Our Team

President/CEO

Demetria Arvanitis

Demetria Arvanitis is the President/CEO of DevWorks International. A visionary and innovative development leader, Ms. Arvanitis brings more than 25 years of international development experience. She leads DevWorks’ strategic development and global programs, expanding on its historical strengths in agriculture, water and sanitation, governance, and natural resource management. Ms. Arvanitis has built high-performing teams that deliver on development outcomes through strategic decision-making, mentoring, and leadership development.

Ms. Arvanitis joined SNV USA in 2015 as Vice President of Business Development and Programs and was appointed Executive Director in 2016. Since then, she has led the development of the team, systems, and tools that have enabled the consistent growth of the organization. Most recently, she led the strategy and rebranding of SNV USA to DevWorks International.

Before joining DevWorks, Ms. Arvanitis worked at Winrock International in numerous roles, beginning as the Country Director for Russia in 1997 where she oversaw programs and led its Farmer-to-Farmer program. She later served as the Director of Volunteer Technical Assistance, leading implementation of all Winrock volunteer technical assistance activities and expanding programs in agriculture and civil society development. She then served as the Senior Director of New Business Development, where she developed new capture management and support processes. Previously, Ms. Arvanitis was an education and health Program Specialist for the USAID Representative for Afghanistan (based in Pakistan) and the Democracy Office of USAID/Russia, where she supported exchanges and training in governance, agriculture, economic growth, and health.

Throughout her career, Ms. Arvanitis’ work has been characterized by a strong commitment to close collaboration with local partners, building strong teams at both home and field offices, and above all, dedication to ensuring lasting, sustainable impact. Ms. Arvanitis holds a master’s degree in International Management from the School of International Training and a BS in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Society for International Development Washington Chapter.

Senior Program Manager

Anna Cucurullo

Anna Cucurullo is an international development professional with experience in USAID program development, project implementation, design, and communications. She joined DevWorks in 2015 and is skilled in budget management, deliverable tracking, contract compliance, and relationship management with a wide range of partners and stakeholders. Since starting her international development career, she has supported programs in WASH, agriculture, renewable energy, and youth employment globally, using insight from project implementation to design and collaborate on management tools at the HQ level. Her interests include WASH systems strengthening, gender mainstreaming, and private sector partnerships. Ms. Cucurullo holds a BA from the University of Maryland, is proficient in French, and is learning Russian.

Deputy Director of Business Development

Drew Drozynski

Drew Drozynski is the Deputy Director of Business Development at DevWorks with over 12 years of experience managing proposal development for U.S. Government contracts and grants. He began his career writing proposals and implementing projects for defense contractors, first as a proposal and project manager for a company specializing in linguistic and cultural aspects of defense, then as a proposal writer and manager in an intelligence community IT service management company. He was part of the team that designed and implemented the National Language Service Corps, a government-organized network of US-based multilingual volunteers who can be deployed as translators during emergencies. A year-long backpacking journey ignited his passion to improve conditions for the world’s poorest, especially through increasing the sustainability and nutritional output of agriculture systems. Afterward, he rapidly transitioned to the international development sector, where he currently manages proposals for USAID agriculture, nutrition, WASH, renewable energy, and youth projects. In his free time, he enjoys growing and hunting for gourmet mushrooms. Mr. Drozynski has a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and a certificate in Permaculture Design.

Cost & Pricing Specialist

Cedrick Ekomie

Cedrick Ekomie joined DevWorks in 2019 as a Cost and Pricing Specialist and has more than 5 years of combined experience supporting accounting and finance functions in for-profit, government, and non-profit contracting organizations. His interests surround youth development initiatives, sustainable agriculture practices, and developing markets resiliency. Prior to joining DevWorks, he supported defense, civilian, IT and healthcare cost proposal efforts with OST Inc. His work allowed him to gain great experience developing an array of cost proposals to support business development. Mr. Ekomie is currently pursuing his MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business and has a BA in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park. He is originally from Gabon and speaks French and English.

Senior Project Account Manager

Tesfu Ghaber

Tesfu Ghaber is a senior finance and accounting officer who works on project finances at DevWorks. He was with SNV Netherlands Development Organisation for over 26 years supporting finance and administration across multiple regions and country offices. Most recently, he served as a Finance and Administration Manager with SNV Ghana where he managed a multi-million-dollar budget, a complex, high-profile project portfolio, and general operations including finance, administration, procurement, audit preparation, project start-up and close-out, human resources, and operations. He worked with 80 staff in addition to a large volume of sub-contractors and consultants. Mr. Ghaber has an MBA from the University of Nairobi in Kenya and a BA in Accounting and Management from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.

