Stephanie Haile

Co-Founder and Agribusiness Lead

Stephanie is an agribusiness growth expert whose global portfolio has focused on agricultural transformation, agro-industrial growth and policy reform. Stephanie applies market-driven solutions to growing rural economies, scaling access to agricultural technologies and building more competitive agribusiness. She brings a wealth of practical field experience in developing and emerging markets, and has authored a number of seminal reports and training materials synthesizing best practices in the industry. Stephanie holds a Masters in International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a BS-BA International Business from the University of Missouri.

Annette Richter

Co-Founder and M&E Lead

Annette is global monitoring and evaluation expert with over 20 years of experience across Latin America, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Africa and South Asia. Most recently, she has worked as an evaluation expert for the World Bank, conducting mid term reviews and implementation completion reports for PFM projects. She brings a mastery of the full spectrum of M&E skills, from econometrics, statistics, survey design, to reporting and feeding results into evidence-based decision making. Annette holds a Masters in Public Administration in International Development from Harvard’s Kennedy School and Advanced Bachelors in Public Policy and International Affairs from Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School.

Strategic Advisors

 

Greg Michaels

Natural Resource Management/ Economist

Greg Michaels is an economist and international development specialist with more than 30 years of experience in technical assistance, program design, technical analysis, program management, program evaluation, and business endeavors. His portfolio has spanned environment and natural resources, climate change, agriculture, food security and malnutrition, water resources, energy, infrastructure, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) projects and programs in Asia, Africa, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Pacific. His recent projects include Payment for Environmental Services and explore green market opportunities. Greg holds a PhD in Economics from Vanderbilt University.

Gregorio Posada

Finance/ Agribusiness Specialist

Gregorio Posada is a financial specialist who specializes in the design and implementation of agribusiness investments. Mr. Posada has 30 years of experience as a business administrator spanning the technical areas of finance, sales, systems, human resources, production, and logistics. Based in Colombia, his current undertakings are agriculture investments ranging from large-scale estates to collective endeavors for indigenous and smallholder farmers. Mr. Posada holds a Masters of International Finance and Derivative Products from the University of Paris IX – Dauphine. 

Jean Pierre Landry

Agriculture Specialist/ Monitoring & Evaluation

Jean-Pierre is an agriculture specialist and M&E consultant, who has focused on improving the commercial and marketing performance of agricultural activities. His practical experience as a farmer, agronomist, agricultural advisor, and project director for a diverse array of private and institutional partners, has developed a clear understanding of each link in agricultural value-chains, and the ability to instill a sense of ‘entrepreneurship’ in fledgling organizations. He studied Agronomy at McGill University and holds a Masters in Bio-agronomy from Laval University.

Said Ali

Agriculture Specialist

Said Ali is an Agricultural specialist based in Nairobi, Kenya, with over 13 years of experience in agricultural development across multiple East and Horn of African countries. He has worked in both public and private sectors in different capacities including agricultural regulatory, value chain, climate-smart agriculture, and market systems development among others. He currently works as an independent agricultural consultant with several development partners in the region. Said holds a Masters in Quality and Food Safety Management from the University Mohammed V (Morocco) and a Bachelors in agricultural and plant biotechnology  from Ibn Tofail- Kenitra (Morocco).

Rebecca Goldsmith

Monitoring and Evaluation Expert

Rebecca is an M&E expert with over 20 years of experience in M&E design and implementation. She has worked on Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) programs in Armenia, Belize, Cabo Verde, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Honduras, Lesotho, Liberia, Moldova, Mongolia, Niger, The Gambia, and Zambia. Rebecca ensures that relevant information and high-quality data are collected, reported, and used for decision-making. Beyond country-specific tasks, Rebecca has developed guidelines and templates for much of MCC’s M&E work. Rebecca holds a Bachelors in Economics from Bucknell University and a Masters in International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.

Justin Valentine

Public Sector Management/ Operations/ Procurement

Justin Valentine is President & CEO at Valent, DeGA’s strategic partner in public sector performance work. Justin has over 20 years of global experience delivering complex projects and transformations in the public and private sector, and political campaigns. Justin currently advises multiple International Financial Institutions (IFIs) on best practices in operations, project feasibility, GovTech, and procurement. He has an MALD from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, a B.A. from the University of Virginia, and completed the Program on Negotiation (PON) at Harvard Law School.

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