has over 35 years of experience developing implementation strategies and achieving results that ensure the highest technical and operational quality. She started at Panagora in 2019, as director, program management and staff development where she ensured effective project implementation through quality assurance, compliance, capacity building, and resource management. After being promoted to vice president of program impact in 2020, she built a team of Panagora professionals who currently manage contracts and compliance, training and capacity building, and program operations across the company. She is a native Washingtonian who loves to travel, learn new things, advocate for worthy causes, and vacation at the beach. Darlene has earned two master’s degrees, one in organizational leadership from Nyack College and the second in Christian counseling from Bible Faith Global University and she is also a certified life coach. She serves as an active company representative for the Small Business Association for International Companies (SBAIC).

Team Member

Fernando Barragan
Executive Vice President, Finance and Operations

Fernando Barragan is executive vice president of Panagora Group. He provides hands-on multidisciplinary guidance and supervision to senior leadership and collaborates with the CEO and others in the development and implementation of Panagora’s immediate and long-term strategies. He makes decisions regarding the allocation of corporate resources and identifies synergies across the organization to improve corporate performance in support of growth and continuous improvement. He brings more than 25 years of experience working in international development, with a successful track record leading the accounting, treasury, financial planning and analysis, and compliance functions of high-profile organizations with portfolios in more than 80 countries around the world. Fernando also served in senior positions on projects in Bolivia, Egypt, and El Salvador. He holds a B.S. in engineering and an MBA with a concentration in corporate finance from the Catholic University in Bolivia. He speaks Spanish and English.

Team Member

Aleksandra Belenkaya
Vice President, New Business

Aleksandra (Sasha) Belenkaya oversees Panagora’s global health practice, with responsibility over the global health business strategy, new business efforts, and successful delivery of multiple global health contracts. She brings over 20 years of experience in international development, having served in leadership roles in new business development, programmatic delivery, and client service. Aleksandra began her career in international development at Chemonics International, where she worked hand in hand with then the Chemonics’ Senior Vice President, and now the Panagora’s founder and President and CEO, Betsy Bassan. She was at the helm of launching Chemonics’ international health practice, taking it from a handful of small projects to a successful major business unit. During the following 12 years, Aleksandra worked in project management and business development, and held leadership positions, first at Booz Allen Hamilton, then at the American Bar Association, and finally at Chemonics again, returning to help stand up its wholly owned supply chain management subsidiary, Connexi. In these roles, she worked in international health, supply chain management, food security, democracy & governance, and rule of law sectors, and managed contracts and grants funded by USAID, Department of State, U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office, DFID, the World Bank, and private foundations. Aleksandra developed organizational vision and strategies, set financial goals and managed financial performance, designed and implemented impactful and sustainable international development programs, facilitated knowledge sharing, and managed and developed staff. Aleksandra holds a change management advanced practitioner certificate from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business, a master’s degree in Slavic studies from Florida State University, and a bachelor’s degree from the Moscow State University of Education. She speaks English and Russian.

Team Member

Kisook Bozsa
Controller

Kisook Bozsa is responsible for Panagora’s corporate finance and accounting operations. She has over 27 years as a highly experienced and motivated senior financial and operating manager for both for-profit and non-profit organizations and has extensive knowledge in financial and administrative operations, including financial risk mitigation, operational process improvement, international/multi-national financial operation, and government cost accounting and audits. Kisook has in-depth knowledge of GAAP, IAS, IFRS, U.S. government, and international donor organization regulations and requirements. She has managed complex operations that span the globe and receive funding through numerous foundations, U.S. government mechanisms of grants and contracts, EU, UN, UNDP, UNICEF, SIDA, DFID, and EU contracts, and grants.  Kisook managed operational project budgets as large as $480 million. She holds a B.S. in business administration and accounting. She speaks Korean and English fluently and is conversational in French.

Team Member

Jennifer Brinkerhoff
Senior Director and New Business Specialist

Jennifer Brinkerhoff is the senior director for programs and new business. She has the ideal combination of long-term field and home office experience, serving 15 years of 30 in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Her new business work is informed by her extensive experience in program management including a deep familiarity with the program cycle, program design, and local partnership development—Jennifer thrives on designing programs that strengthen country capacity and ownership. She brings adeep knowledge ofall aspects of new business from capture to strategy to proposal writing to cost preparation. She is an experienced leader who has led cross-sectoral diverse teams both in the USA and overseas.

Since 2018, Jennifer has served as Panagora’s Director for Program Management and Quality Assurance. Before joining Panagora, she served as the director of new business for Land O’Lakes International Development (now Land O’Lakes Venture 37). She served in various field positions from 2005-2015, the latest field position where she served as a chief of party for a large challenge grants program supporting private sector engagement in Sri Lanka. Jennifer began her career in international development as community development volunteer for the Peace Corps in Batouri, Cameroon. She holds a master’s certificate in government contracting from George Washington University and a B.A. in French and Russian from James Madison University. She speaks French fluently.

Team Member

Elyse Callahan
Program Director

Elyse Callahan is a program director with over 10 years of experience in USG-funded health and MEL work supporting diverse teams in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. She is experienced at providing management and quality control support for acquisition and assistance vehicles and she currently supports the LGHS project as well as the EVAL ME II and CCSDP IDIQs. Elyse is skilled at project start-up and closeout, financial management, contract compliance and reporting, subcontract management, and stakeholder engagement. She has also worked with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees assessing the resiliency of the UNRWA health system in Gaza. Elyse served as a Peace Corps community health volunteer in Mali and then as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer supporting malaria programming in Zambia. She holds an MPH from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University with a focus in population and family health and has a B.A. in psychology from Knox College.

Team Member

Liliana Campos Dudley
Director, Contracts and Compliance

Liliana Campos Dudley is an international development professional with over 20 years’ experience in contracts and grants management, compliance, and program operations. Liliana has extensive and in-depth knowledge of US Government regulations (CFR, FAR, AIDARS, CFR, ADS, and others), procurement processes, proposal development, strategic pricing, and cost volume preparation. She has served in senior roles for numerous contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements funded by the US Government, The Global Fund, the United Nations, and private foundations, performing these functions in diverse technical areas such as health and nutrition, humanitarian assistance, food security, biodiversity conservation, and education. With long-term on-site experience in Africa and Latin America, Liliana led numerous project start-ups, opened country offices, hired and supervised local staff, and designed innovative grant programs to leverage private sector funds. Liliana holds federal contract management-ESI, grantsmanship, and institutional management, from George Washington University and Pennsylvania State University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in Lima, Perú and a master’s in Latin American studies from the University of Florida. She speaks English and Spanish.

Team Member

Laura Colchie
Corporate Communications Director

Laura Colchie is a communications leader with over seven years of experience crafting and executing communications strategies. As Panagora Group’s Director of Corporate Communications, she directs the vision and oversees the implementation of Panagora’s external and internal communications strategies, in support of its mission of providing high-impact, sustainable international development consulting. Laura has a breadth of communications experience in international development and humanitarian aid, including working at Chemonics International, where she supported the Operations Division within their Global Health and Supply Chain Office (GHSCO) and the GHSC-PSM Knowledge Management and Communications team. She also has experience working for NGOs that focus on refugee resettlement, ending human trafficking, and conflict resolution. Laura holds a M.A. in global communication from The George Washington University and a B.A. in communications and media studies from Fordham University. She speaks French and Italian.

Team Member

Vanessa Coulomb
Director, Global Health

Vanessa Coulomb is a global health director at Panagora Group, focusing on country-specific health activities and business development. She brings more than 20 years of experience working globally to improve the lives of children and families. She is a mission-driven professional with experience managing large portfolios of USAID, State Department, and private donor-funded projects with the focus on improving the lives of children and families in complex environments.

Most recently, as director of country programs at Palladium, Vanessa provided senior management and technical oversight of a portfolio of USAID-funded bilateral health projects including USAID Nigeria Integrated Health Program, USAID Mali Health Systems Strengthening Program, and USAID Uganda Health System Strengthening project. Previously, she supervised the technical, managerial, and financial components of the USAID funded Integrated Health Program in the DRC for Abt Associates. In her capacity as director of awards management at Save the Children US, she led a multi-donor funded portfolio in Africa, MENA, and Asia. Vanessa’s work on large-scale health systems strengthening initiatives for multi-sectoral bilateral programs has focused on improving project implementations through matrix analysis and local capacity building.

Vanessa holds a bachelor’s degree in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration and a master’s degree in European & Eurasian studies from the George Washington University. She speaks English and French.

Team Member

James Fang
Director, New Business

James Fang is a seasoned New Business Director with over 15 years of experience in project management and business development. He has a proven track record of leading and contributing to a diverse array of initiatives in the international development sector, including monitoring and evaluation, global health, humanitarian assistance, agriculture, water resources, and both vertical and horizontal engineering.

James brings extensive experience in working with a broad spectrum of bilateral and multilateral donors, including USAID, MCC, ADB, WB, EC, FCDO, JICA, AfDB, and IDB. His deep understanding of these organizations’ unique requirements, processes, and expectations enables him to successfully navigate complex donor landscapes, ensuring projects are executed efficiently and in alignment with donor objectives.

James’s expertise is further distinguished by his ability to build and sustain strong relationships with key stakeholders, maintain strict compliance with donor guidelines, and deliver projects that consistently meet the highest standards of quality and impact. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Maryland.

Team Member

Peter Hobby
KM/CLA Director and Practice Lead for Innovation and Organizational Learning

Peter Hobby is a seasoned development professional with 30 years of demonstrated leadership and technical expertise in learning, adaptive management, KM, and communications. He has served as Chief of Party for two USAID projects – Knowledge Driven Agricultural Development Project, supporting the flagship Agrilinks.org website, and the Knowledge Services Center, providing research, KM, library and archiving services to USAID’s policy bureau. He created and led the Knowledge and Learning team for the FEWS NET project, delivering online learning, adaptive management, documentation and communications services. His passion for KM began when he served as technology lead for USAID’s Knowledge for Development Program, developing the first Agency-wide Community of Practice platform. Mr. Hobby holds an M.A. in Social Anthropology and International Development from George Washington University and has provided short term technical assistance to numerous countries across Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia.

Team Member

Valerie Hovetter
MERLA Program Director

Valerie Hovetter has more than twenty years of experience in research, project design, project planning and management, monitoring, evaluation and learning, budget and financial management, grants and contract management, and leading diverse teams. Having worked for U.S consulting firms and as a federal employee with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as a supervisory program officer, she possesses a solid understanding of USG policies and regulations. Valerie has worked in Asia, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East. She has a Master of Public Administration in International Development and is fluent in French.

Team Member

Lisa Igiehon
Director, Global Human Resources

Lisa Igiehon is a senior human resources executive with over 20 years’ experience and has worked for non-profit and for-profit organizations with US-based and international employees. In her roles, Lisa has aligned corporate strategic goals with all aspects of Human Resources, including organizational development and culture, employee engagement, talent management, employee relations, HR policy and development and process improvement. Lisa holds a BSc in natural sciences from the University of the West Indies and a master’s in human resource management from Marymount University in Arlington, VA.  Lisa has her PHR license, a graduate certificate in HR analytics from Cornell, and has successfully completed the chief human resources officer program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Team Member

Dede Naylor
Director, Grants and Contracts

Dede Naylor serves as Panagora’s Grants and Contracts Director, providing high-level expertise in U.S. federal grants under contracts through strategic design, guidance, and review of grant agreements, grantee eligibility, institutional strengthening and capacity building. Dede has more than 25 years of experience in relief, stabilization, humanitarian assistance, governance, health, infrastructure, agriculture and climate change. She has held senior management positions with AIR, Abt Associates, Creative Associates, and International Relief and Development (IRD). Dede’s technical assignments have included the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. She holds a BS from Georgetown University, an MBA from George Washington University and is a certified PMP and CPCM.