Senior Program Manager

Marjorie Huang

Marjorie Huang is a Senior Project Support Officer at DevWorks. She is a natural resource management specialist with 20 years of international work experience providing technical and managerial support to natural and water resource-based projects in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. She has extensive experience working for various INGOs designing, managing, implementing, and monitoring and evaluating projects, as well as conducting research addressing watershed management; payment for environmental services; multiple use water services; WASH; land tenure security; climate change adaptation; and gender and women’s empowerment. She has lived and/or worked in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, East Timor, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Vietnam, China, and Russia. Ms. Huang has an MEM from the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a BA in International Relations from Tufts University.

Senior Program Manager

Netanya Huska

Netanya Huska is a Senior Project Support Officer at DevWorks. She has over 12 years of project management experience in international development, specifically in renewable energy and WASH. Ms. Huska has expertise in managing program budgets, compliance, project start-up and close-out, HR, subaward management, and coordinating among various stakeholders. Ms. Huska has managed programs funded by various donors, including the Department of Labor, European Union, Department of State, United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Environmental Protection Agency, and the United States Agency for International Development. Prior to joining DevWorks, she presented on the USAID-funded Georgia Low Emission Development Strategy at the International Energy for Sustainability conference in 2017. Additionally, she co-led a special institutional project calculating the organization’s carbon footprint. She also has a wealth of experience in new business, including proposal management and budget development. Ms. Huska has worked in the Dominican Republic, Georgia, Liberia, Nepal, Nigeria, and Rwanda. She has a BS in Environmental Policy and Planning from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Business Development Manager

Shannon Kelley

Shannon Kelley is an international development professional who supports program development and project design for DevWorks, focusing on capture and proposal management. She is primarily interested in climate-smart agriculture, sustainable natural resource management, and the empowerment of disadvantaged populations. Ms. Kelley has experience in Ghana, where she volunteered on a farm, and in Botswana, where she studied the impact of government policies and international development programs on the marginalization of the indigenous San people. She holds a BS in Economics and Geography from George Washington University and continues to develop her French language skills.

Chief Financial Officer

Archil Nikuradze

Archil Nikuradze joined DevWorks in 2019 as Chief Financial Officer. He is a Georgian national with 18 years of progressive experience in financial management in the international development sector. Mr. Nikuradze started in the development world as a Director of Finance and Administration in Tbilisi, Georgia managing a $50 million USAID project for ACDI/VOCA. He transitioned to ACDI/VOCA in the US as Director of Global Accounting and then worked with QED LLC as Director of Finance. His experience working both in-country and in headquarters-based positions has given him a broad perspective and appreciation for in-country requirements and support needs as well as an awareness of different organizational approaches to structure financial models. Mr. Nikuradze is a Certified Public Accountant with a BS and an MS in Economics from the Georgian Technical University in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Vice President/COO

Jeannie Rose

Jeannie Rose is a dynamic and forward-thinking leader with experience in governance, economic development, and education. She joined DevWorks in 2013, serving in progressively more senior management positions. Ms. Rose has been instrumental to the organization’s rapid growth, supporting project design and resource mobilization of over $100 million in opportunities. In her role as Deputy Executive Director, Ms. Rose is responsible for the organization’s internal operations and works closely with the senior management team on strategy development, annual planning, business development, communications, and marketing. Previously, Ms. Rose was responsible for DevWorks’ business development unit, overseeing all proposals and opportunities. She joined DevWorks from Creative Associates International, where she supported USAID project implementation in Tajikistan, India, Cambodia, and Timor Leste and led and worked on large-scale proposals valued up to $125 million. Ms. Rose was a Fulbright Scholar in Taiwan. She has an MA from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a BA in Religious Studies and Chinese Language from the College of William and Mary.

Director of Programs

Astha Thapa

As the Director of Programs at DevWorks, Astha Thapa provides leadership, direction, and support to the project portfolio, supporting implementation in over 13 countries. She oversees the project implementation team on all matters related to program planning, financial and personnel management, contract and subcontract management, and compliance. In addition, she focuses on strengthening DevWorks’ project operations infrastructure to be practical, efficient, and compliant throughout the project lifecycle. Ms. Thapa brings expertise in financial and organizational management to design efficient management structures at project and organizational level. This also enables her to develop solutions to challenges and to be an effective liaison among implementing partners, clients, and stakeholders. Ms. Thapa has a master’s degree in Finance from Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor’s degree in Management from Kathmandu University in Nepal.

