Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC)
2000 M Street NW
Suite 250
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: 202-589-2600
Email: iesc@iesc.org
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Chris Addison
Senior Manager, Agriculture-led Growth
Chris Addison joined IESC in 2023 as a Senior Manager in our Agriculture-led Growth practice area. He is a seasoned international development professional with a track record of more than a decade in successfully executing agriculture focused programs for diverse US and international funding organizations. His expertise lies in effectively implementing initiatives related to innovation ecosystems, market systems, disaster risk reduction, and access to finance. Chris holds a Master of Arts in International Studies from East Carolina University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from Winthrop University.
Anna Brettmann
Senior Associate, Agriculture-led Growth
Anna Brettmann joined IESC in 2022 as an Associate, Agriculture-led Growth and was promoted to Senior Associate, Agriculture-led Growth soon after. In 2021, she earned an MA from Cornell in Global Development. Prior to completing her graduate work, Anna was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Southern Zambia where she directed programs on rural aquaculture, village banking, and livestock health.
Sujeewa De Alwis
Associate Vice President, Financial Reporting
Sujeewa has more than 25 years of experience with U.S. government and donor-funded development projects, including project management and financial management. He is also very experienced with organizational budget planning and management. He has managed a wide variety of programs operating under different contract mechanisms and has a strong understanding of U.S. government regulations, requirements, and expectations. He has worked with IESC, in the field or home office, since 1991. He holds an M.B.A. from AIT, Thailand and a B.Sc. from the University of Sri Lanka.
Judit Deilinger
Vice President, New Business
Judit is a senior international and business development executive with over 20 years of experience. At IESC, she is responsible for IESC’s business strategy, leads IESC’s new business development activities and manages a team of talented new business professionals. She is passionate about economic development and job creation, municipal management, and sustainable urban development. She is a perceptive trainer and facilitator with experience in association and institutional capacity building. Previously, she served as chief of party, designed and implemented multimillion-dollar development programs in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia, and held new business director positions. She was instrumental in the establishment of the ICMA China Center in Beijing. After hours, you may spot her on the ballroom dance floor. More about Judit.
Daniela Farinas
Senior Manager, Workforce, Entrepreneurship and Youth
Daniela Farinas joined IESC in 2024 as a Senior Manager in the Workforce, Entrepreneurship and Youth practice area. Previously, she served as the Deputy Chief of Party and Technical Advisor at Creative Associates International. In this role, Daniela played a crucial role in deploying the overarching strategy for a USAID youth activity that aimed to foster civic-mindedness and empower youth in civic and economic spheres. Before transitioning into the international development sector, she worked closely with diverse communities on issues such as food security, healthcare, and youth development. During this time, Daniela spearheaded the inaugural Fiesta del Barrio, a grassroots community initiative to foster collective cooperation, enhance access to critical healthcare services, and raise awareness about critical social determinants of health affecting immigrant populations. Daniela holds a bachelor's degree in business management and has earned both a Project Management Professional Certificate and a master's degree in public administration.
Chad Ford
Associate Vice President and Practice Lead, Trade and Enterprise
Chad joined IESC in 2014. He is a trade, enterprise, and project management specialist with more than 23 years of professional experience, including more than 17 in international development working on economic growth programs funded by the United States (USAID), Great Britain (DfID), and Sweden (SIDA). He has led and supported multi-country technical teams on program strategy, design, and implementation. Chad has worked in Asia, Africa, and Eastern and Southern Europe on value chain development, trade capacity building, and commercial policy and regulation reform. He is a long-term member of the Washington International Trade Association and holds a bachelor’s degree in social science and Latin America area studies from the University of Minnesota and a master’s in international commerce and policy from George Mason University.
Jessica Friedman
Senior Manager, Workforce, Entrepreneurship and Youth
Jessica Friedman joined IESC in 2021 as a Senior Manager, Workforce, Entrepreneurship and Youth. She previously worked at DAI, where she served as a Project Manager for an inclusive youth workforce development project in Indonesia, as well as other projects in Indonesia related to governance and the environment. Prior to that, she worked at IREX on youth professional development and higher education programs in Tunisia and Iraq. Jessica has a decade of experience in international development program management, focused on youth skills-building, workforce development, and education, including serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines. Her experience has been primarily across Southeast and South Asia and the MENA region, and she has worked on USAID and Department of State-funded programs. Jessica has a master’s degree in Sustainable International Development from the Heller School at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA.
