Newsletter: September 2022

September 2022 Newsletter

Note from the UAA Board
Welcome back from summer “vacation!” We hope that you have had a restful, rejuvenating and healthy break whether in steamy DMV or elsewhere.

 

September begins a busy season for UAA.

 

We resume our regular schedule of Board and Executive Committee meetings on September 1 and 15.

 

Our next quarterly meeting with Deputy Administrator Adams-Allen is scheduled for Thursday, September 15 at 3 PM; we will update her on our joint activities under our USAID-UAA MOU.

 

We’re making final preparations for the AGM at the end of October. This hybrid meeting (in-person and virtual) promises an exciting agenda of timely topics, including a focus on USAID’s localization policy, public outreach, the annual report of accomplishments and plans of activities for the coming year, our annual awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award, and announcement of the election of new UAA Board members.

 

Finally, and to cheer us on with our work, September sees our annual picnic on Sunday the 11th. Unfortunately, the park venue does not have Wifi capability, so this will be an in-person event only. Nonetheless, we hope that as many of you as possible will join us for a covered-dish meal and time together with friends and colleagues.

 

That’s a busy month! Mentor recruitment for the 12th Cohort of the UAA-USAID mentoring programs takes place this month with a deadline for volunteering of September 30th. See the item below for details. A big “Thank You!” to the UAA committee members who continued to work over the summer to prepare all these activities. We hope to see you at the picnic, that you’ll attend the AGM, and that you’ll VOTE for three new Board members in October (and again in November)!!

Calendar of Upcoming UAA Events
Friday, September 9th at 2:30 pm. As DACOR Bacon House Foundation’s end of summer Homecoming event, there will be a full English Afternoon Tea celebration in honor of the 132nd birthday of DACOR’s benefactor, Mrs. Virginia Murray Bacon, surrounded by the splendor that is DACOR Bacon House. $100 of your $132 subscription is tax-deductible and goes directly to the House Preservation Fund. Click here to register for this delightful birthday event! (Subscriptions close on September 5th at noon.)

 

Sunday, September 11, 2022, 12:00 – 3:00 pm EDT. The UAA Summer Picnic will again be held at Fort Hunt Park in Alexandria, VA. We hope that you and family members will be able to join us! For details, see the article below.

 

Thursday, September 22, 11:00 am – 2:30 pm, Exeter, NH. Luncheon address by Dr. Tina Dooley-Jones, retired Senior FSO, and last USAID Director in Afghanistan, on “USAID and Foreign Policy in Afghanistan.” The luncheon is hosted by the Foreign Affairs Retirees of New England (FARNE). Reservations must be received no later than September 9. For details on the venue, cost, how to reserve, etc. contact Liz Barnett at barnett1895@hotmail.com.

 

Tuesday, September 27, 2022, 1:00-2:30pm. The Development Issues Committee is pleased to announce it will hold a discussion on Zoom on the Administration’s new Africa policy and its implications for USAID policy and programming. See the detailed announcement in the Development Issues section, below.

 

Thursday, October 6, 2022, 11:00 a.m.– Noon. UAA/DACOR Development Dialogue – Freedom House President Michael Abramowitz in conversation with the UAA’s Larry Garber. Freedom House is the oldest American organization devoted to the support and defense of democracy around the world. Support for democracy is in decline around the world – please join us for candid discussion of what the US and other countries can and should do about this. Watch for a detailed message closer to the event.

 

Friday, October 28, 2022, is the date for UAA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) this year. The AGM will be held in-person at the Center for Global Development. Members who prefer to attend virtually, and those who live outside the Washington, DC area, will be able to join via Zoom. See the fuller article below for more details and an agenda.

New! on USAIDAlumni.org

In Memoriam: Eugene Harold Rauch, Townsend Smith Swayze, Margie C. Jaspersen, David Shear, John Ray Oleson, Douglas Sheldon, Richard N. Blue, and Jack Heller.

