ACDI/VOCA is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its board of directors: Asif M. Shaikh and Dr. Guevera Yao. These experts bring to the board their unique perspectives on economic, agricultural, and financial policies and how to apply them critically to improve sustainable development practices and support ACDI/VOCA’s mission. ACDI/VOCA’s Board of Directors also named former vice chair Timothy Beans as its new chair and Leslie Durschinger as vice chair. Deborah Atwood, who served as the previous chair, remains a member of the board.
“We are honored to welcome two prestigious new board members. Their transformational thinking and influence on global development policy will bring fresh perspectives on a new paradigm in sustainable development. Their leadership will support ACDI/VOCA in our mission to positively impact the lives of many living in the developing world.”
— Timothy Beans, ACDI/VOCA Board Chair
Asif M. Shaikh has led path-breaking development approaches in energy, agriculture, food security, governance, and economic policy. He is CEO of PaxTerra, a firm focused on emerging markets, private equity, and professional services. He is also a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Asif co-founded International Resources Group (IRG) and served as its CEO for 22 years, leading IRG to become the first development company to receive the Federal Government Contractor of the Year Award in 2004. Asif previously served on executive committees for the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network, U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, and CSIS. He has served on several oversight and policy boards for USAID, the World Bank, the National Academy of Sciences, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and others. In 2013, Asif received the Society for International Development Washington, D.C., (SID-W) Chapter’s Award for Leadership in Development. He is chair emeritus for the National Museum of African Art Advisory Board and SID-W and president of the Robbins Center for Cross-Cultural Communication. Asif holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a master’s degree in economics from Columbia University.
“I am very happy to welcome Asif and Guevera to the ACDI/VOCA Group team, and I look forward to working closely with them and our other board members to move ACDI/VOCA, Tanager, and AV Ventures forward in the future.”
— Charles J. Hall, CEO of ACDI/VOCA
Dr. Guevera Yao is an economist and policy expert in the areas of economic development, agriculture, trade, and finance. He currently serves as senior director for the U.S.-Africa Business Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he leads the Investment and Trade Task Forces and advises Fortune 500 companies, small and medium enterprises, and government leaders. In this role, Guevera also serves as a point of contact for agriculture and food security matters within the International Affairs Division. In 2019, he led the inaugural Agriculture Technology (AgTech) Forum in collaboration with the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the World Food Prize. Guevera’s experience spans several developing countries, including those that make up Member States of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He holds an MA and PhD in economics from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University.
Learn more about our Team, including our Board of Directors, here.
