President Nancy Birdsall Vice Presidents Ruth Levine, Vice President for Programs and Operations, and Senior Fellow Dennis de Tray, Vice President for Special Initiatives Executive Office Staff Sarah Marchal Murray, Deputy Director of Institutional Advancement Karelle Samuda, Special Assistant to the President Kate Vyborny, Program Coordinator to the President Rena Pacheco-Theard, Special Assistant to Executive Office Ruth Coffman, Program Coordinator to the Vice President Danielle Coleman, Executive Assistant Communications and Outreach Staff Lawrence MacDonald, Director, Communications and Policy Sarah Jane Staats, Senior Associate for Outreach and Policy Dave Colner, Database Manager Reid Dossinger, Online Engagement and Strategy Manager Ben Edwards, Web and Media Assistant Heather Haines, Events Coordinator Joel Meister, Outreach and Policy Assistant Lindsay Morgan, Policy Analyst John Osterman, Publications Coordinator Finance and Administration Staff Ellen Mackenzie, Director of Finance Jeff Garland, Information Technology Manager Luke Easley, Finance and Human Resources Administrator Anna Doctors, Office Manager Program Staff Ruth Levine, Vice President for Programs and Operations Nandini Oomman, Senior Program Associate - Director, HIV/AIDS Monitor Rachel Nugent, Senior Health Program Associate Sheila Herrling, Senior Policy Analyst - MCA Monitor David Witzel, Visiting Senior Program Associate Kaysie Brown, Program Associate - Engaging Fragile States Initative Michael Bernstein, Program Coordinator Jessica Pickett, Policy Analyst Danielle Kuczynski, Program Coordinator Steve Rosenzweig, Program Coordinator   Interns Jean Arkedis Robert Fuentes Matthew Greco Jane Pennebaker Michelle Swearingen

Research Staff Senior Fellows William Cline Kimberly Ann Elliott Mead Over Steven Radelet Vijaya Ramachandran Liliana Rojas-Suarez Arvind Subramanian David Wheeler Research Fellows Michael Clemens David Roodman Visiting Fellows Dillon Alleyne Chris Blattman John Gibson April Harding Ethan Kapstein Carol J. Lancaster Nancy Lee Marlaine Lockheed Non-Resident Fellows James Habyarimana Ricardo Hausmann Devesh Kapur Michael Kremer Theodore H. Moran Guillermo Perry Lant Pritchett Peter Timmer Nicolas van de Walle Jeremy Weinstein Research Assistants Selvin Akkus Sami Bazzi Leda Basombrio Amy Crone Robin Kraft Cindy Prieto Rebecca Schutte Martina Tonizzo Kevin Ummel

 

Executive Staff

Nancy Birdsall, President
president@cgdev.org

Nancy Birdsall is the founding President of the Center for Global Development. Prior to launching the Center, Birdsall served for three years as Senior Associate and Director of the Economic Reform Project at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Her work at Carnegie focused on issues of globalization and inequality, as well as on the reform of the international financial institutions. From 1993 to 1998, Birdsall was Executive Vice-President of the Inter-American Development Bank, the largest of the regional development banks, where she oversaw a $30 billion public and private loan portfolio. Before joining the Inter-American Development Bank, Birdsall spent 14 years in research, policy, and management positions at the World Bank, most recently as Director of the Policy Research Department.

Ms. Birdsall is the author, co-author, or editor of more than a dozen books and monographs, including, most recently, Delivering on Debt Relief: From IMF Gold to a New Aid Architecture, Population Matters: Demographic Change, Economic Growth and Poverty in the Developing World, Washington Contentious: Economic Policies for Social Equity in Latin America, and New Markets, New Opportunities? Economic and Social Mobility in a Changing World. She has also written more than 75 articles for books and scholarly journals published in English and Spanish. Shorter pieces of her writing have appeared in dozens of U.S. and Latin American newspapers and periodicals.
Full CV

Ruth Levine, Vice President for Programs and Operations, and Senior Fellow
rlevine@cgdev.org

Ruth Levine is an internationally recognized expert on global health and health policy. She is a health economist with more than 15 years of experience designing and assessing the effects of social sector programs in Latin America, Eastern Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. As CGD vice president for programs and operations, she is a member of the Center’s senior management team. She is also a CGD senior fellow and leads the Center’s work on global health policy, including chairing a series of working groups on key policy and finance constraints to the effective use of donor funding for health programs in low-income countries.