Team Member

Donna Vincent Roa
Practice Director, Localization and Special Initiatives

A resilient trailblazer in international development, Donna is a renaissance leader driven by causes and innovation. She excels at managing high-stakes, social-impact, and risk-taking projects. Her track record, built through a mindset of applied curiosity, shows a relentless focus on results and innovative strategies that favorably impact the bottom line, operational efficiency, gender empowerment, and organizational culture. She drives positive disruptive change and brand transformations that outperform objectives.

Currently serving as Panagora’s Practice Director, Localization and Special Initiatives, Dr. Roa is an internationally accredited business communicator (ABC), a certified development project manager (CDPM®), and a certified prompt engineer. She has written numerous industry articles and authored five books, including “The Value of Water: A Compendium of Essays by Smart CEOs,” the contemporary social issue novel, “Five Knocks,” and “Color Catalog: Voice Actor Workbook,” a branding reference guide that features an orientation to brand development and a framework for voice actors seeking to harness the power of color for their brand.

Most recently, Dr. Roa led the USAID Partnerships Incubator, a global service hub comprising 23 professionals and over 125 consultants tasked to expand USAID’s capacity for partnerships, diversify and strengthen its partner base, and build the capacity of partners that have received an award from USAID. She hosts the podcast “Chief of Party to Chief of Party: Success in Your First 90 Days.”

Donna also led the award-winning Securing Water for Food (SWFF) Technical Assistance Facility, where she catalyzed social impact entrepreneurship with 40 water-ag innovators operating in 35 countries. She was also a strategist and branding expert for the United Nations, World Bank, and other international organizations and government agencies where she spearheaded brand transformations and built high-performing communication operations.

Globally recognized as a champion for innovation, water, sustainability, and the environment, she was one of 10 social scientists to conduct research in world capitals for the U.S. Treasury Department’s first redesign of the $100 bill. She has won two Stevie Awards (Female Executive of the Year/Government or Non-Profit and Female Innovator of the Year/Government or Non-Profit) and a Fast Company World Changing Ideas Award.

Donna holds a doctorate in international communication and has worked in or traveled to 50 countries, including France, where her short film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. A professionally trained voice actor and digital artist, she gave the graduation keynote address to the first class of social marketers in Cajamarca, Peru. She has a working knowledge of French.

Team Member

Katie Stauss
Program Director, Global Health

Katie Stauss is a global health program director at Panagora Group, focusing on country-specific health activities and business development. She brings 25 years of experience in international development, including providing technical and management support to projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Departments of State and Labor, the U.K. Department for International Development, and multi-donor funds. Prior to joining Panagora, Katie led Scintilla Consulting, a small woman-owned business focused on business development, program design, facilitation, and monitoring and evaluation services for international development programs. Previously, Katie also served for 12 years at Chemonics International, where she led a range of global health and private sector initiatives, including projects funded by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Katie has skills integrating gender, youth, and social inclusion and climate change mitigation and adaptation into program activities. She brings knowledge of policies and strategies to combat global human trafficking through past support to strategic planning for the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking and other country-level anti-trafficking work. Katie has experience in Africa (Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, and Zambia), Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand) and in Haiti. She speaks fluent French and conversational Wolof and Spanish and studied Arabic in Syria. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina and studied international economics at Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C.

Team Member

Amy Talbot
Director, Global Health

Amy Talbot is a global health professional with more than 12 years of experience designing, implementing, and monitoring USG-funded programs. She currently supports Panagora as program director for the GHSC-PSM activity, and previously was the senior program manager for the PQM+ and Uganda RHITES activities. Prior to joining Panagora, Amy served as a program officer at University Research Co., providing technical backstopping and management support to health and laboratory systems strengthening, HIV patient-centered care, and quality improvement programs in Malawi, Lesotho, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. Previously, she managed operations of GHSC-PSM’s Global Supply Chain team as well as provided project management and performance monitoring support to the SCMS and USAID|DELIVER projects, overseeing project operations in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Vietnam. As a Peace Corps volunteer in Rwanda, she provided capacity building and training in pharmaceutical, data, and human resources management. Amy holds an MPH from Boston University and a B.A. in international affairs from the George Washington University.

Team Member

Irene Velez
Director, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, Learning, and Adaptation

Irene Velez is a director in the monitoring, evaluation, research, learning, and adaptation (MERLA) practice. Irene has over 12 years of experience designing and implementing impact and performance evaluations, spanning multiple sectors and their intersection with gender. She is an expert in quantitative and qualitative research methods, data collection and analysis, and has experience conducting economic assessments, including constraints analysis and cost-benefit analysis. She also specializes in leading impact evaluation design workshops, where she facilitates stakeholder engagement to build capacity on evaluation methods and strengthen buy-in for rigorous evaluations. Prior to joining Panagora, Irene worked at Management Systems International, where she provided technical leadership on dozens of evaluations, evaluation syntheses, and dissemination activities for USAID, MCC and USDOL, including leading the first quality review of impact evaluations at USAID. Previously, she worked at Innovations for Poverty Action, where she led the implementation of a large-scale randomized controlled trial to measure the impacts of microcredit for women in northern Mexico. Irene holds a masters’ degree in international development policy from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University and a bachelors’ degree in economics from Wellesley College. Born and raised in Bolivia, Irene is bilingual in Spanish and English.

Team Member

Denise Wales
Senior Director, Program Quality Assurance

Denise Wales is responsible for building and implementing learning and capacity building strategies for Panagora staff that promote and reinforce Panagora’s continuous learning culture. Denise is a versatile international development practitioner with over 25 years of experience.  She is a consummate problem solver and skilled at aligning technical and operational requirements to deliver high-quality results for clients and donors. Denise has managed USAID-funded project portfolios of up to $72 million, developed successful proposals for USAID and DFID funding, and served long-term assignments in Afghanistan, Indonesia, and Kosovo. Denise has worked for several non-profit and for-profit implementers of USAID and DFID programs such as DAI, Inc., Creative Associates International, the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES), and Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Prior to joining Panagora, she advised and provided training to organizations to enhance project delivery and operational excellence in grants management, procurement, and compliance with U.S. government rules and regulations as an independent consultant. Denise began her career as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in the Slovak Republic and holds a master’s degree in public management from the University of Maryland.

Team Member

Tahmina Balwa Ahmadi
Associate, Human Resources

Tahmina Balwa Ahmadi joins Panagora Group as a human resources associate with more than 10 years of experience in HR supporting non-profit and international development organizations. In her roles, she has helped align corporate strategic goals with all aspects of human resources, including employee relations, policy development and implementation, compliance, performance management, training and development, payroll, benefits, contract management, recruitment, and selections. She has Bachelor and Master’s degree in Business Administrations from Kardan University and Pune University India. She speaks Urdu and Persian.

Team Member

Lorrain Allen
Recruiter

Lorrain Allen is a recruiter supporting Panagora Group in hiring top talent to fill rewarding positions. Prior to joining Panagora Group, Lorrain worked at various organizations as a human resources team member. She is a newcomer to the international development space but is eager to learn and gain new experiences. She has 12 years of progressive experience in networking, sourcing, recruiting, onboarding, and various other human resources functions. She holds an A.A in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources from Strayer University.

Team Member

Lhundup Amdo
Assistant Controller, Finance and Accounting

Lhundup Amdo, the assistant controller for finance and accounting at Panagora, has responsibilities for the general ledger, monthly close, financial statements, field accounting and the Accounts Payable team. He is an accomplished professional with more than 20 years of experience as corporate accounting and finance manager with passion for learning, getting things done and delivering solutions to complex problems. Lhundup spent his last 12 years working at Deloitte GPS practice serving a variety of government clients as Project Controller and later leading several digital system transformations within the GPS accounting department. Prior to his government contracting work, Lhundup led accounting and finance operations at major corporations like Verizon Business, Cable & Wireless and Morrison Healthcare as well as at small business and non-profit organizations. He holds an MBA from the Monterrey Institute of International Studies and holds a CPA certificate.  Lhundup is a native speaker of Tibetan.

Team Member

Paul Cruikshank
Office Associate

Paul Cruikshank is an office associate at Panagora Group working to assist operations team and the office staff at the front desk. Before being employed with Panagora, Paul spent a year in Northern Virginia with Fauquier Habitat for Humanity as a Resource Development VISTA by managing the affiliate’s social media, organizing fundraisers and donor events, and supporting Fauquier Habitat’s online presence for AmeriCorps. Paul has a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Susquehanna University.”

Team Member

Tom Dale
Senior Corporate Knowledge Manager

Tom Dale is the senior corporate knowledge manager at Panagora, responsible for the development and implementation of good KM processes, technologies and practices in Panagora’s home office. He has over 25 years’ experience in knowledge management, application development, and collaboration technologies with the World Bank, US government, UK government, and private sector companies in the US, from large financial organizations to small businesses. He has worked in several roles supporting the knowledge needs of international development organizations. His approach to KM is empirical, using knowledge audits to identify the strengths and weaknesses of an organization’s practices in knowledge creation, distribution and integration. From this he implements process, technology, and role changes to optimize their KM system. Tom has Master of Science degrees in Logic and Scientific Method from the London School of Economics, and in Artificial Intelligence from the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London.

Team Member

Caelyn Dunn
Associate, Executive and Corporate Operations

Casey is a college graduate from Pittsburgh, PA. She attained her bachelor’s degree in political science from Susquehanna University in May 2023. Casey was the president of her university’s college democratic organization and vice president of its model United Nations club during her time there. She brings three years of administrative experience from her role at a public charter school in Western Pennsylvania.

Team Member

Elizabeth Dura
Senior Program Associate

Elizabeth Dura is a senior program associate for the Sudan MEL team. Before joining Panagora, Elizabeth worked as a research assistant on a variety of international development and public health projects, some of those involving the topics of child marriage in Nepal and Bangladesh, female empowerment in Rwanda, and empowerment programming in the Peace Corps. She received her master’s degree in international health from Johns Hopkins University. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in community health from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Team Member

Alexandra Fischer
Program Manager

Alexandra Fischer is a program manager supporting a variety of activities at Panagora. Prior to Panagora, Alexandra provided operational support for University Research Co., LLC supporting their malaria projects in Cambodia and Myanmar. She started her career as an intern with USAID in Abuja, Nigeria and was a Peace Corps Community Health Extension Volunteer in Malawi. Alexandra has a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Colorado State University.

Team Member

Sarah Fitzgerland
Senior Program Operations Associate

Sarah Fitzgerald supports Panagora’s program impact team as a senior program operations associate. Sarah has a range of research and project support experience in international development. Her work has primarily focused on gender issues in the context of conflict, peace, and security. Sarah has also worked in the private sector supporting quality management systems through compliance and quality assurance. Sarah has a B.A. in psychology and criminology from Hofstra University and an M.A. in international relations concentrating in global health and security from American University, where she worked on an M&E assessment of Theory of Change for the Mennonite Central Committee.

Team Member

Fatima Haidari
Communications Associate

Fatima Haidari is a communications associate at Panagora Group. She has previously served as the managing editor of FOLIO literary journal at American University where she completed her MFA in creative writing. Her translations have appeared in Pleiades magazine, Rowayat literary journal, and Beltway Poetry Quarterly. In the past, Fatima has worked as a photojournalist and writer for BusinessDNA magazine in Afghanistan where she had the opportunity to witness and echo the economic and financial growth of the country and the Afghan diaspora living abroad. Fatima holds a B.A in film and media studies from Lafayette College and does food photography for Arman Cookbook.

