USAID Alumni Association
April 2012
Welcome to New UAA Members
The UAA Executive Committee would like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome
new UAA members. Since January 1, 2012 the UAA has added 21 new members, bringing
total membership to 702.
Click here to see the most up-to-date Member Directory. If you need a password to view the
directory, please email kshort@usaidalumni.org
New Members from January 1, 2012 – April 7, 2012 include:
Gregg Baker
Pushkar Brahmbhatt
Richard Brown
William Cherry
Julius Coles
Wilma Ditter
Loc Eckersley
Barbara Herz
Aliya Ishmukhamedova
Pamela Johnson
Thomas Kraczkiewicz
Peter Lapera
Stephen Lintner
Alexander Love
Luke Malabad
Francesca Nelson
Paul Thorn
Anne Tinker
Gary Towery
Michelle Ward-Brent
George Gardiner Wood
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New on USAIDALUMNI.org
- View the revised suggested UAA membership contribution levels for 2012 and make your contribution online.
- The Alumni Directory was recently updated.
- In the Forum, read the obituaries of recently deceased alumni Peter Cody and Milt Freundel.
- Read a brief report on the first ever UAA Happy Hour.
- In the 2011 AGM section, read the newly added legacy interviews conducted with
- 14 of our colleagues.
- Check out opportunities relevant to USAID alumni on the AFSA Jobs Board through a link in the Jobs and Volunteer Section.
- New in Articles: The FY ’13 State and USAID Budget Fact Sheet; a video of a USAID Town Hall meeting featuring Secretary Clinton and Administrator Shah; “How to Rig an Election” from the Economist; and the USAID Administrator’s second Annual Letter.
- New in Links: For you nostalgia buffs, Handbook 3 is available for your perusal as is the most recent edition of Front Lines.
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News and Updates
First UAA Social Held February 28, 2012:
The UAA held its first ever social event on February 28 at the Continental in Rosslyn. We were very pleased with the turnout for the casual event which brought colleagues together who would normally only see each other at the Annual General Meeting. We plan to get together again at the end of May and hope to see you there! Keep your eye on the website for updated information on the date, time, and location.
Calling Vermont-Area Alumni:
USAID Alumni in the Vermont area will again hold an annual get-together. Connie Carrino is organizing the gathering this year. If you would like more information, please contact her at cacarrino@gmail.com
Where in the World – USAID Staff Movements:
As you all know, Frontlines is no longer publishing the Where in the World – Staff Movements, but they have provided the information to the UAA to publish in our Newsletter, if we wish. Please let us know if you would find information about those retiring and “moving on” of interest. Write to office@usaidalumni.org
Development Panel Moderated by Irving Rosenthal:
On March 30, 2012 Irving Rosenthal served as moderator for the American University Friday Forum entitled “Are U.S. Foreign Policy/Aid Development Goals and Operations Being Crowded Out by U.S. National Security Interests?”, which explored the evolving relationship between U.S. international development agencies and other U.S. foreign affairs agencies. Panelists included Diana Ohlbaum (House Committee on Foreign Affairs), Noam Unger (Brookings Institution), and Larry Garber (USAID).
Lost and Found – Trench Coat from 2011 AGM:
The coat is a petite-sized, sand colored trench coat with four double-rowed brown buttons. It has a belt and belted cuffs with a button strap on each shoulder. The designer is Zara Basic and it was made in Indonesia.
To claim, please contact: office@usaidalumni.org
If you have any news or announcements that you would like to share with the UAA
community in our June 2012 newsletter, please email intern@usaidalumni.org with the details.
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News from the Membership Services Committee
UAA membership is open to several categories of individuals who have previously worked with USAID for at least two years. Categories include: retired GS and FS, PSCs, FSNs , PASAs, RASAs, TCNs, AAAS Fellows, ADs and rehired annuitants. Please spread the word that all are welcome!
Joining UAA is a simple two-step process:
- First, to register for inclusion in our Directory, go to: https://usaidalumni.org/get-involved/membership/
- Next, to make your membership contribution online, go to: https://co.clickandpledge.com/sp/d1/default.aspx?wid=46274 (or send a check to DACOR House at the address listed.)