Dennis de Tray, Vice President for Special Initiatives
ddetray@cgdev.org

Dennis joined CGD in February, 2006, as the Center's first vice president. In this role, he has three broad responsibilities: to work with the president to shape CGD's substantive and financial future, to strengthen ties between CGD and communities of interest and influence in the development arena, and to work with CGD colleagues to develop new lines of business. Dennis brings to CGD an extensive management and research experience coupled with a decade and a half on the front lines of development assistance delivery. Before joining CGD he directed the World Bank's Mission for the five central Asian republics from Almaty, Kazakhstan. Previously he served as IMF senior representative for Vietnam in Hanoi and before that as World Bank country director in Indonesia resident in Jakarta. He earned his Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago in 1972.

Sarah Marchal Murray, Deputy Director of Institutional Advancement
smmurray@cgdev.org

Sarah Marchal Murray joins CGD as the first Deputy Director of Institutional Advancement. In this role Sarah is the point person, collaborating with senior staff and board members, on initiatives aimed at engaging the philanthropic community; including individuals, corporations, foundations, and organizations interested in supporting CGD. Sarah brings to the Center over ten years of experience working with economic and social development organizations, in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors, most recently as Director of Development for WaterAid America. In this capacity she assisted with fundraising, institutional development and capacity building, as well as communications and marketing strategy. Such organizations include; the Alliance for Community Enhancement, The Center for Autistic Children, Committee to Protect Journalists, Fundación Vamos México, Habitat for Humanity, International Visitors Council, Jardín Sur Foundation, and The Drawing Center.

Early in her career Sarah worked as a media and political consultant. Sarah is a former United States Peace Corps volunteer in Guyana, and is a graduate of Villanova University. In 2004 she earned her Master's degree at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).

Karelle Samuda, Special Assistant to the President
ksamuda@cgdev.org

Karelle provides Nancy Birdsall with programmatic and research support. Prior to joining CGD, Karelle worked as a short-term research assistant in the Social Inclusion Unit, Inter-American Development Bank where she helped launch a publication on advancing equity in Latin America and worked as a Program Assistant at the Institute for Caribbean Studies. Karelle holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Washington & Lee University and a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University. She is from Jamaica.

Kate Vyborny, Program Coordinator to the President
kvyborny@cgdev.org

Kate provides Nancy Birdsall with programmatic and research support. She joined CGD in August 2006 after a year as a Junior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where she assisted the Trade, Equity and Development project with research and outreach on multilateral negotiations, regional agreements and preferential trade legislation. Kate holds degrees in Economics and International Affairs from the University of Georgia.

Rena Pacheco-Theard, Special Assistant to Executive Office
rpacheco-theard@cgdev.org

Rena joined the center in June, 2007. She recently graduated with a B.S. in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University; where she majored in International Politics with an emphasis on Law, Institutions, and Ethics. Last year she worked at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute, and interned with Friends of the World Food Program and the Georgetown Office of International Programs. Rena also co-authored an article entitled "Food and Water as Human Rights" for World Food Day 2007 on behalf of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

Ruth Coffman, Program Coordinator
rcoffman@cgdev.org

Ruth Coffman provides Dennis de Tray with programmatic and research support. She worked as an economic consultant for Deloitte and Touche LLP, conducting research and writing reports within the company's transfer pricing practice. Ruth also worked with various NGOs on community development and education projects, including Amigos de Las Americas in Paraguay and Brazil as well as Learning Enterprises in Hungary and Slovakia. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Georgetown University with a B.S. in International Political Economy.