Esteban Fuentes
Associate, Trade and Enterprise
Esteban Fuentes joined IESC in 2024 as an Associate with the Trade and Enterprise team. He previously worked with IESC in 2023 as an Intern. He completed his undergraduate degree at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service studying International Politics with minors in Spanish and Anthropology. Esteban recently worked with Georgetown's Military and Veterans Resource Center as an assistant.
Renee Gifford
Director, New Business
Renee Gifford joined IESC in 2023 as a Director with the New Business team. She has more than two decades of international experience providing business development, program, and grant management services for programs related to private sector development, youth, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning. She has managed new business teams, the business development process, and proposals for donors including USAID, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the UN, FCDO, EBRD, and the World Bank. Much of her earlier experience was centered around the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA), where she worked closely with IESC and visited IESC's Private Sector Development Program in Iraq, Microenterprise Development Program in Lebanon, and Capacity Building and Change Management Program in Afghanistan. She also met delegations of businesspeople through IESC's Kazakhstan Business Connections Program and highlighted IESC's portfolio to USAID missions through the VEGA Leader with Associate Award. Renee holds an MBA in International Business from The George Washington University and a BA in Political Science and English Literature from the University of Pittsburgh.
David Hartingh
President and Chief Executive Officer
Serving as President & CEO since 2018, David Hartingh is responsible for the strategic, programmatic, financial and management operations of IESC. David is an entrepreneurial international development executive with more than 23 years of experience in international economic development, small and medium enterprise development, and international trade. Prior to becoming IESC’s President & CEO, he was IESC’s Chief Operating Officer/Executive Vice President. He previously served as IESC’s Vice President of Global Programs and Associate Vice President and practice lead for trade and enterprise development. During his tenure at IESC, David has been instrumental in transforming IESC’s operating model and systems and competitively winning and successfully delivering results on numerous large-scale economic development projects around the world. His experience prior to joining IESC headquarters in 2005 includes managing a USAID-funded international trade and investment project operating in 37 countries, advising private sector clients with an international trade policy consulting firm, launching and selling his own franchised small business, and advising businesses as a consultant. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in International Economic Affairs from George Washington University.
Rachel Hyman
Volunteer Engagement Associate, Agriculture-led Growth
Rachel Hyman joined IESC in 2024 as a Volunteer Engagement Associate on our Agriculture-led Growth team. Prior to joining IESC, Rachel worked at We The Action, where she contributed to enhancing volunteer engagement and supporting the growth of the organization’s pro-bono lawyer community. Additionally, she played a key role in change management efforts at Save the Children US. Rachel holds a Master of Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Joanna Kaleniecka
Manager, Communications
Joanna Kaleniecka joined IESC in 2024 as a Manager, Communications. She has more than a decade of experience in the communications field, with a proven track record in both the nonprofit sector and with government entities. Throughout her career, Joanna has helped advance initiatives in various domains, including volunteerism, scientific research, environmental sustainability, waste management, emergency response, and municipal services. Joanna holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and speaks English, French, and Polish.
Adam Keatts
Associate Vice President and Practice Lead, Agriculture-led Growth
Adam Keatts joined IESC in 2021 as the Associate Vice President and Practice Lead, Agriculture-led Growth. He is an agricultural expert who has managed market-led development and analytical activities across more than 20 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia over the last 17 years. Most recently, Adam was the Chief of Party for the Feed the Future Enabling Environment for Food Security Project and Director of the Food Analytics department for Fintrac, Inc. In these roles, Adam led the design and delivery of technical assistance to USAID’s Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, Country Missions, implementing partners, and other development partners on topics such as food traceability, animal source foods, seed markets, commodity exchanges, agribusiness finance, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards, and post-harvest practices. He previously also authored assessments of best practices in agricultural market facilitation and smallholder technology commercialization. Adam holds an MSc in Agricultural Economics and an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship.
Christian Klein
Senior Manager, Trade and Enterprise
Christian Klein joined IESC in 2023 as a Senior Manager in the Trade and Enterprise department. He previously worked for IESC between 2014 and 2016 managing an Afghanistan-based program. Christian is an international development professional with over 16 years of experience across the spectrum of program implementation, technical design for new business, and technical assignments. His technical experience centers around trade facilitation and private sector development, among other areas. He has worked in East Africa where he lived for three years and has extensive experience working in Latin America and Central Asia. Christian holds a master’s degree in international commerce and policy from the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, and a political science degree with a double minor in Spanish language and Latin American studies from James Madison University. He is fluent in English and Spanish.