Team Member

Rebecca Holland
Program Manager

Rebecca Holland is a program manager supporting the LGHS and PQM+ AMTs at Panagora. Prior to Panagora, Becca was a consultant for the Muslim Women’s Association of Pittsburgh where she developed surveys, impact evaluation strategies, and designed a training program for members on survey development. Her passion for international development began when she worked at the Saint Michael’s Association for Special Education (SMASE) in the Navajo Nation as a Mercy Corps Volunteer. She holds a Masters in international development, focusing on governance and international public management from University of Pittsburgh and a BA in political science, sociology, and anthropology from Saint Michael’s College. During her studies, she did her research with United Nations Development Programme’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Gender team. She used this research to work on the UNDP’s global report on Gender Equality in Public Administration (GEPA) and the Snapshot of Eastern Europe and Central Asia GEPA Report.

Team Member

Tiffany Huynh
Senior Associate, Finance & Accounting, A/R

Tiffany Huynh has more than 23 years of professional experience in global nonprofit organizations that focus on promoting democracy, human rights, and global health care. As an accounts receivable associate at Panagora, she facilitates invoicing processes, tracks accounts receivables, assists with month-end close, and maintains strong, efficient communications with Panagora’s activity management teams. Her extensive financial management experience in non-profit accounting includes 16 years as controller at Freedom House, Results for Development, and Counterpart International, and as an accounting manager at the International Republican Institute. She earned a bachelor’s of science degree in accounting and finance from University of Maryland, College Park.

Team Member

Fota Ishaq
Program Manager

Fôta Ishaq joined the Panagora team as a program manager in October 2020. She currently supports the USAID/Indonesia Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Platform (MEL-P) and the USAID/Philippines, Pacific Islands, and Mongolia Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Activity (PIMMELA). Prior to joining Panagora, Fôta worked as a program manager for AMEX International where she oversaw the implementation of short-term and long-term projects in Ghana, Guinea Bissau, and Morocco. Throughout her career she has supported activities across a variety of sectors including rule of law, economic development, and monitoring and evaluation. She has 20 years’ experience supporting USAID-funded activities through contractual, financial, field office management, and recruitment of project personnel. She also has extensive experience in new business development. Fôta holds a M.A. in English literature from the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal and certificates degrees in interpretation and translation from Georgetown University. She is fluent in French.

Team Member

Arif Kamawi
Program Manager

Arif Kamawi currently serves as a program manager at Panagora Group, contributing to the advancement of the USAID/Indonesia Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Platform (MEL-P) program. Prior to assuming this role, Arif held the position of program manager for the USAID/Philippines Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting for Improved Development (CLAimDev) initiative, also under the auspices of Panagora Group. With an extensive tenure exceeding 15 years within the International Development domain, Arif possesses a wealth of firsthand experience across diverse facets including program execution, administrative oversight, managerial leadership, and comprehensive monitoring and evaluation. This expertise has been cultivated through engagements funded by prestigious entities such as USAID, USTDA, UNDP, ICRC, and IOM.

Arif’s trajectory into the international development realm commenced in 2008, as part of USAID-funded undertakings facilitated by organizations including DAI, Creative Associates Intl., and CHECCHI, among others. In 2021, Arif joined the ranks of Panagora Group, following a period during which he contributed to USTDA program evaluations throughout South and South-East Asia, as well as a USAID program centered in Central Asia. With a foundational academic background in political science, Arif is adept in multiple languages, including Pashto, Dari, and Urdu/Hindi

Team Member

Katie Kimery
New Business Manager

Katie Kimery is a highly accomplished professional in international development, boasting over 5 years of experience spanning business development and program management. She has worked with prestigious clients such as USAID, the Gates Foundation, Gavi, and the Global Fund. Katie holds a Master of Arts in International Development from American University and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Texas A&M University, providing her with a solid academic foundation for her career. Katie is fluent in English, with basic understanding of Spanish and Chitumbuka. This education, coupled with her extensive hands-on experience, has endowed her with the requisite skills and knowledge to excel in the field.

Throughout her career journey, Katie has remained steadfast in her commitment to effecting positive change in communities globally. From her impactful role as a Community Health Specialist with the Peace Corps in Malawi to her active involvement in start-up initiatives and research projects, she has consistently sought opportunities to drive meaningful transformation and empower individuals and communities alike.

With an unwavering passion for innovation and a relentless pursuit of excellence, Katie continues to deliver significant contributions to the field of international development.

Team Member

Rachel Kronk
Program Manager

Rachel Kronk currently supports the South Africa Technical Support Services project. Prior to joining Panagora, Rachel had dedicated nearly four years supporting USAID and Global Fund programming. She began by interning for the Sub-Saharan Africa Team at PartnersGlobal and later transitioned to Chemonics International. Throughout this time, Rachel worked in program management and operations across various sectors, including water security, sanitation, and hygiene; peace, stability, and transition; and global health.  Rachel holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from American University. She speaks fluent French.

Team Member

Bethlehem Mehirete
Program Manager

Bethlehem Mehirete is a global health and international development professional with experience on technical assistance programs, specifically health disparities, laboratory capacity building, and allocation of healthcare resources. She currently supports the Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project and the Regional Health Integration to Enhance Services in Northern Uganda (RHITES-N, Acholi) activity at Panagora. Bethlehem has over six years of experience working in international development and global health. Prior to Panagora, Bethlehem worked with various organizations that focused on health and international development. She has managed multi-million-dollar projects funded by PEFAR, CDC, USAID and Bill & Melinda Gates foundation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Virginia Commonwealth University and a master’s in global Health from George Mason University. She believes the future of global health is digital and enjoys learning new skills in information technology. She speaks fluent Amharic and Swahili.

Team Member

Mahmood Noorzai
Senior Program Manager

Mahmood Noorzai is a senior program manager with over 10 years of experience in international development including seven years working on USAID and UN funded projects across East Asia and the Middle East. He has managed complex multi-million dollar USAID projects from initiation to completion. Mahmood has directed project activities and delivered on-time, within scope, and budget in conflict affected countries. He is well versed in US Government rules and regulations governing contracts, audits, and compliance.

Before immigrating to the United Sates in 2016, Mahmood worked in a number of position in Afghanistan including working as a senior country advisor for the NATO Senior Civilian Representative (NATO SCR) and policy analyst at the Office of National Security Council. Mahmood is permanent member of a fellowship program designed by the Central Asia and Caucasus Studies Institute at the American Foreign Policy Council and Rumsfeld Foundation to foster better understanding and build stronger relations between the United States, Central Asia, the Caucasus and Afghanistan. Mahmood has an MA in diplomacy from the University of Nottingham, UK; a BA in political science, economics and sociology from St. Joseph University, Bangalore, India; and a certificate in project management from Cornell University. He speaks fluent English, native Pashto, native Dari, and fluent Urdu.

Team Member

Margaret Pebworth
Program Associate

Margaret Pebworth is a program associate for the South Africa Technical Support Services project. Prior to working at Panagora Group, Margaret supported international development projects as part of Hamilton Lugar Global Consulting Group, where she worked with clients in Mexico and Morocco regarding educational and cultural preservation issues, topics, and resources. After graduation from college in 2023, she worked in the Senate, providing research and policy analysis in foreign affairs and policy and on public finance issues. She has also worked in business development and programs administration with an emphasis on data management and administration for a domestic international business platform. She holds a Bachelor of Science in International Studies with honors from the School of Global and International Studies at Indiana University, with minors in Statistics and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures. She speaks French and studied Arabic for three years in college.

Team Member

Tom Porter
Manager, Executive and Corporate Operations

Tom Porter is the manager for executive and corporate operations at Panagora. Prior to joining Panagora, Tom worked for at a nonprofit public charter school facility fund whose mission was to remove the obstacles that keep high quality charter schools across the country from opening or expanding and serving more students. Tom is passionate about public education and the lifelong benefits that a high-quality K-12 public education provides to the poor and marginalized in our society. Prior to public education, Tom’s passion was in the healthcare field and had the benefit of leading recruitment and retention for the first large-scale HIV vaccine trail in the United States and providing administrative support to a scientist that went on to win a Nobel Prize. Tom brings his in public education and healthcare passions to Panagora to help achieve the mission of making the world a better place. Tom is a generalist with close to 30 years’ experience in key administrative and leadership roles and brings a broad range of skills to Panagora, including finance and accounting, new business, human recourses, office management, and program design and implementation. Tom has a master’s degree in nonprofit administration from the University of San Francisco and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from San Francisco State University.

Team Member

Andrew Prado-Alipui
Program Associate

Andrew is a program associate supporting the LGHS team at Panagora. Prior to joining Panagora, Andrew interned at the UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict supporting desk research, and operational tasks. Andrew has a B.A. in International Relations from Syracuse University and an M.A. in Geography from the University of South Carolina. He speaks basic Portuguese and Italian.

Team Member

Nasrat Rahimi
Training and Capacity Building Specialist

Nasrat Rahimi is a training and capacity building specialist at Panagora. In this capacity, his key responsibilities involve designing and executing capacity-building initiatives tailored to meet Panagora’s training requirements and foster the professional growth and expertise of the organization’s employees. With over 13 years of progressive experience in the international development sector, Nasrat has collaborated with multiple USAID implementers worldwide, specializing in program management, operations, training, and capacity building. Nasrat holds a bachelor’s degree in economics. He speaks English, Farsi/Dari, and Urdu/Hindi.

Team Member

Obaidur Rahman
Senior Organizational Development Specialist

Obaidur Rahman is a senior organizational development specialist at Panagora Group. He brings more than 25 years of experience in organizational development, change management and program evaluation in South Asian countries. He co-founded the Capacity Building Service Group in Bangladesh and worked as its chief executive for 12 years. In this capacity, he provided direct capacity building support to over 100 organizations and business networks through USAID, DANIDA, World Bank and DFID projects. He has trained many organizational development professionals through action learning and mentorship. He also worked on program evaluations in global health, human rights & governance, and social development work streams. His special interest areas include organizational asssessment, capacity strengthening, strategic planning and project cycle management. Obaidur has an MBA in development management from the Institution of Business Administration, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh and trained internationally on organizational development. He is fluent in Bengali and understands Hindi.

Team Member

Melina Reynoso
Program Associate

Melina Reynoso is a program associate supporting the Colombia MEL and MELSA projects. Prior to working at Panagora Group, Melina worked at various international organizations such as the Embassy of Mexico’s office of Cooperation for Development, the Society for International Development, and a Binational Sustainability Conference in the Baja California region. She has additional experience working with youth nonprofits, in education, and in various US political settings. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science-international relations and human developmental sciences from the University of California San Diego. Her research and professional experiences have mostly been in the Latin American and the Caribbean region. She speaks English and Spanish fluently.

Team Member

Wassor Seck
Senior Manager, Contracts and Compliance

Wassor Seck brings 15 years of experience in program operations, financial management, contracts, subcontracts, and grants management. He has managed numerous contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements funded by the US Government, the Global Fund, the World Bank, and the United Nations. He has performed these functions in diverse technical areas, including health, nutrition, humanitarian assistance, food security and education. He has in-depth knowledge of US Government regulations (FAR, AIDARS and CFR). He has extensive experience providing advice, support, and financial training to international development programs in Africa. Mr. Seck holds a B.S. in information systems management and a M.S. in financial management from University of Maryland University College. He speaks English and French.

Team Member

Rose Twagirumukiza
Program Manager

Rose Twagirumukiza is Program Manager supporting the USAID/Colombia Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Short-term Activity (MELSA). Prior to joining Panagora, Rose was a Project Officer at Jhpiego, a leading global health and development organization, where she managed complex country operations and oversaw initiatives focused on malaria, epidemics, pandemics, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS prevention. Rose has many years’ experience in program management, international field work and the coordination of emergency aid, economic development and security efforts. She holds a Master’s degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, with a specialization in Global Politics and Security, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Spanish from Lake Forest College. At the heart of Rose’s work is a deep commitment to improving lives through cross-cultural collaboration and communication.