TOP

Communications and Outreach Staff

Lawrence MacDonald, Director, Communications and Policy
lmacdonald@cgdev.org

Lawrence works to increase the policy impact of CGD's research and analysis by leading an integrated communications program that includes publications, media relations, government and NGO outreach, events, and online engagement. Before joining the Center in October 2004 he was a senior communications officer at the World Bank where he provided strategic communications advice to chief economists, coordinated the preparation of research publications and created the World Bank Research web site. He was founding editor of the Bank's Policy Research Report series and launched two innovative yet enduring web tools: the Bank's Online Media Briefing Center and the International AIDS Economic Network (IAEN), a virtual community. Prior to that he worked in East and Southeast Asia for 15 years as a reporter and editor for The Asian Wall Street Journal, Agence France Presse, and Asiaweek Magazine.

Sarah Jane Staats, Senior Associate for Outreach and Policy
sjstaats@cgdev.org

Sarah Jane Staats is senior associate for outreach and policy at the Center for Global Development where she is responsible for initiatives aimed at engaging the development policy community, including policymakers and nongovernmental organizations, in the Center's research and other programs. Before joining the Center, Sarah Jane worked at the U.S. Government Accountability Office and for InterAction, a coalition of 160 U.S.-based international development and humanitarian NGOs. Sarah Jane coordinated InterAction’s U.S. bilateral development assistance efforts, including work on the Millennium Challenge Account.

Dave Colner, Database Manager
dcolner@cgdev.org

Dave joined CGD in August, 2007. He is a recent graduate of Ohio State University with a B.A. in Political Science and a minor in International Development Studies. As an undergraduate, Dave worked for the Women’s Health and Osteoarthritis Initiatives at the Ohio State Medical Center assisting in research and database management. During his senior year he traveled to DC as a John Glenn Fellow. While in DC he interned at OneWorld United States. At CGD Dave works with the Online Communications Manager, IT Manager, and the Deputy Director of Institutional Advancement to implement and maintain constituent management systems and support fundraising and communications objectives.

Reid Dossinger, Online Engagement and Strategy Manager
rdossinger@cgdev.org

Reid takes care of the Center's websites, coordinating content, crafting strategy and promoting engagement and involvement on cgdev.org and the Center's other web properties. Prior to CGD, Reid honed his non-profit tech skills with five years at Conservation International, where he served as their Online Systems Manager. He earned a degree in history from Guilford College.

Ben Edwards, Web and Media Assistant
bedwards@cgdev.org

Ben supports the communications team with on-line communications and media relations. He earned a BA in English from Franklin and Marshall College. While pursuing his undergraduate degree, Ben studied Czech culture in Prague for a semester. He is currently pursuing an MA in Communications from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to CGD, Ben worked with International Arts and Artists, where he assisted with marketing and communications.

Heather Haines, Events Coordinator
hhaines@cgdev.org

Heather is responsible for coordinating seminars and events for the Center, as well as managing the Center’s database. Before joining the Center, she worked in legal marketing and with Barnes & Noble, promoting community outreach and author events. Heather received her Master’s degree in literature from the University of North Texas and holds a B.A. in English from the University of Oklahoma.

Joel Meister, Outreach and Policy Assistant
jmeister@cgdev.org

Joel is an Outreach and Policy Assistant at the Center for Global Development, supporting CGD's policy engagement with relevant governmental and non-governmental organizations to increase the policy impact of the Center's research. Prior to joining CGD in February, 2008, Joel worked in the Communications Department of the Joe Biden for President Campaign. He is a recent graduate of the George Washington University, with a B.A. cum laude in International Affairs. As an undergraduate, Joel built on his understanding of politics and policymaking working at the political action committee of former Virginia Governor Mark R. Warner and in the office of Congressman Ben Chandler.

Lindsay Morgan, Policy Analyst
lmorgan@cgdev.org

Lindsay Morgan serves as Policy Analyst for the Center for Global Development, researching and writing short literature surveys, policy briefs and other rapid-turnaround briefing materials in response to requests from senior managers in private foundations. Prior to assuming the position she served as Publications Associate, responsible for overseeing the production of the Center’s books, briefs and working papers. Prior to joining CGD, Lindsay served as Assistant Editor of The Middle East Journal. She also served on the communications team at Sojourners, a progressive faith-based organization in Washington, DC, and was an editorial assistant at the San Diego Union-Tribune. Lindsay received her Masters in Middle East Politics from the University of Durham. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Point Loma Nazarene University.