 

Articles

 

Development Resources: Bibliography of USAID Authors — History and Biography

  • Klaits, Alex and Gulchin Gulmamadova-Klaits, Love and War in Afghanistan, (2006, ISBN-13: 978-1583227275). The Klaits’ accounts of fourteen ordinary men and women living in Northern Afghanistan faced daily with their own vulnerability during a quarter-century of uninterrupted war puts a human face onto a country torn by war.
  • Phillips, Rufus C. III, Stablizing Fragile States: Why it Matters and What to Do About It (2022, ISBN: ‎ 0700633049). The head of Rural Affairs for USAID/Vietnam beginning in 1962 argued for a new approach to dealing with failed and fragile states — still a topic very much on USAID’s collective mind.

 

Bulletin Board

 

Jobs & Volunteer Opportunities

UAA Summer Picnic, September 11

Sunday, September 11, 2022

12:00 noon – 3:00 pm

 

Fort Hunt Park, Site B-001

8999 Fort Hunt Road (off George Washington Memorial Parkway)

Alexandria, VA 22308

 

The UAA will hold its tenth annual summer picnic on Sunday, September 11, 2022, from noon until 3:00 p.m. at Fort Hunt Park picnic area. As we gather on this date – the 21st anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attack – we mourn the historic loss of lives, reflect on the country’s resilience, and find purpose in enjoying the fellowship of UAA friends and colleagues. We hope everyone will come and bring other alumni, children, games, guitars, etc.

 

Based on the enthusiastic response in years prior to the coronavirus pandemic, we will repeat our successful covered-dish lunch, with participants bringing dishes to share. We will provide nonalcoholic beverages and water, table covers, paper goods, cups and plastic flatware. Please bring your own wine and beer – and some to share. The area has a liquor license, but for wine and beer only.

 

Please bring one dish sufficient for 6 to 8 people. If you have a special dish, that would be great. Otherwise, please bring a dish (with serving implement and labeled with your name) according to the following categories:

 

  • People with last names beginning A through D, a salad or side dish.
  • People with last names beginning E through M, a main dish.
  • People with last names beginning N through R, an appetizer.
  • People with last names beginning S through Z, a dessert.

 

The parking lot is a very short stroll to the sheltered picnic area, so we will proceed rain or shine.

 

Covid Requirements: Since this is an outdoor event, masks are not required. Participants are requested to be fully vaccinated/boosted, and you are encouraged to do an at–home covid test before the event.

 

Directions: Fort Hunt is South of Alexandria and just north of Mount Vernon.

  • From I-395, take exit 10B for the southbound George Washington Memorial Parkway.
  • Merge onto the parkway and continue for about 12 miles.
  • Turn right onto Fort Hunt Road.
  • Continue to Fort Hunt Park.
  • Follow signs to Site B-001.

 

Please sign up by clicking here.

UAA-USAID Mentoring Program: 12th Cohort Seeking Mentors

Please join us as a volunteer mentor!

 

UAA is excited to announce Cohort 12 of the Mentor Program. The deadline for volunteering is September 30th. As a Mentor, you will spend an average of one to two hours of your time each month talking with USAID FSOs facing issues and concerns you encountered during your career. The time spent helping FSOs manage their careers and life in the Foreign Service can be among the most rewarding hours you will experience each month. Mentor training will take place in early January.

 

Cohort 12 will focus on mentoring FSOs posted overseas in Africa and health officers and in Senior Leadership Group assignments.

 

Many thanks to Alicia Dinerstein and Rose Rakas, who successfully managed the mentor program for the past five years! They have now passed management on to Denise Rollins and Terry Brown.

 

See the full mentor program announcement here.

 

To join the ranks of UAA mentors, please complete the mentor profile by clicking this link to summarize your experience to help us match you to a promising FSO.