The suggested contribution levels are: $75 for those within a 50 mile radius of DC, $50 for those who reside in the US but beyond the DC area, and $25 for those who live overseas or are former FSNs.
The Membership Services Committee is actively seeking new members whether located in the Washington DC area or elsewhere in the U.S. or overseas. Our Committee currently includes members in Winchester, VA as well as Nairobi, Kenya. Join us!
Watch for the announcement on our website of the next membership event in the DC area scheduled for May!
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Alumni Profile: Brother Dismas aka. Sean O’Leary
as told to Patrick Rader
In 1983, Sean O’Leary began working as a PSC Executive Officer for USAID/The Gambia. He served until 1996 when USAID closed due to a coup two years earlier. After serving in several Missions he was hired into the Executive Office of USAID/Kosovo. By Christmas 2003 Sean found himself on leave in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was there that he experienced a very real and powerful call to the eremitic (hermit) life.
He spent the next five years in The Gambia living as Brother Dismas, a hermit under the private vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and provided free medical care to the sick poor. Towards the end of that time, he went to see the Bishop of the diocese of Banjul to seek the status of canonical hermit. After a two year application process, the Bishop called Brother Dismas to his office where he broke the news that he would be allowed to be consecrated and make his commitment publicly before the congregation of the Church where he had been worshiping. During the ceremony three years ago, the Bishop blessed his habit and accepted his final perpetual life vows and became known as Brother Dismas Mary of the Cross.
Brother Dismas is a Canonical Penitent Hermit of Divine Mercy in the Diocese of Banjul, The Gambia. As a hermit, his life is dedicated to penance, prayer, contemplation and work (caring for the sick poor who come to the hermitage daily). His personal rule of life is an adaption of the first order rule of St. Francis of Assisi, thus he has become an actual beggar in order to meet the needs of the people who come to the hermitage seeking medical help.
If you would like to contact Brother Dismas or help his cause, you may reach him at the coordinates below to learn more.
Nazareth Hermitage
c/o Catholic Secretariat
PO Box 165
Banjul, The Gambia
West Africa
http://brotherdismas.blogspot.com/
brotherdismas@yahoo.com
cell: +220 373 1912
cell: +220 773 1912
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Invitation to USAID Alumni Residing Overseas
UAA sends a special invitation to alumni living overseas to become members of the Association. To become a registered and contributing member is simple (just click the highlighted words in this sentence).
UAA also is looking for overseas alumni who might be interested in volunteering as a point of contact (POC) with other alumni in their country of residence.
To express interest in serving as a POC, please contact Phil Church at: pechurch@yahoo.com.
And please pass along word of the UAA website and this invitation to alumni friends and acquaintances who you think might be interested in joining your alumni association.
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USAID FrontLines Photo Contest
FrontLines is holding a photo contest, open to any FrontLines reader, focused on photos that show the agency’s work with the environment. Winners will be announced to coincide with Earth Day celebrations.
The deadline for photo entries is Monday, April 16.
Details and requirements can be found at: http://www.usaid.gov/press/frontlines/photo_contest.html
A gallery of previous FrontLines photo contests – including a slideshow of last year’s environment photo contest winners – can be found at: http://www.usaid.gov/press/frontlines/fl_mar12/FL_PhotoArchive.html
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Urban Issues and Making Cities Work Speaker Series
Investing in Urban Sustainability
Thursday, May 3rd 2012
2:30-3:30pm and by webinar
M-17, USAID Info Center
Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC
Join Prof. Jacob Park as he discusses the critical need to identify and allocate the necessary financial and organizational resources toward a wide range of urban sustainability priorities. With declining public resources and limited private sector engagement, what are the emerging models of investment and financial innovations to enable the next generation of urban sustainable solutions, particularly at the community level in the base of the pyramid economies?
To RSVP for this event and for more information, contact Nancy Leahy at nleahy@usaid.gov
Those interested in urban issues can sign up to be notified of future events at http://www.makingcititeswork.org
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