John Osterman, Publications Coordinator
josterman@cgdev.org

John Osterman joined the Center in April. As Publications Coordinator he is responsible for overseeing the production of the Center's books, working papers, and briefs. A native of the metropolitan area, John is returning to D.C. from the University of Virginia, where he has earned an M.A. in Anthropology. Prior to his graduate studies, John was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mauritania, spent time studying the archaeology of the mid-Atlantic and South Africa, and worked as a Communications Associate for a D.C.-based non-profit. He holds a B.A. from the University of Mary Washington.

TOP

Finance and Administration Staff

Ellen Mackenzie, Director of Finance
emackenzie@cgdev.org

Ellen Mackenzie is the Center's Director of Finance. She manages and leads administrative, business planning, accounting, budgeting, human resource, and information technology efforts of the organization. Most recently, Ellen was the director of finance and operations at the Global Fund for Children (GFC). Prior to joining GFC, Ellen was the budget director at the Advocacy Institute and ran the global population project at the Communications Consortium Media Center. In 2000, Ellen was awarded a grant to explore how technology can be used to increase organizational effectiveness. Her research plans were acquired by a venture philanthropy organization. She brings with her more than ten years of experience working with nonprofit organizations. Ellen has a bachelor's degree in business management from New York University.

Jeff Garland, Information Technology Manager
jgarland@cgdev.org

Jeff Garland is the Information Technology Manager. He is responsible for all aspects of the Center's computing infrastructure. He has ten years of IT experience with seven years focusing on the non profit sector. Jeff is Microsoft and ITIL certified.

Luke Easley, Finance and Human Resources Administrator
leasley@cgdev.org

Luke joined CGD in June, 2007, as the Office Manager. Before joining the Center, Luke worked for a local catering company as an administrative assistant to the sales team. In his spare time Luke volunteers for Food and Friends, a Washington D.C. based charity that provides meals to people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other terminal illnesses.

Anna Doctors, Office Manager
adoctors@cgdev.org

Anna Doctors is the Center's Office Manager. Anna is a native Washingtonian who recently graduated from the University of Delaware with a BA in English, with a concentration in Journalism. She also studied Political Science and Art History abroad in London.

TOP

Program Staff

Ruth Levine, Vice President for Programs and Operations
rlevine@cgdev.org

Ruth Levine is an internationally recognized expert on global health and health policy. She is a health economist with more than 15 years of experience designing and assessing the effects of social sector programs in Latin America, Eastern Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. As CGD vice president for programs and operations, she is a member of the Center’s senior management team. She is also a CGD senior fellow and leads the Center’s work on global health policy, including chairing a series of working groups on key policy and finance constraints to the effective use of donor funding for health programs in low-income countries.

Nandini Oomman, Senior Program Associate- HIV/AIDS Monitor
noomman@cgdev.org

Nandini Oomman joined CGD in March 2006 as the director of the HIV/AIDS Monitor, which tracks the effectiveness of the three main aid responses to the epidemic: the Global Fund, the HIV/AIDS Africa MAP program of the World Bank, and the U.S. President’s Emergency Program For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Nandini manages the initiative and oversees much of the research program that underpins it. She has more than 15 years of public health research, program and policy experience, with emphasis on population, reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.

Rachel Nugent, Senior Health Program Associate
rnugent@cgdev.org

Rachel is a senior associate in CGD’s Global Health Programs. She provides economic and policy expertise to support HPRN Working Groups, manages CGD programs on Population and Economic Development, and conducts research on other global health topics. She has 25 years of experience as a development economist, managing and carrying out research and policy analysis in the fields of health, agriculture and the environment. Prior to joining CGD, Rachel worked at the Population Reference Bureau, the Fogarty International Center of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. She also served as associate professor and chair of the economics department at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. Rachel’s publications include a range of topics, from the cost-effectiveness of non-communicable disease interventions and health impacts of fiscal policies to impacts of microcredit on the environment in developing countries and economic impacts of transboundary diseases and pests.

