By Mike Shanley
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The podcast currently has 38 episodes available.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first female elected head of state in an African nation and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate joins Mike Shanley to discuss the role of aid donors, localization, and women and development. This episode was recorded live at the Society for International Development-US Annual Dinner on 13 November 2024.
BIOGRAPHY:
Internationally known as Africa’s “Iron Lady,” President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is a leading promoter of peace, justice and democratic rule. She grew up in the Liberian capital of Monrovia, where she married and had four sons. President Johnson Sirleaf later moved to the United States where she earned an accounting degree from the Madison College of Business and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. In her efforts to bring justice to her people in Liberia, she has spent more than a year in jail at the hands of the military dictatorship of General Samuel Doe and had her life threatened by former President Charles Taylor. She campaigned relentlessly for Taylor’s removal from office and played an active and supportive role in the Transitional Government of Liberia as the country prepared for elections in October of 2005. President Johnson Sirleaf was a presidential candidate in the 1997 Liberia general election where she finished second in the field of 13. Before that, she served for five years as Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Africa of the United Nations Development Program as Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and was the first woman to lead the United Nations Development Project for Africa. She served as the Chairperson of the Governance Reform Commission of the National Transitional Government of Liberia until she resigned in March 2004 to accept the nomination of the Unity Party of Liberia as the party’s leader. In November 2005, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected President of Liberia and became the first woman to lead an African nation. In the elections she defeated popular world-class soccer star George Weah with an impressive 59.4 percent of the vote. In October 2007, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civil award, for her personal courage and unwavering commitment to expanding freedom and improving the lives of people in Liberia and across Africa. And in 2010, as the only female and African Head of State, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was named by Newsweek Magazine as one of the World Top Ten Leaders.
LEARN MORE
Thank you for tuning into this episode of the Aid Market Podcast. You can learn more about working with USAID by visiting our homepage: Konektid International and AidKonekt. To connect with our team directly, message the host Mike Shanley on LinkedIn.
You can learn more about the Society for International Development-US online here.
Dr. Jerry Brown, TIME Person of the Year, joins Mike Shanley to discuss Dr. Brown's work during the Ebola crisis, COVID-19 response and lessons learned for global pandemic preparedness, becoming TIME Person of the Year, and the role of international aid donors and implementing partners.
Co-host: Care Africa Medical Foundation (CAMF) focuses on building clinics in rural Liberia, starting with their hometown of Buchanan in Grand Bassa County, where they have organized free health fairs to provide essential health resources. In addition to their nonprofit efforts, Henry and Gormah run successful businesses that cater to the aging population and assist the homeless in Colorado, creating over 60 local jobs. CAMF plans to open its first medical center in Grand Bassa County in the spring of 2025, addressing urgent healthcare needs. However, the lack of reliable electricity poses a significant challenge to operating medical equipment. As a registered 501(C)(3) organization, CAMF aims to make a lasting impact on healthcare in Africa and inspire others with its dedication to health and community service.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/care-africa-medical-foundation-536206336/
https://www.camedfoundation.org/about/
Biography
Jerry Fahnloe Brown was born on October 18, 1968. Dr. Brown has worked in several capacities as physician. He worked as Escort Doctor for MERCI on boats repatriating Sierra Leonean Refugees back to Sierra Leone. He then worked as the County Health Officer for Grand Bassa County and Medical Director for the Buchanan Government Hospital from 2006 to 2008 after working as a Volunteer Physician at the ELWA Hospital and General Practitioner from 2004 to 2006. In March 2014 he was employed as Medical Director and General Surgeon at the ELWA Hospital a position he held until February 2018 when he was appointed by the President of Liberia to serve as the Chief Medical Officer of the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, the premier teaching and referral hospital. During those years at ELWA, he worked tirelessly performing varieties of surgeries in this low resource setting. He became Clinical Supervisor and Clinician at the ELWA II Ebola Treatment Unit from July 2014 to June 2015. Under his leadership and guidance this unit produced the highest number of Ebola survivors changing the survival rate from ten percent to seventy percent of Ebola Patients at his Center.