Team Member

Bont’e Twyman-Abrams
Senior Payroll Manager

Dr. Bont’e Twyman-Abrams has over 10 years of experience leading domestic and international payroll objectives increasing productivity and overall organizational effectiveness. Her versatility with leading international payroll initiatives, business contingency planning, international tax laws & regulations, and research methodologies span across public, private, and non-profit sectors. She has managed all facets of international and expatriate payrolls for employees located in various countries including but not limited to Europe, Australia, Dubai, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Afghanistan. She holds a DBA in Leadership, an MBA in International Business, and a Certificate in Global Payroll Management.

Team Member

Michael White
Senior Human Resources Generalist

Michael White brings a wealth of experience from more than seven years working in human resources. He has worked for government contracting, law, and real estate. His roles have helped align corporate strategic goals with all aspects of human resources, including organizational culture development, statistics, performance management, employee relations, recruitment and selection, process improvement, and HR policy. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in sociology, and a master’s in industrial organizational psychology; both from University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Team Member

Sandra Wilson
New Business Manager

Sandra Wilson is a new business manager at Panagora. She has over five years of project management experience supporting both domestic and international programs in public health and youth development. She got her start in international development work during her Peace Corps service in Botswana where she implemented youth and community development programs focused on HIV awareness and prevention. Sandy holds a B.A. in studio art with minors in Spanish and Latin American/Caribbean studies from Allegheny College, where she also had the opportunity to spend a semester in Argentina volunteering with an organization aiming to end poverty. She speaks conversational Spanish and Setswana.

Team Member

Waleed Ali
Engagement, Learning, and Adaptation Specialist
Sudan MEL

Waleed Ali is the ELA Specialist for the USAID/Sudan Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Activity. He has over 15 years of accumulated experience in the field of humanitarian assistance, development, peace building, democracy, and conflict mitigation with international organizations. In addition to solid program management experience, Waleed is also skilled in strategic planning, political analysis, proposal development, project design and implementation, and research. He has worked for the World Vision International, Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI/USAID), USAID/OTCM, National Democratic Institute, the Carter Center, Altai Consulting, UNICEF and Freedom House. Waleed holds a master’s degree in environmental technology. His native language is Arabic and he speaks English at a professional level.

 

 

Team Member

Usaka Aondohemba
Learning, Knowledge Management, and Strategic Communications Regional Officer

Usaka Aondohemba is a developmental professional with 6 years of hands-on experience, marked by a steadfast commitment to creating meaningful change in the lives of those most in need, with experience in PEPFAR, USAID, and CDC-funded projects. He has honed my skills in program design, implementation, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning(MEL) and Health system strengthening, all to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable populations. Throughout his career, he’s thrived in dynamic, high-pressure environments, consistently delivering successful outcomes in the face of complex health challenges. Strategic planning, project management, knowledge management, and stakeholder engagement are areas in which he excels, and he takes great pride in his ability to support diverse teams and cultivate collaborative partnerships. His unique strength lies in my capacity to craft and execute innovative strategies that drive sustainable change and empower communities to take control of their health. He is keen to identify system gaps and leverage data-driven insights to guide evidence-based interventions.

Team Member

Arwanih
Office Assistant
MEL Platform, Indonesia

Arwanih is the office assistant on the USAID/Indonesia MEL Platform. He has 24 years of experience as an office assistant and has worked for various organizations and internationally funded projects such as DFAT and USAID. Arwanih maintains and organizes the office space and serves as the delivery man for the MEL Platform. He speaks Bahasa Indonesia.

 

 

 

Team Member

Gbaike Ajayi
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Advisor
PQM+

Gbaike Ajayi is a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) advisor for USAID’s Promoting the Quality of Medicines Plus (PQM+) program. She has nearly a decade of experience in global health providing technical assistance, program management, as well as research, monitoring, and evaluation support to projects. Prior to joining Panagora, she worked as a survey manager at the Demographic and Health Surveys Program where she provided technical assistance to countries conducting nationally representative household surveys. Gbaike holds a master of development practice (MDP) degree from the University of Minnesota. She has working proficiency in French

Team Member

Milena Araujo
Monitoring Specialist
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Milena Araujo is a monitoring analyst supporting data quality processes of data indicators with an emphasis on data-quality assessments (DQA) for USAID/Colombia’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA). She has eight years of experience in monitoring, evaluation, development, and management of social programs funded by Cooperacion Internacional, and has served as a university professor in the division of humanities and social sciences. Milena has worked with the United Nations, the Government of Colombia, territorial entities, and universities. In 2015, the Corporación Politécnico Costa Atlántica awarded her recognition for her invaluable teaching vocation. In 2013, she was recognized by the Governor of Atlántico for her support to the development and strengthening of the research culture in the Department. Currently, she is studying for a Ph.D. in social sciences with an emphasis on public policy and artificial intelligence at the Universidad del Norte. Milena has a master’s degree in international cooperation and project management and is a professional in international business administration. She is a native Spanish speaker.

Team Member

Elizabeth Boardman
Senior Program Officer and Team Lead
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Elizabeth Boardman is a public health and health systems strengthening professional with 13 years of experience in project and programmatic coordination and management. She is experienced in reporting to USAID and PEPFAR, budgeting and financial oversight, and relationship management with a wide range of stakeholders including Implementing Partners, USAID/South Africa and Regional (including Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Regional Health Office) and South Africa National Department of Health. She has experience coordinating technical assistance and capacity building support, team management and oversight; programmatic planning and quality improvement. Elizabeth has managed multiple health-focused projects inclusive of point-of-care HIV diagnostics, HIV testing and counseling, social programs for children living with HIV; and managed a team of technical advisors. She is skilled in all aspects of project management, from work planning and budgeting to monitoring and reporting on implementation, and is well-versed in M&E for HIV programs, with experience developing and utilizing logic models and data collection tools with a particular interest in the use of qualitative research methods in reporting on programmatic successes and lessons learned. Elizabeth is fluent in English.

Team Member

Andrés Briceño
CLA Specialist
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Andrés Briceño is the Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) Specialist for USAIDs Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA) in Colombia. With more than 10 years of district, regional and international experience -between public, private, educational institutions and, international cooperation (4)-. He specializes in social/political dialogue with avocation for community, knowledge-management, inter-institutional articulation and teaching/mediation/facilitation expertise. He holds a B.A. in Politics and International Affairs, with a Specialization in Pedagogy & Didactics, and a Master’s degree in Teaching & Education. His native language is Spanish and he is fluent in English.

Team Member

Luisa Cardona
Quantitative Specialist
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Luisa Fernanda Cardona Rojas is the quantitative specialist for the USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA) in Colombia. She has five years of experience in economic development, methods in impact evaluations, and research and data analysis. Luisa has held various positions in the public sector; in the National Planning Department of Colombia-DNP, in the Bogota’s Secretary of Security, Coexistence, and Justice as well as in the Center for Economic Development Studies-CEDE of Los Andes University. Luisa holds a master’s degree in economics from Los Andes University. Spanish is her native tongue and she speaks fluent English.

Team Member

Chinedu Chikwendu
Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor
PQM+, Nigeria

Chinedu Chikwendu is a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) advisor for the PQM+ West Africa program, where he manages MEL tasks for PQM+’s Activities in West Africa. Chinedu is a trained pharmacist and has over 15 years’ progressive experience across the public and private sectors including two of the ‘Big 4’ consulting firms (PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG). He has experience in clinical practice, audit and assurance, management (performance management, strategy articulation and development, business process improvement and project management), and public health consulting (M&E, health system strengthening, routine immunization, Malaria and HIV/AIDS). Chinedu holds master’s degrees in management from Vrije Universiteit Brussel and health policy, planning and financing  from the London School of Economics/London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Team Member

Mawar Sri Bulan Dalimunthe
Finance Assistant
MEL Platform, Indonesia

Mawar Sri Bulan Dalimunthe is the finance assistant on the USAID/Indonesia MEL Platform. She has over eight years of experience as a finance assistant from the previous projects namely USAID IFACS and USAID LESTARI. Mawar holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Universitas Mercu Buana in Jakarta, Indonesia. She speaks Bahasa Indonesia and some English.

 

 

Team Member

Dansira Soulakha Moussou Dembélé
Knowledge Management and Communication (KMC) Specialist 
GHSC-PSM

Dansira Soulakha Moussou Dembélé is a knowledge management and communication (KMC) specialist on the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) in Mali. Her responsibilities include the design, implementation, and management of the knowledge management and  communications strategy, advancing the project’s vision, mission, and mandate utilizing various media formats targeting a variety of audiences. She is an information and communications specialist with 11 years of experience and started her career as journalist before moving on to development and scientific research in Mali and the West African region. She is experienced in the design and promotion of project oriented and scientific contents. She has worked for Blumont, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Oxfam in Mali. Dansira holds a degree in English studies from the University Abdelhamid Ibn Badis at Mostaganem, Algeria. She is also a Mandela Washington Fellowship – Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) alumni having graduated with a degree in civic leadership from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dansira is Malian and speaks fluent French, English and Bambara (national language of Mali.)

 

Team Member

Sonia Devia
Administrative Specialist
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Sonia Devia is the administrative specialist for the USAID/Colombia’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA). She has over 15 years of experience in financial management, organizational development, and international business, with an emphasis in foreign trade. She is a certified public accountant and has an extensive background in accounting, tax auditing, administrative and human resources, with knowledge and skills in prevention of money laundering. She also has experience working with international development organizations to support, develop, and analyze USAID funded projects. Sonia holds a degree in international business from Externado University of Colombia. Spanish is her native tongue and she speaks English.

Team Member

Godfrey Koholo Egessa
Private Sector Engagement & Innovative Finance Advisor
Uganda Health Activity

Godfrey Koholo Egessa serves as a private sector engagement & innovative finance sdvisor for USAID’s Uganda Health Activity. Godfrey brings more than eight years of experience in the private sector and the entrepreneur ecosystem with a focus on blended finance and SME innovations through bespoke advisory, capital raising, and community engagement. Before joining Panagora Group, Godfrey served as an investment analyst at iGravity, a Swiss-based impact investment firm, where he identified the financing gaps for the private sector and oversaw blended finance mechanisms for development in East Africa.  Previously, he worked as a program lead for Transformational Business Network in partnership with Argidius Foundation in East Africa, where he supported the private sector in the health and agriculture sectors with innovations for business recovery & continuity and unlocked investments from development partners. He is a certified financial modelling and valuation analyst from the Institute of Corporate Finance in Canada and holds a bachelor degree in microfinance from Kyambogo University in Uganda.

Team Member

Sebastian Fajardo
Finance Assistant
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Sebastian Fajardo is a finance assistant, he graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana with a degree in public accounting and a specialization in finance management. He has three years of experience in taxes, accounting, and payroll processes. Sebastian is an individual passionate about finance and business valuation. 

Team Member

Brendon Foster
Senior Project Officer, Engagement, Learning and Adapting
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Brendon Foster is a skilled learning and development professional, with over 15 years of experience in South Africa’s public and private sectors. He has held senior learning and development management positions at several USAID-funded health-focused organizations, including mothers2mothers, Grassroot Soccer, and Shout It Now. He developed and oversaw implementation of a learning and development strategy across multiple countries at mothers2mothers, a leadership development program at Grassroot Soccer, and an organizational training and skills development package (including training curriculum and materials) at Shout It Now. Brendon has extensive experience in facilitation and training, coaching, organizational communication, digital learning technology, and talent management. Brendon holds a BA Honours and BA Psych in psychology from the University of Port Elizabeth. He speaks English fluently.

Team Member

Stacy-Ann Gavin
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
DOS-INL, Jamaica

Stacy-Ann Gavin, J.P., MSc., is a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) Specialist supporting DOS-INL in Jamaica. Stacey-Ann is a qualified professional dedicated to public service with extensive experience in development program management including gender, disaster recovery and resilience, climate change, capacity building and empowerment, public safety, crime prevention and poverty reduction, youth education and recreation, alternative livelihoods, and youth entrepreneurship. She holds a master’s degree in Gender and Development Studies: Gender and Climate Change, as well as a bachelor’s degree in International Relations with a minor in Criminology from the University of West Indies, Jamaica. Additionally, she possesses several certificates in project planning and M&E.