Sheila Herrling, Senior Policy Analyst - MCA Monitor
sherrling@cgdev.org

Sheila rejoined the Center in October 2005. She works with Steve Radelet on the Center’s MCA Monitor initiative. Before becoming senior policy analyst, Sheila served as Director of Communications and Policy for the Center. Prior to joining the Center, she served as Deputy Director for the Office of Development Policy at the U.S. Treasury Department, where she provided policy advice on U.S. engagement in the multilateral development banks, strengthening development effectiveness, results measurement and country growth and poverty reduction strategies. Sheila has extensive experience in Africa, where she served as Advisor to the U.S. Executive Director to the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. Prior to joining the U.S. Treasury, she worked at the Academy for Educational Development (AED) on basic education programs in Latin America. Sheila received her M.A. in International Development from American University and a B.A in Economics from William Smith College.

David Witzel, Visiting Senior Program Associate
dwitzel@cgdev.org

Dave, a founder of Forum One Communications, spent the past 12 years as a consultant working with multilateral and non-profit organizations to understand and use the power of the Internet. His clients have included the World Bank, Global Development Network, Population Reference Bureau, CGAP, International Women’s Media Foundation, and the Urban Institute. He has worked with CGD, practically since its inception, on development of Web services and ways to leverage the internet to improve international development outcomes. During 2008 he will be a Visiting Associate at CGD focusing on the creation of internet-enabled public goods (like open source software and open education resources) and understanding “the commons” – shared efforts to produce and manage these goods. Dave received his M.P.P. from Harvard's Kennedy School and his B.S. from Texas A&M University.

Kaysie Brown, Program Associate - Engaging Fragile States Initiative
kbrown@cgdev.org

Kaysie Brown is Program Associate for the Fragile States Initiative, where she studies the connections between weak states, transnational threats, security and development. Before joining the Fragile States Initiative, Kaysie also contributed to CGD’s Millennium Challenge Account Monitor. Previously, she worked as Senior Program Officer at the International Peace Academy in New York, where her research focused on natural resources and conflict, as well as security sector reform and rule of law efforts in UN peace operations. Mrs. Brown has written on topics such as legacies of war economies in post-conflict peacebuilding, business and international crimes, security and development in the South Pacific and the rule of law in peace operations. She received her Masters degree in International Conflict and Forced Migration from Oxford University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations.

Michael Bernstein, Program Coordinator
mbernstein@cgdev.org

As program coordinator, Michael Bernstein works with the rest of the HIV/AIDS Monitor team to conduct comparative analysis on the effectiveness of 3 major AIDS funding mechanisms: The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the World Bank’s Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Program (MAP), and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Prior to joining CGD, Michael spent a year in rural Tanzania, where he taught English and computers. In 2004, he served as an intern in the Global Health Bureau at USAID. A 2003 Truman Scholar, Michael holds a B.A. in Political Science from Yale University.

Danielle Kuczynski, Program Coordinator
dKuczynski@cgdev.org

Danielle Kuczynski joined the Center in September 2007. Prior to joining the Center, Danielle worked in Tanzania with the University of Toronto's HIV/AIDS Initiative- Africa as a Knowledge Network Officer. In addition to other overseas experience, her work in the public sector includes a 2006 Policy Analyst post with the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion. In 2005, Danielle completed an MSc in International Health Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science where she wrote her dissertation in South Africa examining perceived barriers to antiretroviral adherence. Additionally, she holds a BSc in Honors Psychology from the University of Western Ontario.

Jessica Pickett, Policy Analyst
jpickett@cgdev.org

Jessica Pickett is a policy analyst at CGD, where she manages the new Drug Resistance Working Group and coordinates research and outreach around advance market commitments, demand forecasting, and other efforts to promote the development and delivery of essential medical technologies for low- and middle-income countries. Jessica has coauthored A Risky Business: Saving Money and Improving Global Health through Better Demand Forecasts and Measuring Commitment to Health: Global Health Indicators Working Group Report, and also edits the Global Health Policy blog. Prior to joining the Center in May 2005, Jessica supported fundraising and communications activities at the GAVI Fund. She holds a degree in public policy with a concentration in health from Duke University.