Applications Open for 2023 USAID-Howard University Payne Fellowship

The Payne Fellowship is seeking outstanding Fellows for the 2023 Cohort. These individuals will train for the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) Foreign Service Officer (FSO) positions. Over the past few years, UAA has successfully provided mentors for the Payne Fellows.

This graduate fellowship, now celebrating its 10th Anniversary, is sponsored by USAID and administered by Howard University. It encourages applications from members of historically underrepresented groups and those with financial need.

For more details, click here.

UAA’s Annual General Meeting, October 28, 2022

Friday, October 28, an in-person Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held at the Center for Global Development. Members who prefer to attend virtually, and those who live outside the Washington, DC area will be able to join via Zoom.

 

We have invited Administrator Power to join us again this year, followed by a Q&A session. The topic for our panel discussions will be “Localization and Sustainable Development.”

 

The AGM will also feature a session on public outreach as well as the presentations of the special UAA Lifetime Achievement Recognition to someone familiar to almost all UAA members and of the annual Alumni of the Year award winners!

 

Please click here for the agenda.

 

Contributing UAA members are welcome to participate but the UAA membership contributions for 2022 must be received by September 30 to ensure an invitation.

You can check the UAA website listing here to see if you have contributed yet for 2022. We will also announce the results of the October election of the three new UAA Board members.

UAA Membership Dues

It’s still not too late to contribute to UAA by becoming a dues-paying member for the 2022 calendar year, if your payment is received by November 30, 2022, UAA will allow you a grace period for 2022 members to attend members-only events through March 31, 2023, pending payment of their 2023 dues.

 

Your dues must be received by September 30, 2022 to be eligible to vote in October for the new UAA Board members, and sure to receive an invitation to the Annual General Meeting of October 28, 2022. If you will mail a check, please send it to 1801 F St, NW, Washington, DC 20006 — we no longer use the PO box in Alexandria, VA.

 

On the other hand, if you are reading someone else’s copy of this newsletter and would just like to receive UAA’s informative messages in your own inbox, you can register with UAA without paying dues.

 

Specifics about paying dues and registering are found on the left-hand side of the opening page of our website: https://usaidalumni.org/ If you mail a check, please send it to 1801 F St, NW, Washington, DC 20006 — we no longer use the PO box in Alexandria, VA. You can check whether you already paid 2022 dues here.

Special ADST Project for Oral Histories on the U.S. in Afghanistan Post-2001

The Association of Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST) is launching a special project, “Oral Histories of U.S. Diplomacy in Afghanistan, 2001 – 2021.” If you are interested in learning more or in participating, please see this link.

 

The special project is funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

 

Even if you have already done an ADST oral history, you may have more to say about your experiences in Afghanistan, so we encourage you to reach out to ADST to see if you are eligible to participate. If you haven’t already done an oral history with ADST, this is a great way to get started on a portion of your career.

2022 Sammies from USAID: Jonathan Dworken and Josh Josa

See here for the Partnership for Public Service’s announcement of Jonathan Dworken’s status as finalist for the Service to America (“Sammie”) medal in the Safety, Security and International Affairs category, for his work as Office of East African Affairs Director on USAID’s program in Ethiopia. Medalists will be selected in September.

 

See here for PPS’s announcement that Josh Josa won the 2022 Sammie’s “People’s Choice Award” for his work as an Inclusive Education Specialist in promoting educational opportunities for children and youth with disabilities.

UAA Vermont

On July 20 Connie Carrino and husband Jeff welcomed the annual Development Wallahs gathering at their home in Stowe, Vermont. This year theWallahs included reps from Maine as well as Vermont. Food, memories and laughs were shared by all. Note the well-weeded garden setting!

(Left to right) Steve Sinding; Margaret Neuse; Gary Newton; Mike Van Dusen; Joan Newton; Connie Carrino (directly behind Joan Newton); John Westley; Joan Westley;  Linda Bonner; Nils Daulaire; Jim Bonner; Ann Van Dusen; Anne Aarnes; David Sprague; Jason Weisfeld; Bill Pedersen; Ellen Frost. Missing from photo: Jeff Sharat and Bernard Guyer.