Team Member

Mahlet Gebre
Senior Communications Specialist 
GHSC-PSM

Mahlet Gebre is a seasoned senior communications specialist with a decade of experience in knowledge management and communication in health programs. She has collaborated effectively with local and international NGOs in various areas, including HIV/AIDS, reproductive health and family planning, maternal neonatal and child health (MNCH), pharmaceutical supply chain management, and disability inclusion.

Mahlet is currently a member of the GHSC-PSM project at Panagora, where she supports the development of content for the Family Planning and Reproductive Health Task Order Annual Report. She works with over 30 contributors from headquarters and field offices to review written and visual products, ensuring that they meet technical, editorial, and narrative standards before publication. She also helps implement an online engagement strategy and maintains branding and quality standards for written materials.

Before joining Panagora, Mahlet served as a project manager and knowledge management officer at Handicap International, and as knowledge management specialist on Saving Newborn Lives Project at Save the Children International. Overall, Mahlet is a highly skilled and experienced communication specialist with a successful track record in knowledge management, communication, and content development. She holds a post-graduate degree in special needs education from Addis Ababa University.

Team Member

Yadira Gomez
Qualitative Analysis Specialist
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Yadira Gómez is a qualitative analysis specialist for the USAID Activity and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA) activity in Colombia. She has more than seven years of experience in the design and application of instruments for monitoring and evaluating educational programs with a focus on qualitative research. Her previous experience has been in Secretaría Distrital del Hábitat, Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación (ICFES), Centro de Evaluación at Universidad de los Andes, and as consultant in evaluations for Profamilia. She holds a degree in sociology and a master’s degree in education from Universidad Nacional de Colombia. In addition to her native Spanish, Yadira has an intermediate level of English. 

Team Member

Orlando Gracia
Lead Evaluation Expert
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Orlando Gracia is the lead evaluation expert in Panagora’s Colombia office. Orlando has more than 20 years of experience in public policy, with a background in designing, promoting, and implementing programs for capacity building. He is well versed in monitoring and evaluation, and applied economics research. He has held various positions at the Colombian National Planning Department, including director of monitoring and evaluation of public policies, director of entrepreneurial development, and deputy director of economic studies. He holds a Master’s degree in economics from University of London. Spanish is his native tongue and he speaks fluent English.

Team Member

Felipe Guillen
Monitoring and Execution Coordinator
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Felipe Guillen is a monitoring and execution coordinator for USAID/Colombia’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA). He has five years of experience working with consulting firms in areas of industrial engineering and designing. He is skilled in “Design Thinking” methodologies, project design, data analysis, and evaluation. As the executive assistant to Panagora’s chief of party in Colombia, Felipe provides support in operational and technical affairs. Felipe holds a bachelor’s degree in design from La Universidad de los Andes in Colombia. In addition to his native Spanish, Felipe speaks English.

Team Member

Retno (Dini) Handini
Senior Evaluation Specialist
MEL Platform, Indonesia

Retno (Dini) Handini is senior evaluation specialist on the USAID/Indonesia MEL Platform. Dini brings extensive experience in governance (including sub-national planning and budgeting), evaluation design, research, implementation, analysis, and report writing. She has worked on several evaluations and previously served for five years as an M&E specialist for the World Bank’s Public Sector Governance Practice in Jakarta. She has in-depth knowledge of Indonesian governance from assignments carried out for the World Bank, GTZ, CIDA and AusAID. Dini holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Indonesia and a master of philosophy in monitory economics and finance from the University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom. Dini speaks Bahasa Indonesia and English.

Team Member

Wisdom Hanson
Learning and Knowledge Visualization Specialist
GHSC-PSM

Wisdom Hanson is a Communications Specialist with six years’ experience in development and humanitarian aids spanning across various donors like the USAID, FCDO, UNICEF and Ford Foundation. He is a certified Project Manager and highly adaptive in storytelling, visualization, and deploying digital channels for engaging vast audience. Under the USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project, he works as the Learning and Knowledge Visualization Specialist and is currently wrapping up a master’s degree in information management. Wisdom Speaks Efik, Igbo, and basic America Sign Language.

Team Member

Jay Heavner
Senior KMC Strategist
GHSC-PSM

Jay Heavner is a senior knowledge management and communication (KMC) strategist, implementer, and coach. For USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project, he supports documentation and knowledge sharing for HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 programs. He previously supported KMC staff and points of contact in more than 30 country programs in Asia, Latin America/Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa by leading a community of practice and providing in-person and remote coaching and mentoring in strategy, work planning, project branding, program implementation, storytelling, photography, document management, and other essential skills. Previously, he served as Director of Strategic Engagement and HIV/AIDS Global Collaboration Manager for the project.  Having served as Director of Communications and Knowledge Sharing for SCMS, the predecessor project for HIV/AIDS, he has more than 15 years’ experience in public health supply chain management and has worked as a consultant for USAID programs for 17 years.  Mr. Heavner has led planning and facilitation for numerous conferences and events, including SCMS’s and GHSC-PSM’s Supplier Summits and satellite events at international conferences. His writing has been featured in USAID’s FrontLines magazine, USAID’s Impact blog, Supply Chain Brain magazine, and the World Bank’s “Procurement for Complex Situations” booklet.

Team Member

Mutaz Ibrahim
Deputy Chief of Party
Sudan MEL

Mutaz Ibrahim is the deputy chief of party for the USAID/Sudan Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Activity. Mutaz is a program and project expert with proven experience in monitoring, evaluation, and learning. He has 19 years of experience working with multiple UN agencies, the World Bank, USAID, DFID, FCDO joint projects, and programs in Sudan. Before joining Panagora, Mutaz worked on different projects that aimed to improve child protection, good governance, civic engagement, livelihoods, peace building, and the provision of basic services to the affected communities in areas of Darfur, South Kordofan, Blue Nile, and East Sudan. He recently worked with UNICEF Sudan in a joint program supported by FCDO and Canada to help improving knowledge and reduce the impact of social norms and harmful practices to children specially females. Mutaz holds a M.Sc. in public and tropical health from University of Medical Sciences and Technology. Mutaz’s native language is Arabic and he speaks English at a professional level.

 

 

Team Member

Aor Ikyaabo
Learning and Strategic Communications Senior Manager
GHSC-PSM, Nigeria

Aor Ikyaabo is a development communications professional with over eight and half years of experience supporting diverse clients and impact-driven donor projects to tell impact stories, drive visibility, strengthen communication strategies, and position and manage their brands. He is currently the senior manager of strategic learning & communications for Panagora Group on the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Procurement, and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project. He has managed communication for multiple health, agriculture and livelihoods, trade and investment, and gender projects in Nigeria. He holds a B.SC and M.SC in mass communication and speaks English and Hausa languages fluently. He is an avid lover of an eclectic mix of music and fills his spare time with playing football and tennis.

Team Member

Gloria Iloeje
Learning and Knowledge Management Manager 
GHSC-PSM, Nigeria

Gloria Iloeje has over eight years of experience in learning and knowledge management. Having worked on two USAID-funded projects in Nigeria, she has strong expertise in Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) development and training curriculum design. Gloria is also a certified master trainer, and has equipped numerous individuals and organizations with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their respective fields. She is passionate about promoting efficient processes and fostering a culture of continuous learning. With a keen eye for detail and a dedication to quality, Gloria strives to make a positive impact on every project she works on. Gloria holds a bachelor of science in industrial chemistry. She speaks English, Hausa, and Idoma.

Team Member

Matome Kgatla
Driver
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Matome Kgatla is a program and logistical services specialist with over ten years of experience. He is a fleet management specialist with experience in providing driving services. Matome has experience overseeing and maintaining transportation vehicles and is adept in preparing trip reports, administering training, and performing
vehicle inspections. He has experience in program management, including managing over 35 field workers.
Matome speaks English and Venda.

Team Member

Rogers Kigenza
Knowledge Management and Communications Advisor
GHSC-PSM, Rwanda

Rogers Kigenza is the Knowledge Management and Communication (KMC) Advisor on the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project under Panagora’s subcontract with Chemonics. Rogers is responsible for the internal and external KMC activities which support GHSC-PSM in Rwanda, which includes spearheading program information gathering and dissemination activities, and development and implementing KMC strategy. With over seven years of experience, Rogers has extensive experience in designing and implementing organizational communication strategy, marketing, branding, institutional collaboration, partnership and networking with public, private, and non-government organizations. He has worked within non-government and government organizations, including the Rwanda Revenue Authority, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and Netherlands Development Organization (SNV). Rogers is a Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) alumni having graduated in public management from the YALI-East African Regional Center, Nairobi-Kenya. Rogers holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Rwanda and a master’s degree in international development from Andrews University, Michigan. Rogers speaks English, French, Kinyarwanda, and Kiswahili.

Team Member

Odilyn Lazaro
Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

Odilyn Lazaro is USAID’s Philippines, Pacific Islands, and Mongolia Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Activity Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist. With over 20 years of experience supporting portfolio and project performance monitoring and evaluation, data management and analysis, research and learning for USAID health projects, UNICEF and the UN Joint Program on Maternal and Neonatal Health in the Philippines. She brings with her a deep sectoral knowledge in health and development as a specialist and team manager having worked in the integration of systematic and intentional collaboration, learning, and adapting (CLA) in the design, implementation, and coordination of the performance monitoring and reporting processes of USAID /Philippines’ Office of Health portfolio of activities from 2018 to 2023, under USAID’s CLAimHealth and CLAimDev Activities. Odilyn holds a Master’s degree in Demography from the University of the Philippines. She is fluent in both English and Filipino and has some knowledge of Spanish and French. 

Team Member

Meisie Christina Lerutla
Technical Specialist Primary Health Care
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Meisie Lerutla is a primary health care technical advisor, with extensive knowledge of the district health system. She is supporting the review of the District Health Service policy, and quality improvement of services linked to HIV and AIDS programme. She worked at provincial and local government level as senior manager over more than twenty years. Also worked as programme officer, Sexual and Reproductive Health at United Nations Population Fund over a six year period. Meisie holds Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from University of the North, South Africa. She has working proficiency in English and Nguni and Sotho languages spoken in South Africa.

Team Member

Silvia Linares
Human Resources Manager
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Silvia Linares is an human resources manager for USAID/Colombia’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), concentrating on evaluation interventions. She has more than 13 years of experience in administrative and logistics support, office and facilities operations, and expenditure management. Silvia previously worked on USAID’s Bioredd+ activity. She holds a degree in business administration from the Universidad Militar Nueva Granada in Colombia. In addition to her native Spanish, Silvia speaks English.

Team Member

Orizel Llanos
Evaluation Planning Specialist
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Orizel Llanos is an evaluation planning specialist in Panagora’s Colombia office. She is an economist with a master’s degree in economics and in social policy and development, with more than 13 years of experience in public, private, and non-profit organizations. Her experience is focused in public policy design, monitoring, and evaluation, and in rural development. She has worked for the National Consulting Center, Fedesarrollo, and the Colombian National Planning Department. Spanish is her native language and she speaks fluent English. 

Team Member

Margaret Macheli
Project Officer: Talent Acquisition, Onboarding and HR Management
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Margaret Macheli is an experienced HR professional with 14 years of dedicated experience in Human Resources and expertise across a wide spectrum of HR functions, including HR management, talent acquisition, talent management, payroll processing, benefits administration, and organizational development. Her career has been driven by a passion for optimizing organizational performance through strategic HR initiatives and fostering environments where employees thrive. She is well-versed in HRIS and ability to implementing systems that streamline processes and enhance efficiency. Her comprehensive understanding of HR functions allows her to manage the complexities of both day-to-day operations and long-term strategic planning with equal proficiency. She hold a Bachelor’s degree in a related field, which laid the foundation for her career in HR. Over the years, she has continually developed her skills to stay ahead in this ever-evolving field, ensuring that she brings both innovative and effective solutions to the table. Her experience has equipped her with the ability to contribute significantly to any organization, driving both employee satisfaction and organizational success.

