Staff Directory

Assistant Vice President for International Operations

Anna Schowengerdt (she/her) has over 25 years of experience leading international programs, teams, and functions at the managerial and executive levels. In her recent position as an Executive Vice President at the International Youth Foundation, Anna provided leadership and oversight to the organization’s global program delivery, new business development, technical assistance, and award management functions to support program quality, financial growth, and operational excellence. Previous roles at Catholic Relief Services and the Save the Children Federation included project management, humanitarian response, country office operations, and senior agency-level positions to drive revenue growth and resource stewardship, create and scale business process efficiencies, and achieve transformative organizational change.

She lived and worked long-term in Liberia, Uganda, and Iraq and has held short-term assignments in 11 other countries. Anna holds an M.A. in International Affairs from the University of Denver and a B.A. from Whitworth University.

Manager, International Finance

Atiqul Abbas (He/him) has over 13 years of working experience in Finance, procurement, and administration. Atiqul has worked on USAID/World Bank projects implemented by International Organizations and also worked for a UN Agency. He started his career as an accountant for a global organization back home in  Afghanistan and worked as an Associate Director of Finance on a USD150m contract. His recent role was as a Senior Financial Analyst in Washington DC for a well-reputed organization.

He also volunteered as a CFO for a non-profit organization based in Germantown-Maryland helping victims of domestic violence and the homeless.

He further obtained his FIA from the British Council – UK besides his BA in Economics.

Assistant Director, International Procurement & Partnership

Hamed Cisse (he/him) is an experienced Contracts & Grants professional with experience in the private and public sectors. Hamed debuted his contracting experience negotiating industrial risk insurance policies before moving to the development and humanitarian assistance sector where he negotiated various types of contracting instruments for Federal Agencies.

Hamed is FAC-C Professional certified by the Federal Acquisition Institute (FAI), holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from Towson University, and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMUC).  

Hamed is a polyglot and has work experience in the Sahel Region (Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Mauritania, Guinea Conakry, Sierra Leone, and Cap Verde

Director, International Risk Management

Herty Cortez Diaz (he/him) is a multilingual professional specializing in international governance, risk, and compliance. Herty started his career in Human Resources (HR) and has applied the knowledge of this field to improve organizational policies and design strategies for business efficiency. Since Herty’s start in HR, he has also gained experience in corporate and personnel risk management, finance, and procurement across Europe, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Herty received his B.A. in Latin American Studies and Romance Languages from Johns Hopkins University. He continues to use his French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish proficiency to facilitate his personal and work travel.

International Travel Senior Specialist

Dan Fabbro (he/him) received his B.A. in International Relations and Diplomatic Affairs from the University of Bologna, Italy, and his master’s degree in International Conflict and Security from the University of Kent, Brussels School of International studies. Originally from Italy, Dan developed his professional career abroad, working for international organizations in Kosovo, Malaysia, and the United States. He holds certificates in Business Continuity and Security Risk management

Division Administrator

Danielle Hill (she/her) has over 10 years of experience in healthcare. As a versatile and accomplished program specialist/manager, she is committed to helping healthcare organizations achieve maximum benefits by responding to shifting business needs. She has increased her understanding and awareness of general and research administration from her previous departments within the UMB School of Medicine, including the Center for Shock, Trauma, and Anesthesiology Research and the Department of Pulmonary. She received her B.S. in Biology Pre-Med from Norfolk State University, her Master's in Health Administration at the University of Maryland, Global Campus and her PMP certification.

International Procurement Senior Specialist

David Ng’onamo, MSc.SCM, MCIPS, (he/him) has over 18 years of local and international professional experience in Procurement and Supply Chain Management with rising responsibility over the years. He has worked in the private sector in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods industry, International NGOs as well as the US Government State Department and USAID.