Director of Business Development

Manoli Strecker

Manoli Strecker leads new business development, strategic partnerships, and donor engagement at DevWorks. With more than 10 years of business development and partnerships experience, Mr. Strecker brings significant expertise and networks with USAID, DFID, multilateral development banks, as well as private sector CSR partnerships. He has lived and worked internationally, including in Hanoi, Vietnam where he managed all Southeast Asia regional business development efforts. He has successfully developed numerous new programs in sustainable agriculture, WASH, renewable energy, women’s economic empowerment, private sector engagement, natural resources management, and forestry. Mr. Strecker holds an MA in Social Science from the University of Chicago and a BA in History from Swarthmore College.

Senior Agriculture Advisor

Stephen Walls

With more than 35 years of experience in agriculture and food security, Mr. Walls has dedicated his career to pursuing more inclusive opportunities for the poor and other disadvantaged populations. Mr. Walls has extensive experience in developing interventions for increasing smallholder productivity and access to markets. He is skilled in working with public and private sector stakeholders to develop activities aimed at increasing smallholder incomes through participation in commercial value chains. Mr. Walls has managed numerous large-scale development projects in East and Central Africa and South and Southeast Asia. He began his career as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Niger, West Africa. During his distinguished career, Mr. Walls worked as an agricultural technical advisor in Pakistan and helped establish a drylands research facility to promote oilseeds development in Northern Pakistan. He served as a policy advisor on two long-term USAID projects in Cameroon and Burundi and supported the seed industries in these countries. He was Country Director for TechnoServe in Tanzania for 3 years and supported the reemergence of the coffee and dairy industries in Northern Tanzania. He spent over 12 years in Kenya where he served as the Chief of Party for the Regional Agricultural Trade Expansion Support (RATES) project and was the Chief of Party for the East Africa Trade Hub/Competitiveness and Trade Expansion (USAID COMPETE) program, a major ($80 million) regional trade expansion and food security program based in Nairobi, Kenya. Most recently, Mr. Walls managed a large value chain project in Myanmar to help reestablish USAID’s development programs in the Shan region of Myanmar. He is currently a senior technical consultant providing expertise in market systems and competitiveness strategy development, marketing, and value chains and end-market analysis and advising on other key development issues.

Corporate Controller

Jieming Ma

Jieming Ma is the Corporate Controller at DevWorks. She is responsible for overseeing all aspects of accounting functions of the organization, managing projects financial reporting and invoicing, and maintaining a strong internal control system. She works closely with the Chief Financial Officer to improve the organization’s financial system and to streamline accounting procedures to increase productivity. Prior to joining DevWorks, Jieming had 10 years of professional experience in international development and the private sector. She spent more than 8 years at ACDI/VOCA managing the financial reporting process in compliance with donor agreements for over 70 contracts and grants funded by USAID, USDA, the World Bank, and other non-federal organizations. Projects ranged from thousands to large volume and highly complexed multimillion-dollar portfolios in over 40 countries including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Honduras, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Sudan, and Zambia. Jieming holds a master’s degree in Accounting from George Washington University.

Senior Technical WASH Manager, Uganda Sanitation for Health Activity

Jacinta Nangabo

Ms. Nangabo has almost 20 years of experience implementing WASH projects in Uganda. Her experience spans from promoting WASH in schools, working with the private sector to introduce new sanitation technologies, establishing learning platforms and WASH alliances, and monitoring and evaluation of fecal sludge management systems. Her involvement in numerous assessments, technical briefs, and working groups over the past two decades have helped develop standards for hygiene, sanitation, and O&M in schools and in the WASH sector at large. She is passionate about empowering people to take charge of their lives and ensuring access to equal opportunities. At DevWorks, Ms. Nangabo serves as the Senior Technical WASH Manager on the USAID-funded Uganda Sanitation for Health Activity, serving on the senior management team and providing technical assistance in demand creation and private sector engagement. Ms. Nangabo holds a Master’s of Science degree in Water and Environmental Management from Loughborough University’s Water and Sanitation Development Centre in the United Kingdom.