Team Member

Mayada Mahdi
Knowledge Management and Communications Manager
Sudan MEL

Mayada Mahdi is the knowledge management and communications manager for the USAID/Sudan Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Activity. She has six years of experience in humanitarian work both inside and outside of Sudan. She has experience working as a mapping specialist, an information management officer, a water resources engineer, an integrated water resources management expert, a humanitarian information and MERL manager, and a program officer for UN IOM. She holds an M.Sc. and a B.Sc. in water resources engineering. Mayada’s native language is Arabic and she speaks English at a professional level.

 

 

Team Member

Berhan Teklehaimanot Mebratu
Knowledge Management and Communications Manager
GHSC-PSM, Ethiopia

Berhan Teklehaimanot Mebratu is a knowledge management and communications manager on the Ethiopia GHSC-PSM project. She is responsible for developing communications strategies that help advance the Ethiopia GHSC-PSM project achievements and impact. These activities include publications, partnerships with membership organizations, web marketing, social media, media outreach, and conferences. Before joining Panagora Group, Berhan led public affairs at different NGOs,  helping raise profiles and craft communication strategic plans. She also held regular presentations on strategic communications and published articles on project impacts and communications. She has a Masters from Bond University, Australia.

 

 

Team Member

Naledi Makhadi
Accountant
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Naledi Makhadi is a South African Institute of Professional Accountants certified accountant with over 16 years of experience working in the finance and accounting field. SARS-certified practitioner and understands the importance of compliance with tax and other statutory obligations. Extensive experience preparing financial statements and annual budgets for projects, year-end audits, submission of VAT audits.

Team Member

Yazmin Medina
GIS Advisor
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Yazmin Medina is the GIS Advisor for USAID/Colombia’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA). Yazmin leads the projects’ GIS-related services component of the project, ensures quality and timeliness of all products and services, and leads training and capacity-building activities, including a GIS community of practice. She is a highly skilled professional in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis with technical and scientific experience to contribute and participate solving the problems of capturing, storing, processing, display geographic information applying her knowledge of geography, cartography, photointerpretation, digital image processing, and geodatabases and its applications for the development of spatial data analysis as an instrument for the decision-making process. She has ten years of experience providing technical assistance to several consulting companies (public and private) in fields like environmental and GIS project management, integration, and geospatial data development, customized mapping products, geospatial analysis, and reporting. She speaks Spanish and English.

Team Member

Refiloe Medupe
Project Assistant, Logistics
USAID Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Refiloe Medupe is a dedicated and detail-oriented procurement and logistics professional with over 4 years of experience in both public and private sectors. She holds a National Diploma in Logistics and certifications in SAP Material Management and LOGIS. Her expertise lies in establishing and managing procurement processes, conducting supplier negotiations, and overseeing end-to-end P2P management. With strong organizational skills, excellent communication abilities, and a keen eye for detail, she has successfully supported project teams, managed vendor relationships, and ensured compliance with procurement policies. She is proficient in data analysis and problem-solving and thrives in fast-paced environments where multitasking is essential. Her experience spans procurement planning, operational buying, and logistical coordination, with a solid understanding of public service regulations and the PFMA. She speaks English, Setswana, and IsiZulu.

Team Member

Antoinette Melnyk
Research/Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Advisor
PQM+

Antoinette Melnyk is the research/monitoring and evaluation (M&E) advisor for USAID’s Promoting the Quality of Medicines Plus (PQM+) program. As part of her deep experience supporting USAID-funded activities, Antoinette has provided monitoring and evaluation expertise to a livelihoods development program in Bangladesh and a teacher training program in Egypt. Antoinette has also taught development and international relations at the university level. She holds a PhD in international studies from the University of Miami (Florida) and is fluent in Spanish.

Team Member

Innocent Misiko
Organizational Capacity Strengthening Specialist
Localize Global Health Security

Innocent is an organizational development professional who is well-versed in local, national, and international development dynamics. Over the last 18 years working in Eastern and Southern Africa regions, he has deepened his capacity strengthening experience and skills through organizational capacity assessments, institutional systems strengthening, performance management and change implementation.

Prior to joining the Panagora Group as the Organizational Capacity Strengthening Specialist, Innocent was the Senior Capacity Strengthening Associate with Palladium’s USAID NPI EXAPND project. Before that, he was the Organizational Development and Change Management Specialist for the USAID Regional Intergovernmental Organization System Strengthening Activity (RIGO SSA) implemented by Kaizen, a Tetra Tech Company. He was involved in assessing the capacity and performance of the East African Community (EAC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) using tools like the organizational capacity assessment tool (OCAT) and the Organization Performance Index (OPI).

Innocent holds a post graduate degree in Sociology from the University of Nairobi, an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the United States International University and currently pursuing a Master of Science in Management and Organizational Development. He is fluent in English and Swahili.

Team Member

Reenas Mohamed
Development, Outreach, and Communications (DOC) Specialist 
Sudan MEL

Reenas Mohamed supports Panagora’s Sudan MEL team as the Development, Outreach, and Communications (DOC) Specialist. Reenas has extensive experience in international development, most recently working at DT Global Sudan, where she led the offices communications and documentation efforts. Reenas has over six years of experience in the international development field primarily in Africa. Her skills include proposal writing, landscape research, project design, knowledge sharing and strategic activity planning. Reenas holds an M.A., from York University in development studies with a focus on transitional justice and a B.A., in political science and international development from the University of Toronto. She is fluent in Arabic and conversational French.

 

 

Team Member

Monica Moreno
Monitoring Analyst
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Monica Moreno is the monitoring analyst for the USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA) in Colombia. She has more than seven years of experience in formulation, monitoring and evaluative research of social projects in Colombian public institutions. Her background extends to strategic planning processes, design of methodologies and tools for data collection and cross-foundation databases analytics. She has a B.A. in business administration and a postgraduate diploma in public policy analysis from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, and a Master’s degree in public policy at Universidade Federal do Maranhão (Brasil). Spanish is her native tongue, and she speaks English and Portuguese.

Team Member

Katie Morton
Senior Project Officer
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Katie Morton is an international development professional with 10 years’ experience in the public health, youth development, education, and agriculture sectors. She has held global and regional (Southern Africa) program management and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) positions at TechnoServe and Grassroot Soccer. She is skilled in program design, management, and reporting, including customization of M&E systems and processes to meet donor requirements (PEPFAR, GIZ, and DFID, among others). Her experience includes consolidating and interpreting data across multiple programs and countries. She is proficient in the administration, architecture, and configuration of management information systems such as Salesforce.com, as well as both quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Katie is also adept at providing capacity development to international and local staff, including the design and coordination of large-scale, regional workshops, and events. Katie holds an MPA in international policy and management – public administration from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, and a bachelor’s in international affairs from Skidmore College. She speaks fluent Spanish and professional Portuguese.

Team Member

January Msiza
Driver
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

January is an experienced driver and technical support specialist with a proven track record in providing transportation services in South Africa. Demonstrated expertise in client-oriented environments, employing exceptional planning and organization skills to ensure the safety and security of staff, visitors, and passengers. Committed to maintaining accurate record-keeping documents and adhering to organizational policies and procedures. Fluent in English and proficient in six other South African languages.

Team Member

Isaac Msukwa
Chief of Party
Sudan MEL

Isaac Msukwa is the Chief of Party for the USAID/Sudan Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Activity. He has 19 years of experience in program development and management, monitoring, evaluation, and learning. His MEL sector experience includes education, agriculture, health, nutrition, and governance. He has country experience in Sudan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Nigeria, and his native country of Malawi. He has over ten years of experience working on USAID-supported projects, which have exposed him to humanitarian, transition, and development programming. He is adept with designing and managing third-party monitoring activities for USAID. Isaac holds an MBA from the Maastricht School of Management and the Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute (ESAMI). He also holds a BSc in agriculture from the University of Malawi. His native language is Chichewa/Nyanja and he is fluent in English

 

 

Team Member

Larry Muthambi
Driver
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Larry Muthambi is an experienced driver with four years of experience performing tasks such as couriering parcels and shuttling office passengers to and from the airport. He has experience in both light and semi-heavy vehicles
for both short and long distances. Larry speaks English, Venda, and Northern Sotho.

Team Member

Thuliswa Nazo
Deputy Chief of Party
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Thuliswa Nazo is Deputy Chief of Party (Operations) in Panagora’s South Africa Activity Office and is a highly experienced finance and operations professional with more than thirty years working experience. Prior to this position, she served as director of operations for I-Tech South Africa, where she had oversight over procurement, compliance, office management, safety and security, logistics, subcontracts, fleet management, and information technology. She has held management positions for the last fifteen years with oversight over human resources, finance, procurement, fleet, and stakeholder management. Thuliswa has managed grants and awards from USAID, CDC, NHS, DFID, European Union, and other private grants including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has an MBA from the Regent Business School in Johannesburg. An honours degree in public management from Stellenbosch University and an undergraduate degree in public administration from the University of Fort Hare. Thuliswa speaks English, Xhosa, and Zulu.

Team Member

Nyiko Ngoveni
Fleet Manager and Logistics Coordinator
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Nyiko Ngoveni oversees the Panagora South Africa’s fleet of vehicles, a team of drivers, vehicle bookings, and maintenance schedules, while ensuring compliance with Panagora’s vehicle use policies and procedures. Nyiko began his career as a Police Officer where he worked to prevent and investigate crimes as well as fleet management. He has a total of eight years’ experience in law enforcement, criminal investigations, visible policing environment, railway policing environment and logistics (fleet management) in the South African Police Service.

Team Member

Socheat Nhip
CLA Advisor
Cambodia Malaria Elimination Project 2 (CMEP2)

Socheat Nhip is working with Panagora as a CLA Advisor in Cambodia Malaria Elimination Project 2 (CMEP2) based in Cambodia. Socheat has almost nine years of working experience in international development with a strong focus on project management and facilitation. She leads CLA activities to ensure effectiveness and achieve the highest degree of project implementation impact, ranging from program level to organizational level of the prime organization. In her role, she develops approaches to engage project staff and stakeholders in the practice of CLA with the goal of maximizing efforts to reach CMEP2 objectives, lead planning and prioritization of CLA practices, provide guidance to project team and stakeholders on the implementation of their CLA Plans, and design and facilitate CLA practices that enable CMEP2 to learn from implementation and manage their project adaptively. Socheat is currently a co-founder of a youth group aiming to build critical thinking and life skills for Cambodian to lead self-sustaining and meaningful life. Before joining Panagora, Socheat worked as a program and project manager with local and foreign non-profit organizations and social enterprise, respectively in Cambodia. Socheat holds a master’s degree in educational administration from Thailand. She enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, swimming, and biking.

Team Member

Emillia Damayanti Nuraini
Procurement Specialist
MEL Platform, Indonesia

Emillia Damayanti Nuraini is the procurement specialist on the USAID/Indonesia MEL Platform. Emillia has over fifteen years of experience working in various USAID positions, primarily in administrative and procurement roles, and has ten years of experience working in the private sector. Emillia has a diploma in financial management from the Economic and Banking School in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. She speaks Bahasa Indonesia and some English.

 

 

Team Member

Olusola (Sola) Obajimi
Senior Communications Specialist
GHSC-PSM

Olusola (Sola) Obajimi is a senior communications specialist for the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project, and serves as the HIV/AIDS liaison for KMC staff and points of contact in more than 30 country programs in Asia, Latin America/Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa. Sola is a development strategist with expertise in strategic communication, knowledge management, program design, effectiveness and learning, advocacy, and design thinking. Her experience spans over ten years of coordinating organizational knowledge management and communications as well as program management, innovation and learning for public and global health and humanitarian projects. Prior to joining Panagora Group, Sola was a senior program specialist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, where she led KMC strategy development, strategic communication, and donor/partner management for the portfolio of three BMGF-funded projects. She has also worked on projects funded by UKAid’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – FDCO (formally DFID), Center for Disease Control (CDC), Global Youth Mobilization, and other private donors. She has excellent transferrable skills in visual storytelling, brand management, strategy design and human centered design. She is known for her creativity and ability to innovate and develop excellent strategies for executing strategic communication campaigns in global health and development. She is a leader in Strategic Communications with certification from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs.