Steve Rosenzweig, Program Coordinator
srosenzweig@cgdev.org

Steve joined the Center in June, 2007. He recently graduated from Yale University, where he received a B.A. in Political Science with Distinction in the Major. As an undergraduate, Steve served as a research assistant on issues of civil war and ethnic conflict, as well as elections and democratization in the developing world. His senior thesis evaluated the evidence for an MCC incentive effect on reform in developing countries. While interning at the Center, Steve will work with Nandini Oomman and Michael Bernstein on global and country level studies for the HIV/AIDS Monitor..

TOP

Research Assistants

Selvin Akkus, Research Assistant
sakkus@cgdev.org

Selvin supports the research efforts of David Roodman, Peter Timmer, and Kimberly Elliott. Prior to joining CGD, Selvin studied Political Economy at Purdue University where she received her M.A. degree. At Purdue, she worked as a teaching assistant as well as being an independent instructor for an introductory level American Politics class. She also holds a B.A. in Economics from Bogazici University (Turkey). Her broader research interests include the prerequisites of economic growth in developing countries, institutional economics and its reflections in policy world, and the impact of international trade and foreign aid in developing countries. She is from Istanbul, Turkey.

Sami Bazzi, Research Assistant
sbazzi@cgdev.org

Sami Bazzi supports the research efforts of Steve Radelet and Michael Clemens. Prior to joining CGD, Sami studied at the University of Southern California where he graduated with a B.A. in Economics and International Relations in May 2005. His senior thesis explored the political economy of US foreign aid to Egypt. After graduating from USC, Sami worked as a Luce Scholars Fellow at the SMERU Research Institute in Jakarta, Indonesia on issues related to social welfare and poverty reduction. His broader research interests include economics of the family, dynamics of economic growth, the political economy of policy reform and the role of institutions in development.

Leda Basombrio, Research Assistant
lbasombrio@cgdev.org

Leda Basombrio supports the research of senior fellow, Liliana Rojas-Suarez. Prior to joining the CGD, Leda was a credit scoring analyst of microfinance in the Scotiabank Peru and she worked as a research assistant in the Centro de Investigacion de la Universidad del Pacifico in issues related to poverty and hunger. Previously, she was an intern for the university’s magazine Punto de Equilibrio and participated as an editor in the student’s magazine Boceto. Leda studied Economics at the Universidad del Pacifico (Lima-Peru) and graduated top of her class.

Amy Crone, Research Assistant/Policy Analyst
acrone@cgdev.org

Amy Crone supports research on foreign assistance reform by Steve Radelet and Sheila Herrling. Prior to joining CGD, Amy was an intern in the Latin American Operations group at the Millennium Challenge Corporation and also worked at the Aspen Institute. She was previously a financial analyst at BearingPoint, Inc. and a contracts analyst at PA Consulting, where she worked on energy and environment projects in the Philippines and Latin America. Amy has lived in South America, speaks Spanish, and received her B.A. in Government from Cornell University and her M.A. in International Development from American University.

Robin Kraft, Research Assistant
rkraft@cgdev.org

Robin works with Vijaya Ramachandran on infrastructure and private sector development in Africa and Dillon Alleyne on Caribbean migration. He joined CGD in August 2007 after completing a Masters in Development Economics at Sciences Po Paris. His thesis evaluated the economic impact of temporary Colombian migration to Spain and was supported by the International Organization for Migration in Bogotá and the Universidad Externado de Colombia, where he taught for a semester. Robin received a BA from UC Berkeley in History, focusing on the Cold War and the USSR, and subsequently worked as a freelance journalist and editor in San Francisco and Paris.