Gabriela Kliewer
Director, Trade and Enterprise
Gabriela has more than 10 years of experience managing international development programs, including programs funded by USAID, USDA, US State Department, World Bank, and various private foundations. She joined IESC in 2013. Her current work focuses on value chain development and market-driven agriculture. Gabriela has managed program implementation in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. Prior to joining IESC, Gabriela managed a diverse range of programs across sectors, from food security and education to workforce development at Counterpart International and the Nature Conservancy. A native of Quito, Ecuador, Gabriela is fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Italian. She holds an M.S. in nonprofit management from the University of Maryland.
John Lindsay
Associate Vice President and Practice Lead, Workforce, Entrepreneurship and Youth
John Lindsay joined IESC in 2021 as our Associate Vice President and Practice Lead, Workforce, Entrepreneurship and Youth. John has more than a decade of experience in skills development, labor markets, employment, and workforce development, and over 15 years of experience in the international development sector. He brings diverse experience working to advance economic opportunities whether they be in employment, self-employment, or entrepreneurship. Prior to joining IESC, John worked at several development consulting firms, NGOs, UN Agencies, and in the private sector. John has provided technical inputs and programmatic oversight in Egypt, Georgia, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Lebanon, Pakistan, Rwanda, Singapore, South Africa, and the United States. He has led assessments and analytical work and published in the areas of labor market analysis, value chain analysis, labor migration, positive youth development, and sector studies. John has an M.A. in International Affairs, from the New School at the Milano School of International Affairs, and a B.A. in Urban and Public Policy Studies from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Charlotte Lucas
Associate, Operations and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)
Charlotte Lucas joined IESC in 2022 as the Associate, Operations and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL). Prior to joining IESC, Charlotte worked as an intern at the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) through GXM Consulting where she helped with a variety of tasks for different NSIN programs, such as writing briefs and managing events for members of the Department of Defense and innovation communities and at the Federal Innovators Salon. Charlotte also worked for the History Department as an Office Assistant at the College of William & Mary, and in Massachusetts at the Wellesley Historical Society and the Natick Community Organic Farm. Charlotte holds a B.A. in History and Government from the College of William & Mary
Ria Mariano
Associate, Human Resources
Ria Mariano joined IESC in 2023 as an Associate in our Human Resources Department. She brings a wealth of international experience to our team, with a distinguished 8-year Risk Management career in Dubai. Ria was responsible for providing administrative and HR support to a workforce of over 500 employees stationed across diverse locations such as Iraq, Mozambique, Ukraine, and Libya. She developed and optimized administrative workflows and comprehensive HR manuals, streamlining processes, ensuring compliance and operational excellence. Ria's professional journey also includes experience in working in Singapore and the Philippines, which have further enriched her expertise in the field.
Courtney McNamara
Director, Trade and Enterprise
Courtney joined IESC in 2016 after beginning her career at DAI, bringing experience managing programs across a wide variety of technical focuses in Africa, Southeast Asia, and most recently, Afghanistan. Courtney is responsible for ensuring the success of her programs through managing daily operations over the life of the program, organizing efficient startups and closedowns, and collaborating with the program team to achieve technical objectives. Additionally, Courtney has spent significant time in the Afghanistan office supporting her program team in a range of roles. Courtney holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. More about Courtney.
Lauren Miller
Associate, Trade and Enterprise
Lauren Miller joined IESC in 2022 as an Associate, Trade and Enterprise. Lauren’s recent work experience includes the Human Rights Commission for Tomkins County in Ithaca, NY, where she planned events and fundraisers, developed an in-depth research survey of the state of human rights, and supported media communication and public relations. In 2021, she completed an internship in South Africa working with the Commission for Gender Equality in Durban where she drafted proposals, planned conferences and seminars, and educated community members and organizations on issues of gender equality. Working as a project coordinator for Eco Reps and as a community engagement officer with the Building Bridges Initiative, both in Ithaca, NY, Lauren gained experience in environmental advocacy, community engagement, and capacity building. Lauren specializes in African and Latinx politics and feminism. She graduated summa cum laude from Ithaca College with a BA in Politics, a Concentration in International Studies, and minors in Spanish and Latin American Studies. Additionally, she studied social and political transformation with the School for International Training in Durban, South Africa.