Development Issues

Tuesday, September 27th , 2022, from 1:00- 2:30pm. The Development Issues Committee is pleased to announce it will hold a discussion on Zoom on the Administration’s new Africa policy and its implications for USAID policy and programming. Our guest discussion leaders will be Ervin Massinga, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Africa at the Department of State; Diana Putman, Acting Assistant Administrator of USAID’s Africa Bureau; and W. Gyude Moore, Senior Policy Fellow at the Center for Global Development. The discussion will be open to all UAA members who have made a 2022 contribution. Please register for the discussion by clicking this link. All those registered will receive an email with instructions on how to participate in the discussion on Monday September 26, 2022. Registration and Zoom details will be provided beginning about two weeks prior to the event. We look forward to what should be a very interesting discussion.

 

On July 14, 2022, UAA’s Development Issues Committee hosted a discussion on “Impacts on Developing Countries of the Impending Food Security Crisis Exacerbated by Climate Change, the War in Ukraine and Supply Chain Issues.” Discussion leaders were Mike Michener, Deputy Assistant Administrator of USAID’s Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, Paul Dorosh, Director of the Development, Strategy and Governance Division of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Dina Esposito, Vice President for Technical Leadership of Mercy Corps. Click here for detailed notes on the discussion, including the Q&A period. Click here for a YouTube video. Click here for slides presented by Mr. Dorosh.

Alumni Profile: Clifford Brown

Cliff visiting USAID-supported cacao nurseries in Peru in 2013 as USPSC

Clifford Brown left a law partnership in Beverly Hills to become a USAID legal advisor from 1987 to 1999, serving as such in DC, Kenya, Honduras and Guatemala. He later became Democracy Office Chief in Nicaragua, Deputy Mission Director in Colombia, USAID representative to Kyrgyzstan, and finally the Mission Director for Guinea/Sierra Leone.

In 2009, Cliff retired to the Tri-Cities in Washington State and soon became President of a local NGO seeking to establish a shelter for homeless teens. He spoke to many churches and local service groups and media about this cause.

Cliff explains that parents and teenagers separate for countless reasons, but in Washington, as in most states, minors cannot legally stay alone at adult homeless shelters. “It’s a serious, largely unreported problem,” he said.

This idea caught on; local media and his Kiwanis Club got on board. Cliff proposed a revolving event on a peninsula in the Columbia River at which the costumed attendees could wander among various venues, listening to local volunteer musicians. Cliff served as Master of Ceremonies of the event, dubbed “The Lawyers’ and Artists’ Costume Ball.” By auctioning wine from local wineries, art from local artists, and private performances from the musicians, they raised sufficient funds, including one large donation from a father whose homeless son died of suicide, to serve as counterpart for a local government grant. This allowed the opening of My Friends Place, using a facility previously housing delinquent juveniles. Cliff also persuaded another, more established local NGO, Safe Harbor Nursery, to become the host.

 

Ten years later, Safe Harbor’s My Friends Place is still attracting significant donations and has sheltered hundreds of homeless teenagers, saving some lives in the process. Cliff said that, for him, it overshadows his many achievements with USAID. He invites UAA alumni to visit the website: https://www.facebook.com/my.friends.place.kennewick/ and to watch the short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRp5MloBKs0

Cliff’s former wife Ellen Brown is an attorney and writer in Los Angeles and is head of the Public Banking Institute which she founded. Their adult children, Jeff and Jamie, live in Bogota, Colombia and Interlaken, Switzerland, respectively, and gave them two grandchildren. In 2005, in Kyrgyzstan, Cliff married his Russian teacher, Gulnura. He now spends time as daddy and driver for their three children (ages 8, 8, and 15) and as groundskeeper for their home in Clarksville, Maryland. Cliff welcomes hearing from UAA friends and colleagues at clifford8brown@gmail.com.

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