From October 2014 to December 2016, he served as Principal Investigator on two research projects with the Clinical Research Management on convalescent plasma and the sequelae of Ebola in survivors. In 2018, he was appointed by the President of Liberia as the Chief Executive Officer of the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, the premier referral hospital in Liberia, a position held until January 30, 2024, due to the political transition of power. While at JFKMC, he established the only active functional Intensive Care Unit in country with support from partners such as Project Cure International and NOCAL. Under his leadership JFKMC, obtained accreditation for training specialists in the areas of pediatrics, internal medicine, general surgery, ophthalmology and psychiatric. He also established the only histopathology unit; a state of the art executive private ward; a dialysis center among others. On May 23, 2019, he was elected Civilian Representative and Advisor to APORA. He also serves as Acting Faculty Head, Department of Surgery, A. M. Dogliotti College of Medicine for two years, and is currently a Part-Time Faculty member, in the Department of Surgery, Liberia College of Physician and Surgeon.
In March 2020, he was appointed by the president of Liberia to serve as the Head of the National Case Management Pillar of COVID-19. He coordinated the management of COVID-19 patients across the country and the care of patients with COVID-19 vaccine related complications. He supervised the drafting of Liberia COVID-19 Clinical Guidelines. Dr. Brown has received many honors to include, Time Person of the Year in 2014; among Time 100 Most Influential Persons, 2014; Civil Servant of the Year, 2014, Republic of Liberia; President of Liberia Highest Honor, Star of Africa in 2015; Golden Key Awards, 2018; He has spoken as several places to include Keynote Speaker, PICC 2016, 8th World Congress on Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care, Toronto Canada, June 2016; keynote Speaker, Case Western University, Ohio, October 2015; Keynote Speaker, Risky Business Conference, London, UK, May 2017; Speaker, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, (ASTMH) 64TH Annual Meeting, ASTMH Ebola 360 symposium, October 2015; Pepperdine University, Dean Honorary Speaker—Leadership June 2017.
Thank you for tuning into this episode of the Aid Market Podcast. Learn more about working with USAID by visiting our homepage: Konektid International and AidKonekt. To connect with our team, message the host Mike Shanley on LinkedIn
Bill Steiger, former USAID Chief of Staff: Partnerships and Innovation at USAID, joins Mike Shanley to discuss USAID’s role in foreign policy, innovation at USAID, partnerships and localization, and USAID funding and direction.
Biography:
Bill Steiger is a Global Health Consultant at the George W. Bush Institute. Previously, he was Managing Director of Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon, focusing on combating breast and cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. He led strategic planning for the initiative's expansion.
In 2012, Steiger served as a Senior Advisor at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, where he helped restructure the Secretariat and design a new funding model. He also directed a panel reviewing the Global Fund's operations, leading to significant reforms.
Steiger has worked with Leavitt Partners on international health projects and held key roles at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 2001 to 2009. There, he advised on global health issues and represented the U.S. in various international organizations.
He has served on the boards of major health organizations like the World Health Organization and the Global Fund. Steiger holds a Ph.D. in Latin American History from UCLA and a bachelor's degree from Yale.
LEARN MORE
Thank you for tuning into this episode of the Aid Market Podcast. You can learn more about working with USAID by visiting our homepage: Konektid International and AidKonekt. To connect with our team directly, message the host Mike Shanley on LinkedIn.
Mr. Buteau is an Artificial Intelligence technical delivery consultant and project manager with more than 19 years of experience in the defense and public sector. Geoff leads the Booz Allen Hamilton's ML Ops delivery portfolio across defense, civil, and law enforcement agencies, which includes product management, the management of technical build and integration teams, AI requirements development, and AI business, technical, and ethical risk analysis for US federal agencies. Geoff’s work in Booz Allen’s AI practice also includes investment initiatives in AI strategy, responsible AI, and emerging technology scouting.
Geoff holds a BS in Journalism and Public Relations from Ithaca College and a Master of Int’l Affairs with a focus in development economics and management analytics from the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.