Jess Mull
Senior Associate, Workforce, Entrepreneurship and Youth
Jess Mull joined IESC in 2022 as a Senior Associate, Workforce, Entrepreneurship and Youth. Prior to joining IESC, she worked as the Interim Executive Assistant to the CEO and served as a Senior Program Associate at World Learning on the Department of State, International Visitor Leadership Program. Jess has experience as an educator in California and Vermont and completed an internship as a Street Outreach and Social Work professional in Quito, Ecuador. Jess holds an MA in International Development from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver and a B.S. in Psychology from Dominican University of California.
Jennette Murphy
Director, Human Resources
Jennette Murphy joined IESC in 2022. She started her human resources career more than 12 years ago managing human resources at small trade associations and a large private school in the Northern Virginia area. She recently held the position of Director of Human Resources & Operations at News Media Alliance, a trade association advocating for news and magazine media industries. Jennette works closely with senior leadership on organizational workforce strategy, employee relations, benefits, recruiting, compliance, policies, and training. Her interest in the Human Resources function comes from a background as a former paralegal and trained meditator. She holds a M.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution from George Mason University and a B.A. in Speech Communications, with a political focus, from George Mason University.
Dan Nichols
Vice President, Finance and Accounting
Dan brought his 17+ years of experience in international development financial operations and management to IESC in 2019. So far in his career, Dan has managed portfolios of development programs of varying size and scope; designed and implemented efficient systems for financial planning, analysis, and cash management; and sat on both sides of the table regarding institutional investment decisions. He has extensive experience training and developing staff with diverse backgrounds, experience, and perspectives on topics including indirect cost recovery, budgeting, and financial planning. Dan is a proponent of teaching people how to fish.
Sidney Phillips
Associate, New Business
Sidney joined IESC in 2023 as an Associate on the New Business team. Sidney is a recent master of global affairs graduate of Rice University. She holds bachelor’s degrees in international relations and rhetoric and writing from the University of Texas at Austin. Sidney recently spent nine months as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico. She is interested in innovative problem-solving within emerging markets through the lens of governance and trade. Sidney gained experience in these areas as a Mexico studies research assistant and intern at S&P Global Platts. She is also an avid reader and writer, with experience writing for student publications, a Texas-based lifestyle magazine, and grant writing as a Houston Public Library Foundation intern.
Rachel Posner
Manager, Agriculture-led Growth
Rachel joined IESC's home office team in 2022 as a Senior Associate, Agriculture-led Growth supporting the Farmer-to-Farmer Program, and was promoted to Manager, Agriculture-led Growth later that year. Prior to joining IESC, Rachel served on the contracts and grant administration team at the United Nations Foundation, working on initiatives that support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Rachel is a 2018 NSEP Boren Scholar for Hindi Language and holds a BA in Marketing and Sociology from the College of William & Mary. While living in India and studying Hindi language, Rachel conducted agriculture research with smallholder farmers in Telangana.
Lauren Rinderle
Executive Assistant and Office Coordinator
Lauren Rinderle joined IESC in 2023 as an Executive Assistant and Office Coordinator in our Operations Department. She previously served as the Physics Department Administrator at George Washington University, where her organizational skills and attention to detail were instrumental in departmental operations. Before her time at GWU, Lauren worked as a Development Specialist at the March of Dimes, where she made a significant contribution to the organization's mission of enhancing maternal and child health. Her dedication to public service extends further into her background, demonstrated through her prior internships with the Jefferson Educational Society and her local elections office. Lauren holds a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Political Science, both earned from Gannon University.
Jenni Robinson
Director, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
Jenni joined IESC in 2022 bringing more than 20 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation including for programs funded through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of Labor, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the European Union (EU), the former U.K. Department for International Development (DFID), the former Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), as well as various other government and private funders. Jenni has worked as a consultant throughout Africa and the Middle East designing MEL systems and conducting data quality assessments (DQA) at the national level for USAID as well as internally for a wide variety of programs and international development organizations. Jenni is passionate about the importance of good quality data that is useful for program decision making collected and managed through processes designed to minimize additional administrative tasks usually associated with MEL. She has designed, developed, implemented, and managed or provided technical assistance to the management of the monitoring and evaluation of various international development projects in diverse conditions internationally. Despite having worked in more than 26 countries, her home and heart are rooted on the African continent.