Chief of Party, Nepal Health and Hygiene Activity

Bal Bahadur Thapa

Mr. Bal Bahadur Thapa is an experienced project manager with over 30 years of progressively responsible experience in management, strategy development, participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation, coordination, partnership development, capacity strengthening, and integrated development programs. Mr. Thapa brings vast experience working with a wide variety of different stakeholders, from government partners, community organizations, donors, and NGOs. Previously, he has worked on WASH and health donor-funded projects in Nepal, fostering partnerships with local NGOs and providing technical expertise in the promotion of safe WASH practices. Mr. Thapa’s has overseen the planning and implementation of over 200 drinking water supply schemes, capacity building for inclusive citizen groups, and leveraging channels for citizen feedback with service providers and governments relating to water supply. A native Nepali speaker, Mr. Thapa is also fluent in English and hold a Master’s Degree in social science from Tri-Chandra College in Kathmandu, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Rural Water Supply and Sanitation from Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand.

Deputy Chief of Party, USAID Tanzania Advancing Youth Activity

Neemiah Kahakwa

Mr. Kahakwa has vast experience in the design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of economic empowerment programs focused on supporting rural smallholder farmers, especially women and youth. He has a successful track record in providing technical support, coaching, mentoring, and capacity building to business hubs, SMEs, farmer groups, youth saving and loans associations, mobile finance groups, and partner organizations. Prior to joining the USAID Advancing Youth activity, Neemiah managed and implemented youth employment programs in agriculture/agribusiness across Tanzania. His previous role was as Technical Program Specialist for Entrepreneurship under the Via Jiandalie Ajira Project in Tanzania (funded by the Master Card Foundation) that created employment for 17,043 youth in Tanzania through entrepreneurship and employability pathways. He has also served as Senior Business Development Specialist for the Small Industries Development Organization (SIDO) under the Ministry of Industries and Trade in Tanzania that supported the development of the small industries sector in Tanzania through enabling policy formulation and direct support to SMEs, to hands-on involvement in the establishment and support of SMEs in both rural and urban areas. Mr. Kahakwa holds a Master’s Degree in economics from the Open University of Tanzania and is fluent in both English and Kiswahili.

Chief of Party, USAID Feed the Future Sene Yiriwa Activity

Dr. Julie Fischer

Dr. Julie Fischer has more than 30 years of experience in agriculture, governance, natural resources management, women’s empowerment, and land tenure, including 11 years as Chief of Party/Team Leader on large USAID projects. She has experience working in fragile and conflict-affected environments, managing staff, partners, and resources responsibly while achieving results, including as USAID’s Global Climate Change Advisor for CARPE in the DRC, where she provided overall management and strategic planning across 12 implementing mechanisms. Most recently, Dr. Fischer was Chief of Party for the USAID/Ghana Agriculture and NRM Project in Tamale, Ghana. Dr. Fischer began her career as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mauritania and has gone back to West Africa for multiple long-term projects, including as Chief of Party for the USAID/Mali Women in Local Governance Project. A fluent French speaker, she has long-term experience throughout sub-Saharan Africa, including in Mali, Mauritania, Guinea, Senegal, the DRC, and Ghana. Dr. Fischer earned her PhD in Geography at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan.

Programs Officer

Megan Plourde

Megan Plourde is a Master’s candidate in International Affairs from The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs with concentrations in Conflict & Conflict Resolution and International Development. Megan joined DevWorks in 2021 as a Programs Associate with skills in USAID and MCC proposal development and project management with prior on-the-ground experience overseas. Between 2017-2019, Megan worked as a Secondary Education and Community Development Volunteer with the Peace Corps in Mongolia. She taught English classes to 200 students in grades 5-9, learned project design and management, and co-facilitated a grant writing conference for 30 volunteers and their counterparts. Her interests include sustainable post-conflict development, climate change and environmental sustainability, and gender inclusion and diversity.  Megan holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (minor in Political Science) and speaks basic Spanish and intermediate Mongolian.

Agriculture & Market Systems Senior Advisor

Dan Norell

Dan Norell has 30+ years in international development. He has worked in small business development in Jamaica for three years and microfinance in Zimbabwe for four years. As the Senior Technical Advisor in Economic Development for World Vision he provided technical services to grant acquisition for US Government and Foundation funding in value chain & market systems development, savings groups, microfinance, and other economic development interventions. He has provided in person technical assistance to 30 countries.