---- Saeed Uri is Chemonics’ senior vice president for impact. He has more than fifteen years of experience managing development projects, including more than ten years in complex, high-speed, and challenging positions in fragile or transitional environments such as Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Sudan, and Libya. While leading Chemonics’ efforts on adaptive programming in dynamic environments, Saeed also spearheaded the adoption of innovative approaches and technologies to achieve greater impact. In Syria, Saeed led Chemonics’ partnership with the Syria Civil Defense (also known as the White Helmets) to provide emergency response services to millions of civilians. Most recently, Saeed led programming to strengthen community resilience against climate and other sources of instability by working with local partners to increase community involvement in addressing issues. Saeed also has expertise in supporting early recovery and durable returns, and countering disinformation. He holds an M.A. in international peace and conflict resolution and speaks Arabic fluently. LEARN MORE Thank you for tuning into this episode of the Aid Market Podcast. You can learn more about working with USAID by visiting our homepage: Konektid International and AidKonekt. To connect with our team directly, message the host Mike Shanley on LinkedIn.Kimberly Ball, Director of USAID's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization joins Mike Shanley to discuss small businesses and localization, success in using small businesses, how to connect with OSDBU, and what's next.
RESOURCES:Prior to joining OSDBU in 2008, Ms. Ball served as a Contract Specialist in USAID’s Management/Office of Acquisition and Assistance (M/OAA). During her ten year stint in M/OAA, she supported the Global Health (GH), Europe and Eurasia (E&E), Economic Growth and Trade (EGAT), Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) Bureaus and M/OAA’s Policy Division. She ended her M/OAA career as a Contracting Officer and Team Leader supporting various divisions in the DCHA Bureau.
Prior to joining USAID, Ms. Ball worked as a contract negotiator with the United States Air Force. As a civilian employee of the U. S. Air Force, Ms. Ball served at Nellis Air Force Base, Gunter Annex and Bolling Air Force Base. She began her career with the U.S. Air Force as a Palace Acquire Intern.
Ms. Ball holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Hampton University.
LEARN MORE Thank you for tuning into this episode of the Aid Market Podcast. You can learn more about working with USAID by visiting our homepage: Konektid International and AidKonekt. To connect with our team directly, message the host Mike Shanley on LinkedIn.Konektid Chief Operating Officer, Christy Hollywood, and CEO of Pope International and former Senior USAID staff member, Chuck Pope, discuss key trends in the USAID market and the impact of the upcoming election. The discussion included insight on USAID solicitation delays; localization; new partners and barriers to entry into the USAID Market; and the potential impact of the election on USAID.
QUOTES
4:42: “USAID is continuing to broaden their definition of what local inclusion and new partners look like. Also starting to make sure missions have access to ways to engage with local organizations more systematically”. – Christy Hollywood
5:42: “We’re seeing both USAID and implementing partners look at capacity strengthening beyond just compliance and proposals, which is a really nice change, especially as USAID continues to try to lower barriers to entry. – Christy Hollywood
6:47: “Whatever happens, localization is here to stay…it makes sense.” – Chuck Pope
BIOGRAPHY
Christy Hollywood: Christy Hollywood supports Konektid clients and consultants with skills honed during 20+ years of leadership in international development, professional services, and consulting organizations. She led a successful consulting firm of her own for 11 years. Earlier, she served as Vice President for BD of Cardno (a large USAID and MCC contractor, since acquired) and held pivotal business development roles at KPMG’s Emerging Markets Group, RTI International, PATH, as well as Fidelity Investments and Noblis.
A recognized expert in business development consulting, she’s authored several articles and is five-time invited presenter at international conferences on proposal management, competitive intelligence, and business development.
Chuck Pope: Charles S. “Chuck” Pope is a recognized global leader of acquisitions and agreements and is a formerly commissioned Foreign Service Officer and warranted senior Contracting/Agreement Officer for USAID. Chuck is a development professional with over a quarter century of experience on four continents working for the US Government and implementing partners (contractor/recipient).
Welcome to The Aid Market Podcast, where international development and humanitarian aid organizations connect to learn about funding trends and market insight. Join us as we hear from foreign aid leaders with USAID and other large donors, with updates and insight on their work. We explore topics including localization, artificial intelligence, proposal and grant funding best practices, and analyze data sources like the USAID Business Forecast.
