Bio Information For 2014 UAA Board Candidates

David Cohen

For most of us, USAID was more than just a job. Working for the Agency gave us the fortunate opportunity to achieve things and have experiences that substantially defined who we were and are. These things continue to remain important to us. An active, well-functioning USAID Alumni Association provides us with a great way of staying in touch with the development field as well as with friends and colleagues.

I greatly value the chance to help make the UAA an enduring success. Four years ago, I became co-chair of the UAA’s Strengthening USAID Committee, which has been helping the Agency take advantage of alumni experience and expertise in mentoring the many new DLI entries and others. I also led the re-design of – and manage – the new, improved UAA website – an important link in keeping members involved with the Association. During the past two years, I have been proud to serve on the UAA Board.

During my 30-year FS career with USAID, I served in three geographic bureaus as an economist, program officer and mission director. I also spent two years on the faculty of the National War College. Following my retirement, I have been engaged as a consultant, was a vice president of a consulting firm and do volunteer work in local community organizations.

Nancy Pielemeier

I have worked in international health and development throughout my career, beginning with service in Peace Corps/Malaysia. I worked with USAID as a graduate intern on a PASA agreement at HHS (then HEW), as a USAID contractor while completing my dissertation at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, as a PSC in USAID/Liberia, as a GS employee in USAID/Washington (as nutrition and health policy officer in PPC and as Deputy Director in the Global Bureau Office of Health), and as project and program director of USAID health systems projects at Abt Associates Inc. As spouse of a USAID FS officer, I lived and worked in Brazil, Botswana, Liberia, Washington, and again Brazil over a period of 23 years. I have had the privilege of serving as UAA Board member and Co-Chair for the past two years and would be pleased to serve as a Board member for a second term to assist with the continued growth and development of UAA with its mission to support USAID’s ability to provide quality technical assistance and leadership in international development.

Denise Rollins

I am retiring from USAID on November 30, after 27 years as a Foreign Service Officer and spent 23 of those years overseas. I am currently the Acting Assistant Administrator for Asia and I have also served as Mission Director in Bangladesh, Deputy Mission Director in South Africa, and, was basically a die-hard program officer in Jamaica, Ghana, Uganda and Nigeria. I have had an amazing career at USAID and had the good fortune to have helped improve the quality of life for so many people in Africa (where I served for 15 years), the Caribbean and Asia.

I have devoted a great amount of time to mentoring junior and mid-career officers, promoting USAID’s new business model, briefing Congressional leaders on our programs and their impact, working in the interagency, overseeing the development of new Country Development Cooperation Strategies and championing the Agency’s new focus on the program cycle, ending extreme poverty, building resilient societies, and increasing the use of science, technology, innovation and partnership. I love this Agency, the work we do and the people we serve and benefit. I would welcome an opportunity to continue to serve. Being on the Board of the USAID Alumni Association would be a great honor for me. In accordance with the UAA By-laws, if elected, I would assume my Board responsibilities on December 1.

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