Team Member

Silvester Okot
Local Capacity Strengthening Advisor
Uganda Health Activity

Silvester Okot is a public health practitioner with over fifteen years of experience in implementing community health programs with enormous knowledge and experience in capacity strengthening covering institutional development and governance in NGOs, CSOs, CBOs, hospitals, private sectors, national and sub-national health ministries including district and community health structures. Silvester is grounded in applying Human Center Design (HCD), SBC community, and gender integration programming for capacity strengthening. He has a wealth of experience in programming and management of nutrition, WASH, FP, MCH, HIV (HTS, APN, VMMC, DREAMS, PMTCT & OVC), TB, Malaria & Gender-Based Violence (GBV). He has worked with international and national NGOs while supporting the local health care system in the specific countries of work. Silvester worked on emergency and developmental projects, under NGOs such as Abeiter Samariter Bun (ASB), CUAMM, ACTED, ARC-Now ALIGHT International, FHI360, Medic Mobile-Africa supporting projects in Uganda, Kenya, URC, Joint Clinical Research Center-JCRC and now Panagora Group. Silvester Holds a master of science in public health, a post graduate diploma in M&E, a bachelor’s degree in development studies, a diploma in social work, and is pursuing a master of science in management.

Team Member

Geria James Onziga
Director, Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Adaptation
UHSS

Geria James Onziga is the director of monitoring, evaluation, learning and adaptation under the USAID Uganda Health Systems Strengthening (UHSS) Activity.  James is responsible for reporting and supervising general monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) approaches, practices, and tools as well as building the capacity of program staff to support a culture of collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA). Geria has over 15 years of experience in designing and implementing research, monitoring, and evaluation (M&E) systems for large-scale, multi-year international health sector development programs in Uganda. He is adept at measuring project impact using relevant indicators and evidence-driven methods, having worked on many programs aiming to improve the delivery of family planning, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and MNCH services through interventions implemented across the health system. He is also experienced in designing and implementing functional and responsive M&E systems through which project data are analyzed, effectively communicated to, and utilized by appropriate stakeholders to influence program implementation.

When he was M&E Director for the USAID Uganda Voucher Plus Activity, James promoted real-time utilization of data collected at the district level to monitor strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in the implementation of the much needed private sector-led maternal and child health system strengthening program in both Northern and Eastern parts of Uganda. He also possesses an outstanding ability to lead, mentor, and collaborate with professionals of all levels to support M&E. His commitment to quality assurance and rigorous learning methods enables him to spearhead the project’s learning activities. Geria holds a Master of Science in population studies and reproductive health and a Bachelor of Science in quantitative economics from the Institute of Statistics and Applied Economics at Makerere University.

Team Member

Olumide Oyebamiji
Director, Learning, Knowledge Management, and Strategic Communications
GHSC-PSM, Nigeria

Olumide Oyebamiji is a strategic communication and certified project management professional with 11 years of experience in project development, communication, monitoring and evaluation, policy advocacy, and research. He has donor experience with various agencies including the United Nations, United States Department of State, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, DFID, and the European Commission. He has designed, managed, and evaluated aid programs in technical areas such as Agriculture and Food Security; Nutrition; Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning; Democracy, Rights, and Governance; Environment; Economic Growth; Energy; Stabilization; and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. He maintains a proven track record of adhering to SOPs and collaborating with various teams and creates strong written content. He holds a Master’s of Science in development studies and a Bachelor’s of Science in international relations.

Team Member

Juan Camilo Paillié
Collaboration, Learning, and Adaptation Expert
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Juan Camilo Paillié is the Collaboration, Learning, and Adaptation (CLA) expert for the USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA) in Colombia. With seven years of professional experience—four years of those years dedicated to international cooperation, and social and community project management—he specializes in building social dialogue and community involvement, and facilitating in difference and differential approaches. He holds a B.A. in psychology and a M.A. in systems thinking. He is passionate about listening, collaborative work, and reflection. He speaks Spanish and English.

Team Member

Juan Carlos Parada
Deputy Chief of Party
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Juan Carlos Parada Jaiquel is the deputy chief of party for the USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA) in Colombia. He is an industrial engineer with a master’s degree in business administration – MBA and PMP certification issued by the PMI. Juan Carlos has more than 18 years of professional experience in recognized public, private and international cooperation organizations focused on operations management and management of investment projects in different economic sectors (Infrastructure, international development, finance, science and technology, consulting, among others).  

 Juan Carlos is an expert in business strategy and development and in managing projects and multisectoral programs. He has solid knowledge and experience in generating and improving processes for project management, strategic planning, management indicators and priority setting, monitoring and evaluation, contractual and budget management, spending management, analysis of financial information and generation of reports.  

He is a visionary leader with exceptional skills for the management and loyalty of high-performance teams and a strategist focused on the attainment and achievement of objectives, with agility for risk assessment, good decision making and problem solving. Juan Carlos has excellent communication skills with the ability to interact effectively with government counterparts, private sector executives, and local and international organizations. Spanish is his native tongue, and he speaks fluent English. 

 

Team Member

Amogelang Phaka
Knowledge Management and Operations Coordinator
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Amogelang Phaka is a multiskilled program and operations coordinator, with experience providing executive level and advanced administrative support to Panagora South Africa since 2019. Amo is highly capable in managing end-to-end processes for in-person, virtual, and hybrid meetings and events at The Collaboration & Learning Hub, as well as external venues. She is a resource for the TSS team in the effective and efficient use of project management, communication, and knowledge management processes and platforms, including the Google suite, Monday.com, slack, and Mailchimp. Amo has demonstrated delivery of consistent, high-quality products, including program updates and action notes. She facilitates the implementation and communication of key operational processes and procedures, supporting compliance and consistency across TSS. Amo speaks English and Northern Sotho.

Team Member

Vasudev Ramkissoon
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
DOS INL

Vasudev Ramkissoon is currently the in country monitoring and evaluation specialist for the Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) Department of State (DOS) in Trinidad and Tobago. Vasudev has worked at the state level in the areas of M&E, Project/Program Design, Research and Project Implementation. Over the past 13 years he has been involved in the fields of education, ageing, public health, crime, intimate partner violence and vulnerable populations. Vasudev is holder of a Ph.D. and MSc. in sociology from the University of the West Indies with specializations in international relations, psychology, statistics and public policy.

Team Member

Joy Rapola
Administrative Specialist
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Joy Rapola is a skilled operations professional with over 14 years’ experience in various organizations. She has excellent customer services skills gained from working in various retail and corporate organizations, and has extensive experience supporting logistics and administration in different organizations. Joy speaks English and Northern Sotho.

 

Team Member

Katie Reichert
Chief of Party
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Katie Reichert is the chief of party for Panagora’s Technical Support Services (TSS) Activity for USAID in South Africa. She is a highly skilled health and development professional with more than 16 years of experience in international public health, working with complex programs throughout Southern Africa, including six years of experience in senior management positions. Katie has demonstrated technical expertise in HIV & AIDS, OVC, and organizational capacity development, as well as a deep knowledge of PEPFAR. She has managed programs with multi-million-dollar budgets and supervised staff and consultants from all over the world, developing highly functional teams. She has extensive experience with M&E and communications, including leading qualitative and quantitative research teams, and supporting strategic information requirements. Katie has a master’s of public health from Boston University School of Public Health and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Redlands in California. She speaks English and Spanish.

Team Member

Leslie Rider
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Director
Promoting the Quality of Medicines (PQM+)

Leslie Rider brings more than 25 years of technical, new business development, and management experience in international development. Her expertise includes performance monitoring, performance and impact evaluation, surveys, capacity building, and knowledge management. She worked as a new business manager at Chemonics International, where she worked with Betsy Bassan to build Chemonics’ international health practice. As associate director at Westat, a large research firm, Leslie helped expand and diversify the company’s international health research portfolio and international survey work. She helped manage the performance monitoring component of Westat’s USAID-funded Feed the Future FEEDBACK project. Leslie has a Master’s in International Development from Columbia University. She speaks Spanish.

Team Member

Ana Maria Rivera
Chief of Party
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Ana Maria Rivera is the chief of party for the USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA) in Colombia. She is an industrial engineer with more than 15 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation, designing and implementing projects striving for capacity building and community development. Focus areas include budget and core process management in Colombian public institutions and USAID projects. Her background and knowledge extend through assessing critical issues, planning, strategizing, monitoring and evaluating government and cooperation issues, budgeting, and reporting. Particular strengths include crafting policy reforms, establishment organizational structures, finding areas for systemic improvement, enhancing strategic support for processes, and evaluating structural design by assessing results, performance and impact indicators, especially in the public sector. Ana Maria holds an MBA from the University of Los Andes. Spanish is her native tongue and she speaks fluent English.

Team Member

Maryam Sadiq
Learning, Knowledge Management, and Strategic Communication Officer
GHSC-PSM project, Nigeria

Maryam Sadiq is a learning, knowledge management, and strategic communication officer for USAID’s Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project. In this role, she supports efforts in three northern Nigerian regions to implement KM strategies and document supply chain interventions. She also concentrates on engaging local partners to disseminate communications products and create visibility for GHSC-PSM. A certified knowledge manager, Maryam’s wide range of additional skills include journalism, media relations, corporate communications, storytelling, community engagement and strategic planning. She previously applied these abilities to activities in maternal, newborn, and child health; immunization, and women’s empowerment. Maryam has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts/Drama from Ahmadu Bello University (Zaria, Nigeria) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the National Teachers Institute (Kaduna, Nigeria). She speaks Hausa and Yoruba.

Team Member

Marulini Piadita Salokang
Finance Specialist
MEL Platform, Indonesia

Marulini Piadita Salokang is the finance specialist on the USAID/Indonesia MEL Platform. She has seven years of experience in the overall function of finance and accounting including payable, receivable, budgeting, reporting, and forecasting. She previously worked in the non-governmental organization, supranational organization, and private sector company, supporting in finance and administrative roles. Dita holds a master’s degree from Erasmus University Rotterdam. She speaks Bahasa Indonesia and English.

 

 

Team Member

Hendrik Sanabria
Graphic Designer
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Hendrik Sanabria directly supports the communications team as a graphic design specialist, with over 15 years of experience in advertising media. Hendrik is a highly experienced and talented graphic designer with a strong background in branding, advertising and digital marketing. He has worked on a wide range of projects for high-profile brands in multiple countries, demonstrating his ability to deliver effective and impactful design solutions. With a degree in graphic design and a master’s degree in digital marketing and web analytics, Hendrik possesses skills in combining analytical thinking and visual communication to produce extraordinary results. He has a keen ability to identify the key information to be conveyed and transform it into clear and compelling visuals that capture the audience’s attention. His expertise lies in his ability to synthesize complex information into easily digestible and aesthetically pleasing designs that tell a story. He is an expert at creating visually appealing infographics, presentations and images that effectively communicate the intended message. Hendrik also has a deep understanding of the unique needs of each project, allowing him to tailor his solutions to specific requirements. He possesses a keen sense of creativity and artistic talent, which allows him to produce relevant and unique visual designs. He is proficient in several complementary fields, such as copywriting and photography, making him a versatile and valuable asset to any project. Overall, Hendrik’s combination of experience, training and talent make him a true professional in his field. His native language is Spanish and he is fluent in English. 