The Aid Market podcast is your comprehensive guide to positioning your organization for success and securing vital funding from USAID and other foreign aid donors. Each episode features in-depth conversations with esteemed guests, including current and former Senior USAID officials, executives from prominent foreign aid partner organizations, and influential thought leaders in the field. Together, we delve into the pressing issues of international development and humanitarian aid, shedding light on the latest trends, strategies, and best practices. Stay informed and gain a competitive edge as we explore key topics such as funding strategies, donor priorities, partnership opportunities, and effective approaches to navigating the complex aid landscape. Our podcast equips you with the knowledge and tools necessary to make informed decisions and unlock new avenues for funding. The Aid Market Podcast is your trusted and comprehensive source for actionable insights and expert advice. Tune in now and join us on this journey to maximize your organization's potential and make a lasting impact on the global stage.
ABOUT THE HOST: The podcast is hosted by Mike Shanley, Founder and CEO of Konektid International and AidKonekt Data, the leading USAID partner support firms that help clients to grow their USAID funding portfolios. Mike has nearly two decades of experience in working with USAID projects and funding opportunities. His USAID funding expertise has been recognized by the largest aid and development associations, partners, and conferences, including by USAID, Devex, British Expertise International, AidEx, and by the Society for International Development-US where he also serves as Board Member. Konektid International Konektid has a decade of experience supporting new and established USAID partners to accelerate and streamline their business development work.
Konektid’s global team of seasoned USAID market specialists can provide surge support for your USAID proposal development, design and support your USAID market entry or growth strategy, and support other USAID partnering needs to help your team better work with USAID. AidKonekt Data AidKonekt is the trusted funding intel software for USAID partners. AidKonekt allows partners to easily monitor funding changes and track their pipeline. It also streamlines USAID market intel research, capture reports, competitor insight, and much more. Accelerate your USAID partnering with AidKonekt today!
Websites: Konektid International: www.konektid.com AidKonekt Data: https://www.aidkonekt.com/usaid-biz-dev Connect with Mike Shanley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/konektid-usaid-specialists/ The Aid Market Podcast, foreign aid, funding trends, market dynamics, USAID, foreign aid donors, international development, humanitarian aid, funding strategies, donor priorities, partnership opportunities, aid landscape, podcast, actionable insights, expert advice, maximize organization's potential, global stage.
Senior Advisor for Localization in the Office of the USAID Administrator, Sarah Rose joins Mike Shanley to discuss how localization and locally led development works within USAID. Sarah explains how USAID measures success and why partnerships and working with local communities is critical to meeting their goals. She explains how USAID partners with major global aid donors and how they fit within the broader US Government foreign policy context. Sarah shares some success stories where USAID has been able to make an impact utilizing localization and what she is looking forward to seeing in the future. Tune in to learn more about the work USAID does and how partners can continue to drive success.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[1:09] What do the terms localization and locally led development mean to the teams of USAID?
[3:10] How has localization shifted across administration and how does USAID implement the priorities?
[8:50] How does USAID measure success of localization work?
[13:38] What are the changes around locally led development and humanitarian response?
[18:35] What are some challenges that USAID has faced while trying to implement some ambitious localization activities and priorities?
[21:20] How does USAID work with major global aid donors?
[23:50] How do USAID partners fit into localization?
[29:23] How does Sarah see USAIDs role fitting into the broader US Government foreign policy context?
[31:38] Sarah shares some success stories where localization has worked.
[37:11] What is the difference with how USAID and DC headquarters work with localization and partners overseas?
[42:00] What are some of the future projects and partnerships Sarah is excited about and how will USAID measure success?
[49:20] What are some key takeaways Sarah would like partners to walk away with from this conversation?
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Local ownership and local leadership is critical for effectiveness and for sustainability.
Locally led development is important for greater effectiveness, greater sustainability, and importantly for greater equity in development and humanitarian work.
A joint commitment between USAID and their partners is important because no one team has all the answers or all of the tools or systems. It’s critical that everyone works together toward a common goal and that they learn from one another.
