About the webinar

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It has been 18 months since USAID Administrator Samantha Power set out an ambitious vision for the agency to localize its funding. The plan included handing at least 25% of its funding to local partners within four years, which would mark a seismic shift for one of the world's most influential aid donors.

But the effort has been beset by challenges, including insufficient workforce to deliver on the goals. Power recently acknowledged the slow rate of progress and "difficulty" of meeting the 25% target. In this event, we'll be joined by a panel of experts to discuss how far USAID has come toward its localization goals, what issues have emerged as the key obstacles, and what needs to happen going forward.
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The Speakers

Adva Saldinger

Interviewer
Moderator

Adva Saldinger

Senior Reporter
Devex
Adva Saldinger is a senior reporter at Devex, where she covers development finance, as well as U.S. foreign aid policy. Adva explores the role the private sector and private capital play in development and authors the weekly Devex Invested newsletter bringing the latest news on the role of business and finance in addressing global challenges. A journalist with more than 10 years of experience, she has worked at several newspapers in the U.S. and lived in both Ghana and South Africa.
Ngasuma Kanyeka

Ngasuma Kanyeka

Co-founder
Taji Finance
Ngasuma Kanyeka is the Co-founder of Taji Finance, a fintech platform focused on rural youth and women in agribusiness in the African continent. She works at the intersection of technology policy and tech-for-good. She previously managed a $20 million USAID funded project in Tanzania known as Feed the Future Tanzania Advancing Youth which created over 5,000 jobs and reached 42,000 young people with leadership, entrepreneurship and health opportunities. She consults for the UN, the African Union, Open Society and myriad other international institutions. She graduated from the Harvard Kennedy School with a Masters in Public Administration, is about to graduate from Cambridge's Judge Business School in the UK with an MBA and will be back at Harvard this summer pursuing a Doctorate at the Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health researching misinformation & AI.

Florian Kemmerich

Managing Partner
Bamboo Capital Partners
Florian Kemmerich is managing partner of Bamboo Capital Partners, founder of Ryan-Kay and board member of numerous organizations. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, Master of Science in Marketing, and a diploma in business and personal development. Florian leverages his extensive background in start-ups, fundraising, and transactions in health care and life science to invest in, build, and reposition organizations in the competitive global marketplace. In addition, Florian founded a medical education foundation in Mexico. He previously held C-level positions at Parter Capital, Olympus, SBi (Stryker), and B|Braun.
Shanna Marzilli

Shanna Marzilli

President and CEO
Plan International USA
Shanna Marzilli is the President and CEO of Plan International USA. Leading the organization, she is responsible for setting the vision and strategic focus of Plan USA. She previously served as chief marketing officer, chief human resources officer, and chief operating officer. In these roles, she was responsible for overseeing the execution of Plan USA’s business development and fundraising plans, including individual giving and partnerships with corporations and foundations; building Plan’s brand through marketing, communications, public engagement and advocacy initiatives; and overseeing workforce development and talent management efforts.
Charles Pope

Charles "Chuck" Pope

Founder and CEO
Pope International LLC
Charles S. “Chuck” Pope is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of his own government contracting/international development firm, Pope International LLC, which specializes in integrated development solutions for its partners. In April 2022, he retired from USAID as a commissioned foreign service officer and senior contracting and agreement officer after a more than 20-year career with postings to Russia, Afghanistan, Tanzania and India leading overseas acquisition and assistance efforts. Prior to retiring, he held a number of senior leadership positions at the agency, including senior regional advisor for the Middle East, chief of operations in the Global Health Bureau and deputy assistant administrator in the same bureau leading policy, programs, planning, innovation and systems.
Michael Igoe

Interviewer

Michael Igoe

Senior Reporter
Devex
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, who focuses on the politics of global development and U.S. foreign assistance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael studied international conservation and development at the University of Montana, and lived in southern Kyrgyzstan. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian and studied abroad in Siberia.

Office Cat

Mouse Catcher
Quarantine land
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”

Office Cat

Mouse Catcher
Quarantine land
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”

Office Cat

Mouse Catcher
Quarantine land
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”

Office Cat

Mouse Catcher
Quarantine land
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”

Office Cat

Mouse Catcher
Quarantine land
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”

Office Cat

Mouse Catcher
Quarantine land
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”

Office Cat

Mouse Catcher
Quarantine land
And both of these, if one would tell the truth, were foreordained unto the holy place, where greatest Peter’s follower hath his seat. While on this quest, for which thou giv’st him praise, he heard the things which of his victory the causes were, and of the Papal Robe. The Chosen Vessel went there afterward, to bring thence confirmation in the faith, through which one enters on salvation’s path. But why should I go there, or who concedes it? I ’m not Aeneas, nor yet Paul am I; me worthy of this, nor I nor others deem. If, therefore, I consent to come, I fear lest foolish be my coming; thou art wise, and canst much better judge than I can talk.”
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