ACDI/VOCA announced today the appointment of three new members to its board of directors: Timothy Beans, Ann Kafer, and Dawn Thomas.
Timothy Beans has 40 years of experience leading public and private sector programs with a focus on public affairs, environmental and health issues, emergency response, and customer service. Previously, Beans served as the mission director for the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Regional Development Mission in Asia, where he managed programming in Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, and China and led the response to the 2004 tsunami. He also served as a chief acquisition officer and procurement executive for USAID. Beans was senior vice president of business operations and senior advisor to the president and chief executive officer at DAI and senior vice president at Chemonics International.
“We are delighted to welcome three outstanding new members to our board of directors. Their range of expertise and knowledge will elevate ACDI/VOCA’s efforts to foster broad-based economic growth globally through a market-minded approach.” —Deborah M. Atwood, Chair, Board of Directors
Ann Kafer is vice president of human resources and strategy officer at GROMARK, Inc., a cooperative that is part of ACDI/VOCA’s organizational legacy. Since she joined the organization in 1993, she has served as a compliance officer and held manager and director positions in corporate communications, marketing services, and more. Most recently, Kafer served as director of communications for Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative and as communications coordinator for the Illinois Soybean Association. She has earned designation as a certificated compliance and ethics professional and won the Graznak Award from the Cooperative Communicators Association for being an outstanding communicator under the age of 36.
“We welcome the addition of these new board members, who lend extensive international experience and diverse backgrounds, to help deepen ACDI/VOCA’s impact around the world.” —Sylvia J. Megret, Interim President & Chief Executive Officer
Dawn Thomas consults for several international development organizations on strategic planning, institutional capacity building, and the design of complex economic growth programs. In 2014, she capped a 30-year career with USAID as a counselor in the United States Foreign Service having worked in over 20 countries in Africa, Asia, and South America. In Egypt, she led the restructuring of a $500 million portfolio to emphasize sustainable rural incomes. In Botswana, Dawn led an 11-country, multi-sector, regional platform for southern Africa that expanded trade under the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act. Dawn served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Chad and Senegal.