QUOTES:
[22:38] “This joint commitment is really important because individually none of us has all the answers or all the tools, so it’s really critical to make sure that we’re working toward common goals and to learn from one another as we go as well.” - Sarah Rose
[30:37] “If we’re talking about investments that we hope will be effective in advancing these priorities, thinking about locally led development is the best way to ensure that our investments, or to maximize the possibility that our investments will really help support some of these lasting development issues or really strengthen local systems to do. That ends up being a really important criteria or context as well.” - Sarah Rose
[51:49] “We also very importantly and crucially need to continue to be able to listen to those local communities, stakeholders, governments, etc on how they want this to continue to look.” - Sarah Rose
RESOURCES:
Aid Market Podcast
Aid Market Podcast YouTube
Mike Shanley LinkedIn
BIOGRAPHY:
Sarah Rose is the Senior Advisor for Localization in the Office of the USAID Administrator. Prior to coming to USAID, she was a policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, where her research focused on US development policy and aid effectiveness, including localization. Previously, Sarah was a monitoring and evaluation specialist in the health office of the USAID Mission in Mozambique. She also worked at the Millennium Challenge Corporation in the Department of Policy and Evaluation.
Former USAID Administrator and President & CEO of the Wilson Center, Mark Green joins Mike Shanley to discuss various topics around USAID. Mark explains his role as the USAID Administrator and the importance of USAID. He talks about humanitarian funding and how it affects long term development funding. Mark describes the war in Ukraine, and what it has been like to be the feet on the ground when tragedy strikes and how USAID is needed. Mark shares his advice for the next administration, explaining where more support is needed. Lastly, Mark talks about initiatives and programs that don’t have broad political support, and why that support is needed. Tune in to learn more about USAID and how their work impacts all areas of the world.
IN THIS EPISODE:
[1:33] What does Mark say to those who question the role or need for USAID or Foreign AID?
[4:24] What are the priorities in the role for USAID, MCC and other foreign aid?
[8:03] Mark discusses how the initiatives that he started have evolved or developed with the current administration.
[12:50] How does Mark see humanitarian funding affecting long term development funding?
[18:45] How did they frame the alternative development models offered by China as developing priorities and going through the procurement process?
[23:18] What is the current state of the war in Ukraine?
[30:47] What did a typical day look like for Mark as the USAID Administrator?
[32:56] What did Mark look for to help him make the right decisions in his leadership role?
[39:26] What would Mark’s advice be for the next administration?
[41:05] What are some of the initiatives, activities or programs that don’t have broad, political support in the U.S.?
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
USAID helps to grow partners, foster relationships, and build the capacity of other nations to join with USAID and take on their country’s challenges.
The American dream isn’t just the American dream. It’s the universal dream, and we have to make sure that we invest in that, and that’s where development assistance comes in.
USAID largely goes unnoticed, but they are essential to the work the U.S. does in other countries. They are the feet on the ground and they make huge impacts with their partnerships in other countries.
QUOTES:
[1:48] “When I first began, I was asked by outsiders why USAID matters. I said, look, if we do this right, foreign assistance and development assistance can help us address just about every one of our foreign policy challenges.” - Ambassador Mark Green
[13:01] “There is a real danger that humanitarian assistance will begin to cannibalize development assistance, and some of it is completely understandable. Humanitarian assistance responds to emergency needs, and there are emergencies right now, perhaps greater than we’ve ever seen, so it’s natural.” - Ambassador Mark Green
[39:27] “I think the administrator has to sharpen the tools in the toolbox, and then it is the White House, it's the President and the Secretary of State that will help to guide where those tools are deployed and for what end. I believe that development tools can be used to help address just about every challenge that we see in the world today. They aren't by themselves necessarily the answer, but they're part of the answer. And I think that’s key.” - Ambassador Mark Green
RESOURCES:
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Ambassador Mark Green - LinkedIn
Aid Market Podcast
Aid Market Podcast YouTube
BIOGRAPHY:
Ambassador Mark Green (ret.) serves as the President and CEO of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, an institution chartered by Congress to “strengthen the fruitful learning between the world of learning and the world of public affairs.” He has served as the Administrator of the US Agency for International Development where he used America’s development and humanitarian tools to help countries on their “journey to self-reliance.” He also served as Executive Director of the McCain Institute and President/CEO of the International Republican Institute. Green served as the U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania (mid-2007 to early 2009), and before that, he served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Wisconsin’s 8th District. He has been honored for his work by the Republics of Tanzania and Colombia, and institutions including the Scowcroft Institute at Texas A&M and Georgetown University.
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