Marissa Johnson
Manager, New Business
Marissa is a detail-oriented project management specialist and environmental researcher, with nearly seven years of experience in the non-profit field. She holds a B.S. in Zoology with minors in French and International Studies from North Carolina State University and recently completed a dual M.A. in Sustainable International Development and an MBA in Social Impact degree program at the Heller School at Brandeis University. Before joining IESC, she led market research for the Food Security and Agricultural team at RTI International and developed a knowledge management system for corporate capability statements, past performance references, & technical proposals. Her passion for international development grew from an opportunity to study wildlife conservation and management in the tiger parks of Northern India during her undergraduate career. Marissa has an affinity for interdisciplinary work and enjoys travel and group fitness in her free time.
Cindy Santos
Director, Finance and Accounting
Cindy has over 20 years of experience in all aspects of accounting, payroll, and administration. She joined IESC in 2006. As the director of accounting, she is responsible for the day to day operations of the accounting staff and accounting operations. Cindy has worked across a range of industries, including manufacturing and distribution, nonprofit, banking, and commercial airlines. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Sacred Heart College.
Daniel Schlingman
Senior Associate, Trade and Enterprise
Prior to joining IESC in 2021, Danny was an International Trade Analyst, helping clients ensure compliance with federal trade regulations. While performing this work, Danny also completed a Master of Public Administration in April 2021. Additionally, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Armenia where he worked as an English teacher and on projects focused on health, education, and leadership. Danny has experience working on community development projects both domestically and internationally.
Erin Spinnell
Vice President, Operations
Erin joined IESC in 2000 and has more than 20 years of professional experience and 18 years of experience in international development. She has managed overseas technical assistance and capacity-building programs across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Southeast Europe. She has been responsible for program design, quality control and a wide range of implementation activities across multiple sectors. As vice president of operations, she oversees IESC’s operations, systems, processes, compliance, human resources, security, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning. She holds a B.A. from the University of Washington and an M.A. from the George Washington University.
David Stein
Manager, Trade and Enterprise
David joined IESC in 2016 and provides support to two trade and market-driven agriculture programs. David earned an M.S. in project management at George Washington University, where he studied how big data can be used to support organizations with decision making. David came to IESC as a returned Peace Corps volunteer (Armenia, 2011-13) with experience in USAID and State Department projects and corporate social responsibility.
Pamela Stevens
Associate Vice President, Global Awards
Pamela joined IESC in 2019. With more than 20 years of international development experience, she is accomplished in the capture and administration of U.S. foreign aid contracts and grants and in the creation and implementation of organizational practices that engender strong management of donor funds. She is IESC’s lead administrator for all contracts and grants matters, ensuring compliant, efficient and effective contract and grant operations. Previous work includes her tenure as a USAID contracts specialist, director of grants and contracts departments at two international NGOs, and principal and founder of a consulting practice that served more than 50 international nonprofit organizations in the areas of donor compliance, business development, organizational strategy, and capacity development. Pamela holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Masters degree in public policy and administration from the University of Maryland.
Senam Tsikata
Associate, Workforce, Entrepreneurship and Youth
Senam Tsikata joined IESC in 2024 as an Associate on our Workforce, Entrepreneurship, and Youth Team. Prior to joining IESC, Senam worked in philanthropy consulting at Arabella Advisors and in the nonprofit sector at the National Community Action Partnership. Her diverse experiences come from working, volunteering, and studying in different American and European countries. Senam attended the University of British Columbia and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a minor in French. Her professional focus is centered around international development and sustainable economic development.
Wai Yen Oo
Associate, New Business
Wai Yen Oo joined IESC in 2023 as an Associate with the New Business team. Prior to joining IESC, Wai Yen was a Project Assistant on the Asia-Pacific regional team at the National Democratic Institute. Originally from Yangon, Myanmar, Wai Yen is a recent graduate of Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Global Studies. As an undergraduate student, he was a part of the college's Honors Society and worked on multiple research projects related to East and Southeast Asian Buddhism and its role in economic development and human rights.
Silvia Zelaya
Senior Associate, Trade and Enterprise
Silvia Zelaya joined IESC in 2023 as a Senior Associate supporting the Trade and Enterprise practice area. Prior to joining IESC, Silvia supported the Americas practice at Albright Stonebridge Group, where she worked with clients in various markets across Latin America. Other recent work focused on researching the Chilean constitutional process, issues of migration and human rights, and COVID-19 policy developments across Latin America. Silvia holds an M.A. in Latin American Studies from the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and a B.A. in Mathematics and Economics from Wellesley College.