Senior Executive

Entrepreneurial, analytical and detail-oriented senior executive professional with over twenty years’ experience building relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds and styles and experience working with contacts at all levels of government and Fortune 500 companies, including presenting to senior-level decision makers and influencers across business units and functions, including government, corporate, foundation and marketing/PR contacts. Solid experience assessing opportunities, breaking into new markets and establishing operations and branding in new international markets with extensive networks and background in diverse cross-cultural and international locations to include the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Central Asia and the Americas. Develop business partnerships, collaborative efforts and solution design; work with investors using synchronized efforts to realize greater market penetration and profitability in volatile and profit-bearing environments and social enterprise opportunities. Process driven with exceptional analytical and organizational skills and proven leadership experience across cultures requiring highly developed oral, written, electronic communications, negotiation and interpersonal skills. Over fifteen years’ experience working with USAID; twenty years working in Africa and the Middle East; twenty years working in health, governance and education and fifteen years working in capture and business development.

Native/Fluent: Arabic, Spanish and French; available to travel and willing to relocate.

EDUCATION

Juris Doctorate International Law (Public and Private)

University of Illinois, Urbana, IL Hague Academy of International Law, the Netherlands

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

MPH / MS Community Health Education BS Chemistry

University of Illinois, Urbana, IL American University of Beirut, Lebanon

SELECT ACHIEVEMENTS

As Director, Applied Learning, for Blumont/IRD, partnered with BD team to develop and co-author successful proposals resulting in more than $250m in funding with nearly $185m from the USG (USAID, USDA, DOS) as well as approximately $75m from DFID, the UN and other partners, stakeholders and donors.

As DCOP for USG healthcare reform project in the Middle East, oversaw $98m+ budget and 120+ staff; established emergency medicine capacity, centralized patient information system and national emergency preparedness system.

As CEO for IDEAS, identified viable project for investment in a country that desperately needed tourism income and worked closely with construction, high tech and tourism companies to agree to terms of the contracts. Resulted in four contracts for clients with supporting materials and training. Negotiated the final contract for $450m. Conceived of and led $1.2b aviation and $300m telecommunications capture projects.

As Response Manager for all-USG emergency responses in the Sahel, Lebanon and the Republic of Georgia, received recognition for exceeding expectations in leadership/influence, client focus, planning/decision making, collaboration/interpersonal skills and communication resulting in efficient collaboration across the USG and effective international responses to each crisis.

As Strategic Resources Team (SRT) Leader, for USAID, established grant-making system for OFDA as well as GIS and mapping capabilities and joint monitoring, evaluation, learning, innovation and planning methodologies. Led domestic and international teams and established consortium of ten universities across Africa.

As Director for Prison Fellowship International, chaired international consortium of 70+ NGOs, established global correctional healthcare standards, facilitated implementation in forty countries. Worked with over thirty-five government and criminal justice systems to engage partners and implement UN international standards. Led criminal justice reform and business development for the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, Caribbean.

WORK EXPERIENCE

International Development Enterprises And Services (IDEAS), Inc. Arlington, VA

Business Consultant CEO Sep 2017 – Present

Utilize knowledge of planning, program management, marketing, financial analysis and budgeting to provide clients with strategies, growth plans and competitive intelligence to expand business portfolios and increase profits. Responsible for internal controls and remain current on changes in policies and procedures to ensure regulatory compliance. Serve as executive officer and provide approvals/reviews and processes for all strategic, operational and financial transactions by understanding markets and client requirements, developing and building partnerships, enhancing processes and systems, fostering innovation and learning and negotiating and closing business deals.

Blumont/International Relief and Development (IRD) Arlington, VA

Director, Applied Learning, Management Systems, Partnerships, Business Development Nov 2015 – Sep 2017

Managed all technical aspects of proposal development as team leader of team comprised of field and headquarters staff to conduct capture planning, program solution design and proposal writing, to include establishing and enforcing timelines, designating roles and responsibilities, identifying and negotiating with partner organizations, coordinating inputs and overseeing timely proposal submission. Streamlined capture, business development and program management systems and provided technical expertise, guidance and leadership to promote quality Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) planning and implementation. Provided methodological support and training to headquarters and field staff; established and oversaw internal system for capturing and sharing lessons learned; served as main point of contact on MEAL and innovation; advised Communications Unit on highlighting IRD’s program results and innovations; provided technical advice and assistance for proposal development; guided compliance, project start-up and close-out; supervised research, evaluations, assessments and data analysis; participated in MEAL working groups and professional associations expanding IRD’s knowledge management, innovation efforts and research and implementation partnerships.

Falcon Global Group, Ltd. Washington, DC

Vice President, Business Development, International Partnerships, Risk Management Feb 2015 – Sep 2016

Conducted research and business opportunity analyses, developed partnerships with businesses and investors to strategize and broker international business deals. Coordinated with BD teams to assess opportunities, determine new markets and establish branding efforts for international market penetration. Secured the viability of newly implemented strategies and continually monitored and evaluated viable business opportunities using personal and business networks, existing software programs and local conferences, and the like, to create new leads.

International Development Enterprises And Services (IDEAS), Inc. Washington, DC

Founder, CEO Apr 1996 – Nov 2015

Identified contacts and partners in the Middle East, Africa, Asia marketplace, established relationships, negotiated working agreements and developed and conducted training for clients. Led AFRICOM and CENTCOM efforts in developing complete all-of-government national emergency management systems including national Ministries, service providers, military services and key stakeholders from the UN, NGOs/CSOs, academia and the private sector; field tested in Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique and Togo. Mobilized the National Arab American Business Association, a for-profit organization of Arab American businesses across North America, to reinforce their business clout, establish a political voice and provide peer cooperatives. Established chapters in 35 cities in two years with buying cooperatives for grocers in some cities, a national internet presence, a national travel agency, a national telecommunications company and a Federal Credit Union.

OTHER RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

USAID / Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/DCHA) Washington, DC

Team Leader, Strategic Resources Team (SRT) Dec 2000 – Apr 2010

Established international relationships, matched expertise and resources with needs; brokered coordinated multidimensional multinational efforts; provided direction, advice, training; built networks and enabled local national initiatives; worked with national governments, international organizations and foundations; governmental consultations, program design, training, learning, innovation, capacity building, information and risk management, legal and stakeholder analyses. Led RMTs and DARTs as well as MEAL and evidence-based adaptive management.

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