Team Member

Ayanda Shezi
Driver
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Ayanda Shezi is an experienced driver and technical support specialist with experience in providing transportation in South Africa. She has experience in client-oriented environments that require planning and organization skills to ensure the safety and security of staff, visitors, and passengers. Ayanda is responsible for maintaining record-keeping documents and remaining compliant with organizational policies and procedures. She speaks English and isiZulu

Team Member

Chilowekwa Shike
Communications Specialist 
GHSC-PSM

Chilowekwa Shike works as a communications specialist under the GHSC-PSM Project. In his role, he supports the project’s learning, knowledge management, and communications activities in Zambia. Chilowekwa collaborates closely with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning team to identify data, stories, and articles for the development of effective communications materials.

With six years of experience, Chilowekwa is an accomplished media and communications specialist. He has worked for both local and international NGOs, gaining expertise in areas such as malaria, tuberculosis, mental health, and the implementation of women and youth programs. Prior to joining Panagora, Chilowekwa served as a communications and documentation specialist for PATH’s USAID Eradicate TB Project. In this role, he collaborated with the chief of party and team members to coordinate communication strategies. He also worked as a communications officer for PATH’s Malaria Control and Elimination Partnerships in Africa (MACEPA) project, where he documented stories and activities while highlighting impactful information for decision-makers.

Chilowekwa excels in strategy implementation, social media management, writing, and community and stakeholder engagement. He believes in maintaining an adaptable, sustainable, efficient, and effective working system that caters to the diverse needs and interests of individuals, stakeholders, and partners. Furthermore, Chilowekwa is a Global Health Corps Fellowship alumni and serves as an award leader for the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.

Chilowekwa holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of Zambia and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in mass communications. He is fluent in English, Bemba, and Nyanja.

Team Member

Entias Shunga
Driver
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Entias Shunga is a technical support specialist with 11 years of experience in providing transportation and administrative services in South Africa. He has experience in client-oriented environments that require planning and organization skills to ensure the safety and security of staff, visitors, and passengers. Entias is responsible for maintaining record-keeping documents and remaining in compliance with organizational policies and procedures. Entias holds a C1 with PDP driver’s license. He speaks IsiZulu, English,
and Sesotho.

Team Member

Irma Suzanna Sitompul
Program Specialist
MEL Platform, Indonesia

Irma Suzanna Sitompul is a program specialist on the USAID/Indonesia MEL Platform. Irma has more than seven years of experience implementing projects for international development organizations, including ADRA, Mercy Corps, Coca-Cola Foundation Indonesia, and Management Systems International. She served as one of Mercy Corps Indonesia Response Team members and deployed to respond to disasters during her employment with the organization. Irma holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Sumatera in Indonesia. Bahasa Indonesia is her native tongue and she also speaks fluent English.

Team Member

Johanna Theunissen
Senior Project Officer, Communications and Knowledge Management
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Johanna Theunissen is a communications professional with 18 years of experience working with non-profit organizations in southern Africa. This includes management of a program providing community-based HIV and TB services in Tshwane, South Africa, as well as overseeing all project communications for three USAID-funded, health-focused mechanisms: two regional projects and one specific to South Africa. Her program experience has fostered an excellent understanding of health systems in the region, particularly at community level, as well as strengths and weaknesses at the national and regional levels—enabling production of a wide range of meaningful communications products for a variety of platforms and audiences. She is skilled in strategic thinking and communicating program results, lessons learned, and impact on beneficiaries in a compelling way. Johanna holds an MPH from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.

Team Member

Giselle Toro
Cadastral Engineer and Geodesist
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Giselle Toro is a cadastral engineer and geodesist for USAID’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA) in Colombia. She has over seven years of experience in the administration and analysis of spatial data, in both the private and public sectors. She has experience working with protected communities, generating knowledge for the educational sector, and in business growth through spatial intelligence. She speaks Spanish natively.  

Team Member

Uchechi Sophie Uduma
Learning, Knowledge Management, and Strategic Communications Regional Officer
GHSC-PSM, Nigeria

Uchechi Sophie Uduma is a strategic communication professional with over 10 years of experience in international development and humanitarian aid. Prior joining Panagora, she worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), where she was responsible for leading communication activities in the South-South and South-East of Nigeria. She was Communications Specialist at Cuso International, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Cassava: Adding Value for Africa Project. She has also practiced journalism for a few years with LEADERSHIP Newspaper in Abuja. Sophie has rich expertise in designing, planning, implementing communication and media strategy, branding, content development, documenting success stories, advocacy, facilitation, and capacity building, strengthening institutional collaboration, and networking with diverse stakeholders including government, private sector and partner organizations. She currently works for Panagora as a Learning, Knowledge Management and Strategic Communications Regional Officer with the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM). She holds a BSc in mass communication from Abia State University, and is currently undergoing MSc in international development at the University of Edinburgh.

Team Member

Rose Twagirumukiza
Program Manager

Rose Twagirumukiza is Program Manager supporting the USAID/Colombia Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Short-term Activity (MELSA). Prior to joining Panagora, Rose was a Project Officer at Jhpiego, a leading global health and development organization, where she managed complex country operations and oversaw initiatives focused on malaria, epidemics, pandemics, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS prevention. Rose has many years’ experience in program management, international field work and the coordination of emergency aid, economic development and security efforts. She holds a Master’s degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, with a specialization in Global Politics and Security, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Spanish from Lake Forest College. At the heart of Rose’s work is a deep commitment to improving lives through cross-cultural collaboration and communication.

Team Member

Paolo Ungson
Health Data Management Specialist

Paolo Ungson is USAID’s Philippines, Pacific Islands, and Mongolia Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Activity Health Data Management Specialist. Paolo previously worked with the Panagora Group under the CLAimHealth and CLAimDev activities. His work focuses on monitoring and evaluation specifically on supporting the data quality assurance activities of the USAID/Philippines Office of Health. Paolo has been steeped into quantitative and qualitative research work under the USAID funded Health Policy Development Program (HPDP) 2 and the World Bank research on Health Financing Assessment and Local Service Delivery. In these assignments, Paolo crunched data for policy research and analysis.  Prior to working with the Panagora Group, Paolo was part of the team commissioned by the WHO-Philippines that conducted an implementation review of the Philippine National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance.  A licensed nurse, Paolo’s interest in public health was sparked by his volunteer work at the De La Salle TB Research Unit program on Multi-Drug Resistant TB, funded by the Global Fund.

Paolo has masters’units on Health Policy Studies at the University of the Philippines. He is fluent in both the English and Filipino language.

Team Member

Virginia Vallejo
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist
DOS INL, Dominican Republic

Virginia Vallejo joined the Panagora team in June 2022. She holds eight years of experience in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) social projects funded by agencies such as USAID, PEPFAR, USDA, DHAPP, among others. She brings more than 15 years of experience in designing quantitative and qualitative research tools, data collection logistics, data quality control, statistical analysis, and data process capability through statistics programs. She holds a Master of Arts degree in computational statistical information processing. Virginia’s native language is Spanish and speaks English fluently.   

Team Member

Femke van Doesum
Project Officer, Care and Treatment and Prevention
Technical Support Services (TSS), South Africa

Femke van Doesum is a project officer working on care and treatment and prevention for the USAID South Africa Technical Support Services (TSS) activity. She is a reliable, adaptive, and results-oriented midwife with over 18 years’ experience. Femke has extensive experience in HIV and AIDS education and care, childcare management, and antenatal care. She has worked in both government and private hospitals heading maternity units and as a midwife and acquired various trainings in HIV and AIDS and pediatrics through USAID’S Global Health E learning center. Femke is a current member of the South African Nursing Council. She speaks Dutch, English, and Afrikaans.

Team Member

Nathan Vasher
Senior Malaria Technical Specialist
GHSC-PSM

Nathan Vasher is as a senior malaria technical specialist on the GHSC-PSM project. He brings nine years of professional experience strengthening HIV/AIDS and malaria supply chain programs focusing on strategy development, project management, performance management, change management, training, and business process design. He has experience working with the PFSCM/USAID Supply Chain Management Systems (SCMS) project and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. He has also provided technical assistance to strengthen PEPFAR and PMI programs in multiple countries, including South Africa, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, and Cote D’Ivoire. Nathan holds an MA from the University of Denver in Global Finance, Economics and Trade

 

Team Member

Milagro Ventura
Grants Coordinator, (LGHS) Localize Global Health Security

Milagro Ventura is the Grants Coordinator for the USAID Localize Global Health Security project. She brings three years of experience supporting international development programs in Latin America, and three years of experience of working as a legal assistant. Before working with Panagora, Milagro has worked with Chemonic International, where she supported a community security project in El Salvador. She holds a master’s in international development with a concentration in community program design from the American University School of International Studies and holds a bachelor’s in international relations from Mary Baldwin University where she focused in peacebuilding and conflict resolution and studied abroad in Haiti. She is fluent in Spanish.

Team Member

Maria Victoria Vega
Communications Assistant
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Maria Victoria Vega is a communications assistant at Panagora’s Colombia office. She supports the team by revising important texts and presentations, helping organize CLA Fridays, and putting together the monthly newsletter sharing all of the team’s accomplishments. This is her first role working in the international development field. Previously, her experience was in the technology and food services sectors. She lived in Trinidad and Tobago as a child, learned English from a very young age, and has been practicing French for the past 6 years. Her native language is Spanish. 

Team Member

Eveline Viegas
Chief of Party
MEL Platform, Indonesia

Eveline Viegas serves as the chief of party of the USAID Indonesia Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Platform. She has 20 years of experience in development and a proven track record of providing leadership, technical guidance, and project oversight to guide integrated and multi-sectoral MEL USAID-funded programs to success. In addition to MEL, Eveline brings expertise and technical experience in governance (capacity building, systems strengthening and decentralization) and civil society strengthening, community development, WASH, education, and infrastructure. She is fluent in Portuguese, French, and English and holds a master’s degree in international studies and diplomacy from the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies, UK.

Team Member

Minan Yousif
Program Cycle Specialist
Sudan MEL

Minan Yousif is a program cycle specialist for the USAID/Sudan Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Activity. She is a development practitioner with five years of experience in the humanitarian and development field.  Minan focuses on supporting developmental and humanitarian interventions through research, evaluation, and program design support. Her diverse experience includes monitoring and evaluating humanitarian interventions, working on conflict related projects, and democratic transition support activities, among others. She has supported activities run and funded by a range of international and local actors including UNOCHA, USAID, and Chemonics. Through contributing to various aspects of program cycles, Minan has informed relevant, evidence-based, and impactful programming in various areas of the country, including Darfur and Eastern and Northern Sudan. Prior to joining Panagora Group, Minan conducted information analysis and research to inform programming and strategy design on a democratic transition support program funded by USAID and implemented by Chemonics. Minan holds a master’s degree in International Development from The London School of Economics, a Bachelor of Law, and a legal practice license from the Sudanese Bar Association. She speaks fluent Arabic and English and strives to learn French. Minan hopes to contribute to Panagora Group’s efforts in the Sudan MEL activity through her diverse experience and unwavering passion for achieving meaningful programming in Sudan.

 

 

Team Member

Érika Xibillé
Administrative & Finance Manager
USAID Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA), Colombia

Érika Xibillé is an accomplished business administrator with over 25 years of experience and a specialist in international business and corporate finance. Currently serving as the Administrative and Finance Manager for the USAID Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Short-Term Activity (MELSA) in Colombia, Érika has worked 12 years on development projects funded by USAID. Her work spans diverse sectors, including rural development, sustainable development, local government strengthening, and social development. Throughout her career, Érika has consistently demonstrated her ability to develop, improve, and implement administrative and financial processes. Her strategic approach to business relations, activity planning, budget control, and resource management has been instrumental in driving the success of the projects she oversees. A native Spanish speaker, Érika is also fluent in English. With a strong focus on goals and a passion for fostering positive interpersonal relationships, Érika is enthusiastic about contributing to the success of Panagora’s team.