On Thursday, July 14th at 10am ET, please join AfP for a discussion of MSI’s new fragility systems diagnostic tool, which is designed for immediate and practical application to deliver adaptive programming responses in dynamic contexts. After an initial presentation, we will convene a panel to explore the need for rapid and iterative contextual assessments and flexible and agile activity design in fragile environments. The conversation will also dive into the importance of systems thinking and localization in specific fragile contexts, including Coastal West Africa, Haiti, and Somalia. The hybrid event will feature MSI’s Christy Martins and Kalinda Magloire, Search for Common Ground’s Mike Jobbins, Valar’s Bronwen Morrison, and USAID’s Julie Werbel. To attend in-person at AfP’s offices (1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 401), please email Nick Zuroski. To attend virtually, please register here.
Speaker Bios:
Christy Martins:
Christy Martins is an international development practitioner with 18 years of experience, including 8 years overseas. Her technical area of focus is stabilization and peacebuilding, and she has experience working on USAID programs globally. She currently leads MSI's Peace & Stability Practice, overseeing new business and strategic growth efforts and advancing technical excellence, innovation and learning across MSI's global portfolio. Ms. Martins supervises a team of eight Technical Director and Technical Managers. Ms. Martins has led successful new business efforts and written winning proposals, and she is adept at program operations, including contractual, financial, grant and personnel management. She is a former Chief of Party on USAID’s Sri Lanka Reintegration and Stabilization in the East and North (RISEN) program and a multi-time Acting Chief of Party elsewhere. Ms. Martins has served as an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Maryland. She is fluent in Spanish and holds an M.A. in International Development from American University.
Kalinda Magloire:
Kalinda is a governance and development management specialist with significant experience supervising implementation and evaluating projects in the development sector. Kalinda holds two Master’s Degrees, one from the London School of Economics in Development Management and the other from the University of Montreal in Political Science and International Relations, she possesses more than a decade of highly relevant experience managing institutional strengthening projects in challenging environments. Kalinda has worked extensively with weak state and civil society organizations in transitional environments and has a strong understanding of grants under contract as well as experience in identifying activities and developing budgets for grantees. Kalinda is also a social entrepreneur, co-founder, and CEO of SWITCH SA, a clean cooking company working toward transitioning Haitian households from charcoal to propane.
Mike Jobbins:
Mike Jobbins leads Global Affairs and Partnerships at Search for Common Ground. He joined Search in 2008 and has designed, developed and managed conflict resolution, violence prevention, and inclusive governance programs. Mike leads Search’s advocacy and partnerships with U.S. and European governments, the private sector and NGO partners. Mike was Senior Program Manager for Search’s Africa Region, where he led the design and development of programs in 22 countries across the continent, including Search’s programs responding to state collapse in South Sudan, violent extremism in the Sahel, the civil conflict in the Central African Republic and the Cote d’Ivoire elections crisis. Before returning to Washington, he was a program manager with Search for Common Ground in the DRC and program officer in its Burundi regional office, where he oversaw the start-up and management of election, security sector, and complex emergencies programs.
Bronwen Morrison:
Bronwen is responsible for expanding Valar’s work in global security and stabilization in complex operating environments. She has over 25 years of experience working for USG-funded programs and UN peacekeeping operations in conflict and post-conflict countries. Her country experience includes Somalia, Liberia, Mozambique, Sudan, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Cambodia, East Timor, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, El Salvador, and Colombia. Previously, she worked in Somalia, serving as the National Security Advisor to the Office of the President; Senior Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration Security Sector Advisor to the Office of the Prime Minister; and Head of Research and Analysis for the Africa Union Mission in Somalia.
Julie Werbel:
Julie Werbel currently serves as the Division Chief for Leadership and Learning in the Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization’s Center for Conflict and Violence Prevention (CVP). She is a leading specialist on security and justice sector reform, conflict and violence prevention and countering violent extremism (CVE). Ms. Werbel possesses recognized expertise developing U.S. government policies and strategies; designing and implementing development and defense programs; and negotiating with donors and other international partners. Her perspective is informed by extensive field experience in fragile and conflict-affected states in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. Her career includes service with the U.S. Departments of State and Defense, the Peace Corps and the private sector. Ms. Werbel earned an M.A. in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.