USAID ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Calendar

New! On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, there will be a UAA/DACOR Development Dialogue at DACOR featuring Georgetown School of Foreign Service Professor of Practice Shanta Devarajan.  The longtime World Bank senior economist will speak on “Crises in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh: The Costs of Denial”.  To attend please click here.

New! On Friday, February 7, 2025, there will be a UAA/DACOR Development Dialogue at DACOR featuring Dr. Charles “Ok” Pannenborg, formerly the World Bank’s chief health scientist/director.  He will speak on “The Impact of a Plastics Pandemic: multiple severe diseases of unknown origin, significantly declining human fertility, and the wider policy implications for all nations.” Further details of this luncheon will follow closer to the event.

Note from the UAA Board

A total of 166 members, in-person and virtual, registered to attend this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on October 11^th. Gratitude was extended to Board members who are stepping down: Joy Riggs-Perla for her work as Board Secretary, including preparing the Annual Results Report which appears HERE, and Miles Toder for his work on expanding membership outreach in Florida.

Here are the new UAA Board members (l to r): Tony Pryor, Ken Yamashita, Denise Rollins, Tony Chan, Roberta Mahoney and Chris Milligan. Absent is Oren Whyche-Shaw.

The keynote speaker, Administrator Samantha Power, shared with us encouraging developments, ongoing challenges, and the changing nature of the number and intensity of complex crises faced by USAID. Former Administrator Andrew Natsios shared with us his thoughts on the convergence of humanitarian and development assistance.

Two panels followed, one with a Washington perspective and one with a field perspective on the challenges of simultaneously addressing humanitarian and development issues.  The UAA Annual Awards were presented to Frank Young (posthumously), and Gul Saleh.  Awardees are profiled below.

This meeting would not have been possible without the exceptional work of AGM Co-chairs, Stephen Wingert and Terry Brown, and the many volunteers who make these events possible. A special thanks to the Administrator’s staff for organizing her participation and to the Center for Global Development for the gracious and kind support. See the article below for details.

Annual General Meeting

Participants at this year’s AGM provided ample photo opportunities, including the group surrounding Administrator Samantha Power who was so generous with her time to respond to myriad questions from the audience.   To see more photos please click here. 

Report on the USAID Alumni Association 2024 Annual General Meeting

The USAID Alumni Association (UAA) Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held on October 11, 2024, with both in-person attendance and via Zoom Webinar. Members attending in-person enjoyed seeing friends and former colleagues. Those not able to do so appreciated the virtual connection that enabled UAA members across the United States and in other countries to participate. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions conducted during the meeting. Portions of the AGM were recorded and can be viewed by clicking here.  The session with Administrator Power was not recorded at her request.

The overall theme of the meeting was the nexus between humanitarian and development assistance. The following were the meeting’s principal agenda items:

• Opening remarks by USAID Administrator Samanta Power, followed by an extended period for questions and answers.
• Observations on humanitarian and development assistance by former USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios.
• Two panel discussions on the meeting’s theme, first the perspective from Washington based senior staff, and then the view from the Ethiopia field Mission.
• UAA Alumni of the Year awards for international and domestic service.
• Results of the UAA Board elections by UAA Co-chairs Ken Yamashita and Roberta Mahoney.

As has now become tradition, the AGM was held at the Center for Global Development (CGD) in Washington, DC. The UAA’s members were welcomed by Mark Plant, CGD’s Chief Operating Officer. He highlighted the close working relationship between CGD and UAA and the interaction between UAA members and CGD staff. He congratulated USAID Administrator Power in his welcoming remarks for her leadership, giving as an example her emphasis in addressing the lingering issue of reduced mental capacity of millions of children due to lead poisoning in developing countries. 

To view a summary of these proceedings please click here.

Consider joining and playing a role on one of UAA’s Committees. While members work hard, they also have fun and help alumni stay connected to others with similar interests and the larger USAID alumni community.  You can stay updated on the latest regarding Committees and Co-Chairs by checking the UAA website here. 