Cindy Prieto, Research Assistant
CPrieto@cgdev.org

Cindy supports the research efforts of Nancy Lee, who focuses on Western Hemispheric integration, as well as Satish Chand. Cindy joined the Center in July, 2007 as an intern for Liliana Rojas-Suarez assisting with a workshop on Improving Access to Financial Services in Developing Countries. Cindy is a recent graduate of Stanford University with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Political Science. Prior to joining CGD, Cindy served as the Managing Director of FACE AIDS, a national, student-run non-profit dedicated to raising student awareness about AIDS, and has interned at the Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Rebecca Schutte, Research Assistant/Administrative Assistant
rschutte@cgdev.org

Rebecca joined CGD in June, 2007, and works with Steve Radelet on the Liberia and aid effectiveness programs. Prior to joining CGD, Rebecca served as a Peace Corps Volunteer for girls' education and empowerment in Burkina Faso. She was also a policy analysis and research intern at the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants where she wrote about refugee conditions in Kenya and Zambia, and also helped kick-off the National Center for Refugee and Immigrant Children. Rebecca attended the University of Chicago and holds a B.A. in Anthropology, along with a minor in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (Egyptology).

Martina Tonizzo, Research Assistant
mtonizzo@cgdev.org

Martina Tonizzo supports the research efforts of Mead Over. Prior to joining CGD, Martina studied at Bocconi University in Milan from which she holds a BA in Management and an MSc in Economic and Social Disciplines. Her senior thesis explores the impact of democratization process on educational policies. She deepened her interest in international development attending a second MSc in Development Management at the London School of Economics. While in London she was a Research Assistant at the New Economics Foundation and at the Overseas Development Institute. She has also extensively volunteered abroad, in India and the Philippines and domestically for Doctors Without Boarders.

Kevin Ummel, Research Assistant
kummel@cgdev.org

As part of the Confronting Climate Change Initiative, Kevin works with Senior Fellow David Wheeler in assessing the sources, impacts, and policy implications of global warming. His current research includes the monitoring and public disclosure of carbon emissions through CGD's Carbon Monitoring for Action (CARMA) project as well as the use of global climate models and geographic analysis to better understand the socioeconomic impacts of climate change. Kevin also assists President Nancy Birdsall in her work on income distributions and the middle class. He is a recipient of the Firestone Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Research from Stanford University, where he graduated with honors.

TOP

Interns

Jean Arkedis is on detail to CGD from the Office of the Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance at the State Department. Since joining the State Department as a 2005 Presidential Management Fellow, she has primarily focused on U.S. aid reform and assistance to Africa, including field rotations to the USAID Somalia program and the MCC Threshold Program in Tanzania. She began her fellowship as an analyst for the State Department’s refugee bureau. Previously, Jean worked in private sector and consulted at the World Bank in the field of disaster management. At Fundación PENT in Buenos Aires, a think tank focused on Argentine economic policy, Jean researched Argentine trade policy. She has a masters degree from SAIS with a focus in International Economics and Development, and a BA from Duke University.

Robert Fuentes joined the Center through a public policy fellowship from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. He supports the research efforts of Steve Radelet, focusing on the Liberia program and related issues. He recently returned from a month stay in Monrovia, Liberia, where he worked at the Ministry of Finance on the Poverty Reduction Strategy paper and consultations. Robert received the Hoefer Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Writing from Stanford University, where he graduated with a B.A. (Honors) in Political Science.

Matthew Greco is a third year student at the University of Georgia majoring in Economics, Spanish, and Statistics. He is at the center through a university semester program in Washington D.C. Currently, he is working with Senior Fellow, Liliana Rojas- Suarez on issues such as global financial access and the credit crisis. Matthew’s academic interests include game theory and auction theory. Recently returning from an exchange program in Argentina, Matthew will be at the Center through April.

Jane Pennebaker is an executive office intern. Jane is a senior in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, majoring in Culture and Politics and pursuing a certificate in International Development. Jane was born and raised on the upper west side of New York City, is an avid horseback rider, and enjoys outdoor sports and activities. She hopes to enter into a career in international development upon graduation.

Michelle Swearingen is a communications intern. Michelle is in her first year at Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute pursuing a Masters degree in Public Policy. She is specializing in International Policy and Development as well as working on a certificate in Refugees and Humanitarian Emergencies. Michelle moved from Columbus, Ohio with her husband last fall, where she worked on health and human services issues in the Ohio Senate. She is hoping to utilize her experience with domestic poverty issues to transition to work in international development and poverty reduction.