Mr. Norell is the co-author of the “Integrating Extremely Poor Producers into Markets Field Guide.”  The Field Guide is designed to provide tools to market facilitators in the field. https://www.fsnnetwork.org/resource/integrating-extremely-poor-producers-markets-field-guide-4th-edition

He is also a co-author of the article “Value chain development with the extremely poor: evidence and lessons from CARE, Save the Children, and World Vision” published in the March/June 2017 Enterprise Development and Microfinance Journal. He is also co-author for the article in the September 2019 Enterprise Development and Microfinance Journal entitled “Better together: improving food security and nutrition by linking market and food systems.” https://www.fsnnetwork.org/resource/better-together-improving-food-security-and-nutrition-linking-market-and-food-systems

WASH Senior Advisor

Richard Pollard

Richard Pollard is a WASH Senior Advisor for DevWorks International with over forty years of experience improving access to sanitation and water supply services, community development, and environmental management in East, Central, and South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. He has managerial and technical skills in behavioral change, private sector participation, institutional development, appropriate technologies, sustainable project design, and policy work. He has extensive experience with the design, management, and evaluation of projects supported by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNDP, UNICEF, USAID, AusAID/DFAT, SIDA, AFD, The Netherlands, UK DFID, EcoPeace-Middle East, and other bilateral development assistance agencies and NGOs.

At the World Bank, Mr. Pollard was directly responsible for the design and supervision of over $500 million in WASH lending in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. He established and managed the Bank’s Water Sector Team for the West Bank and Gaza. From 2002 to 2006, Mr. Pollard was the Regional Team Leader for the World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program in East Asia and managed 48 professional staff in five countries while generating more than $20 million in new grant financing for technical assistance projects. More recently, Mr. Pollard was the Senior WASH advisor at DAI for the $13 million USAID Water for Africa through Leadership and Institutional Support Project that strengthened the ability of African leaders, stakeholders, and donors to improve the quality and comprehensiveness of WASH data and analysis for evidence-based decision-making to deliver sustainable WASH services. Mr. Pollard holds a Master’s Degree in Water Resources Management from the University of Wisconsin.

Project Support Associate, Feed the Future Sene Yiriwa Activity

C.J. Ray

C.J. Ray joined DevWorks in 2021 as Project Support Associate for the Sene Yiriwa Feed the Future Mali activity.  Prior to DevWorks, C.J. served as an Environmental Action and Food Security Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo, facilitating animal husbandry projects, assisting with Physical Education classes at the local school, and tutoring middle school students in English.  In his free time, C.J. enjoys playing tennis, cycling, and reading novels.  He is proficient in French and Spanish and is learning Portuguese.  C.J. earned his MA in International Affairs from Boston University and his BA in Political Science from Grinnell College in Iowa.

WASH Senior Advisor

Louis O’Brien

Mr. O’Brien is an international development specialist with more than 30 years of experience in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Technical work has revolved around the areas of environmental health, urban and regional economic development, community-based planning and participatory development, disaster response and mitigation, and complementary program monitoring and institutional learning. Mr. O’Brien has directly overseen the management of more than $200 million in contracts and grants from USAID, World Bank, UN Agencies, other bi-laterals, and private foundations. His management duties have involved: work plan development, proposal and new business development, contract negotiation, subcontractor management, operations and administrative management, results monitoring, personnel recruitment and supervision, financial management and accounting, high-value procurement and programmatic reporting. He has also led development of critical partnerships with a wide range of international organizations and private corporations. Mr. O’Brien holds a Master’s degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from UCLA.

Agriculture & Market Systems Senior Advisor

David Roche

David Roche is DevWorks’ Senior Technical Advisor in Agriculture, specializing in coffee. He is a results-driven manager with more than 30 years of experience and achievements. At Coffee Quality Institute, he served as their Technical Director for nine years, overseeing assessment, management, and development of global coffee programs and program funding before being promoted to Executive Director to oversee and drive growth of all global coffee programs. Mr. Roche has won several awards including the Technical Achievement Award, Africa Fine Coffee Association Service Award, and the Guatemala Anacafé Organization Award, and is a well-known lecturer on multiple technical topics such as sustainability, production, processing, organic farming, global coffee issues and market linkages. Mr. Roche has a B.S. in Fruit Science from California Polytechnic State University and an M.S. in Horticulture (Viticulture) from the University of California.

Accountant

Eddine Mureke

Eddine Mureke joined DevWorks finance team with 10+ years of experience in finance and general accounting, handling Account Payables, Account Receivables, Payroll, Financial Statements data extracting and other administrative supportive tasks. She has a strong interest in work that promote and provide a positive social, economic, and educational impact on the African youth. She lived in Cote d’Ivoire for 4 years and worked as an accountant for a real estate hospitality private company in Abidjan. She earned her BA in Accounting and Finance at Pittsburg State University. She is originally from Burundi in East Africa and speaks French and English.