Anchors Away on the UAA Odessey Cruise!

On October 10 UAA hosted a City Dinner Cruise up the Potomac River prior to the Annual General Meeting. Who would have thought that the USAID Alumni Association, a group of retired Foreign Service Officers and senior citizens, could have such a blast? Yet, on Thursday, October 10th, nearly 20 UAA members boarded the Odyssey for a dinner cruise on the Potomac River. The evening turned into a lively party, with us, the oldest patrons, leading the way on the dance floor. It’s been 20 years since many of us danced that much! The DJ was a hit, playing a mix of music from our youth, early careers, and contemporary hits. The dinner and cocktails were delightful, adding to the fun. The cruise was a perfect prelude to UAA’s Annual General (AGM) Meeting held on Friday, October 12th.

We started in Southwest DC and sailed by Haines Point and Fort McNair. As the sun set the lights of DC came up and the monuments and Kennedy Center glowed. Our city looked beautiful! As dinner was served and the music began, we could see the lights of Georgetown and as we returned down the river the lights of the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial and the Air Force Memorial lit the skyline. The music was great as was the food and service on-board.

The Dance Flotilla!
We danced and laughed, walked the deck and recounted memories of what we saw…it was a lovely evening all in all! Thank you to our wonderful 19 shipmates for making it such a wonderful night! Our thanks to Washington Cruise Line and City Experiences and the Crew of the Odyssey!   Click here to see the rogues’ gallery.

USAID Alumni Association Annual Picnic: A Windy Success!  

Well, it didn’t rain on our picnic this time!  That said, Mother Nature was out in gale force, and it was a “bit chilly.” Kudos to the well-prepared who were equipped with sweatshirts and blankets!! All told we had 50+ members present—some new, some old on September 7, 2024, in Fort Hunt Park, Alexandria, VA. We enjoyed meeting new members and seeing the next generation of kids.

Despite the brisk winds and chilly temperatures, there was wonderful camaraderie and always warm and engaging conversations and delicious food!!

Thank you to everyone who braved the elements and made this event memorable!  A special thanks to our extraordinary Social Committee (Karen Freeman, Margot Ellis, Denise Rollins, Sharon Pauling, Melissa Williams, Georgia Sambunaris, Susan Fine, Christine Sheckler, and Miles Toder), Ven Suresh and Carol Dabbs who kept us on financial and digital track and our UAA Leadership Team who supported the event. 

We discussed upcoming events, such as the Annual General Meeting on October 11, and we announced the River Dinner Cruise to complement the meeting on the night of the 10^th.  Sign-ups are out for both, and we welcome all to come and assemble again!  Same place next year, we’ll let you know what we have cookin’ for the next year but if you have ideas, please let the Social Committee know!  See the rogue’s gallery here.

UAA Hosts Visiting Mission Directors and Country Representatives

On Thursday, July 31, 2024, the USAID Alumni Association (UAA) hosted a significant event, bringing together over 60 Mission Directors, Country Representatives, and senior staff from posts around the globe at a reception at the Yours Truly Hotel at Dupont Circle, NW in Washington.

 The evening was an excellent opportunity for more than 40 UAA members to reconnect

 with many MDs and former colleagues, set against the backdrop of a perfect venue, with a DJ playing music and UAA-funded appetizers. The new Agency leaders, now heading our most important international development programs worldwide, are a testament to the talent and commitment within our community.   The team spirit was overwhelming among Foreign Service Officers and USAID alums, with notable camaraderie and bonding. The event allowed MDs and UAA members to socialize during the official MDs Conference.

Conversations were filled with reminiscences and updates. ‘Where are you now? How IS retirement? Do you remember…? ‘ and’ So proud of what you’re doing in…’ were common themes. Team spirit, camaraderie, curiosity, and admiration were not just present but overwhelming. The event occurred on the margins of the Mission Directors’ Conference in Washington.  Click here to see more photos from this event.  