He has held several positions including Procurement Manager for the Maryland Global Initiative Corporation (AMPLIFY) project and Procurement Specialist for DAI (LGAP) project. He also worked as Head of Procurement and Business Support Services for Japan Tobacco International, Oxfam, USAID Malawi and American Embassy State Department in Malawi.

He serves on the board of the Malawi Institute of Procurement (MIPS) as a Board Chairperson. Some of his professional notable achievements include being the Lead Arbitrator on a case: Techno Brain JV Crown Agent Vs. Malawi Revenue Authority(MRA), and leading the logistics audit for the Oxfam Zambia Programme in January 2011 and 2012. David holds a MSc. in Supply Chain Management from the University of Bolton UK and is a Chartered Member of the Malawi Institute of Purchasing and Supply in UK

International Safety & Security Manager

Ken Nisbet (he/him) has over a decade in security risk management. He began his career as a security analyst for a risk management firm and worked as a regional security advisor covering Sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia-Pacific region for a UN agency. He received his BA from the University of California at Santa Cruz, an MA in International Relations from New York University, and holds a certificate in Geographic Information Systems from Penn State. When not working, Ken enjoys mountain biking and playing with his two dogs.

International IT Manager

Isabel Nshimbi (she/her) has a long career in the Information and Computers Technology field and most recently as a Project Manager for ERP Implementation. Isabel previously worked for Save the Children, COMESA Secretariat, and the copper mines in Zambia. She has been involved in several IT system implementations of varying sizes throughout her career.

Isabel received her M.A. in e-Governance from the EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland, and a B.S. in Computer Science from Richmond College in the UK.

Isabel enjoys taking part in various sporting activities and recently took up karate lessons. She is involved in community service, and socially, she considers herself a conflict-free zone and believes in a win-win resolution of issues. 

Specialist, Corporate Governance and International Compliance

Chrispine Nyirongo, LLB (Hons) (MW), MBA, (he/him) is a highly accomplished legal professional with extensive experience spanning over half a decade. He embarked on his career at Chris & Legal, where he has adeptly served a diverse clientele, including both individuals and corporations. Chrispine possesses profound expertise in various legal domains, notably commercial law, labor law, criminal law, and the law of torts.

Chrispine earned his Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from The Catholic University of Malawi, showcasing his commitment to academic excellence. Recently, he successfully completed his Master of Business Administration at Unicaf University, solidifying his multidimensional skill set.

In addition to his legal prowess, Chrispine demonstrates an entrepreneurial mindset. Over the years, he has actively participated in and completed the Phuka Incubators Program and Hatchstart Incubation Program offered by Standard Bank and mHub respectively. These programs have played a pivotal role in equipping him with invaluable practical business insights and knowledge.

With his impressive legal acumen, academic accomplishments, and strategic business acuity, Chrispine stands out as a consummate professional in his field.

International Human Resources Senior Manager

Mwanaisha 'Aisha' Rashid (she/her) is a seasoned professional in Human Resource Management in both the private and international NGO sectors. She possesses comprehensive skills across all facets of HR and Administration management and leadership. She is an expert in process improvement and effective cost-management solutions and is passionate about employee relations and talent management.

Aisha received her B.A. in Business Management from the University of Sunderland, UK, and M.B.A from CIM–The Global Business University, Cyprus. She possesses a Higher National Diploma in Human Resource Management from the Institute of Personnel Management–Kenya (now Institute of Human Resource Management–Kenya) and Professional Certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources–International (SPHRI) from the HR Certification Institute

International Senior Accountant

Richard Nzinyangwa Tassini (ADA) (he/him) has more than 13 years of work experience executing accountancy and finance roles for international nonprofit and private institutions. He also has experience in administration, procurement, logistics, and compliance. Richard enjoys seeing how he contributes to the achievement of UMB’s goals in international research and clinical programs in executing his role.

Richard received his Advanced Diploma in Accountancy from the Institute of Accountancy Arusha, Tanzania. He is trained on USAID rules and regulations for Grants and Cooperative Agreements.