Supporting Our Mission Israel LE Staff Colleagues Via the FSN Emergency Relief Fund

Our colleagues, especially the Locally Employed Staff at Mission Israel and those residing in Gaza, are directly affected by the war between Israel and Hamas.  This includes those working for USAID. 

AFSA would like to draw attention to the opportunity for all of us to meaningfully support our colleagues by giving to the FSN Emergency Relief Fund. We urge you to continue reading here to learn more about this Fund and to explore how you can lend your support.  

Emergency Relief Funds for Ukraine:  for FSNs and for Ukrainian Citizens

For information about contributing to relief of the Ukraine emergency, including the FSN Emergency Relief Fund and ways to support the people of Ukraine compiled by DACOR Bacon House Foundation’s Development Office, click here.

UAA Partnership with American University Library Archives

Since 2019 the American University Library Archives have welcomed donations of AID alumni personal memorabilia of their USAID service. The UAA has now established a partnership with the Archives to support the preparation, processing, and making available to researchers of these papers, including those donated by the UAA and by individual alumni and others.  We envision the program will continue for five or more years; after two years the Archivist and UAA will assess the program’s effectiveness before committing for the additional years.  The UAA has pledged an initial sum of $10,000 over two years ($5,000 each year) to finance student interns to help prepare and organize these papers and make them more easily available. The funding for this program is drawn entirely from contributions made to the AID history project, which included the clear hope that the book would stimulate further study and understanding of AID’s more than 60 years of development history. AID alumni are strongly urged to consider donating their memorabilia to this collection. (See https://usaidalumni.org/uaa-and-american-university-archives-opportunity-for-usaid-alumni/) 

UAA Development Issues Committee Dialogue:

Prof. Julia Irwin on her new book, Catastrophic Diplomacy:  US Foreign Disaster Assistance in the American Century

On Thursday morning, September 26, 2024, Professor Julia Irwin spoke at a virtual program featured as a lead-in to the October 11 UAA AGM. This AGM’s theme is the nexus between humanitarian and development assistance, a topic discussed at some length by Prof. Irwin in her recently published book Catastrophic Diplomacy:  US Foreign Disaster Assistance in the American Century. She helped audience members understand how this relationship evolved over the past century, bringing us to where USAID finds itself today. Click on this link to follow the program.

UAA/DACOR Development Dialogue: 

Sir Masood Ahmed discussed “Are we at a Tipping Point for Development Cooperation?”

Sir Masood Ahmed and Alex Shakow at DACOR

On Friday, September 6, 2024, Sir Masood Ahmed, engaged in conversation with a good crowd of UAA and DACOR members to discuss “Are we at a Tipping Point for Development Cooperation?” Masood has just retired as President of the Center for Global Development, capping off an illustrious and productive 45-year career as a leader in development thinking. This experience was evident through his insightful comments and thought-provoking challenges to all during this hour-long presentation. Follow the entire program by clicking on the link here.

“The Enduring Struggle:  The History of the U.S. Agency for International Development and America’s Uneasy Transformation of the World “

by John Norris

John Norris‘ book, The Enduring Struggle – The History of the Agency for International Development and America’s Uneasy Transformation of the World, was published in July 2021. In a short review, Foreign Affairs wrote:  “This comprehensive history of the U.S. Agency for International Development…deserves to be read by all students of U.S. foreign policy.”  A very positive review of The Enduring Struggle by Mary Jane Maxwell has recently been published in the Journal of World History.  (Read it here.)  Copies may be purchased from the publisher at a 30 percent discount by using the form at this link.  Alumni with suggestions for events that will popularize the book or to generate reviews should send their suggestions to Alex Shakow at ashakow@comcast.net. 

Additions to the Bibliography of USAID Authors