Speaker: Devin L. Brewer (Chemonics International Inc.)

Devin L. Brewer recently returned to the D.C. area after more than one and a half years implementing U.S. Agency for International Development/Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) stabilization/ transition programming in Helmand Province in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders, including Afghan government representatives, Afghan NGOs, tribal and village elders, U.S. military/ISAF, U.S. government representatives and other coalition partners and donors.  His talk will center on the Afghanistan Stabilization Initiative’s focus in buttressing the Afghan government’s lead role in responding to the needs and service requests of the people of Afghanistan; and more specifically, in his experience, in Garmsir District of Helmand Province.  Prior to this assignment, our speaker served as an associate, Europe and Eurasia Region, with Chemonics providing operational and project management backstop support for USAID and Millennium Challenge Corporation-funded projects in Bosnia and Albania (2009-10); an intern with USAID’s Bureau of Legislative and Public Affairs in Washington, D.C. (2008); an intern with World Vision International in Sarajevo, Bosnia (2008); and a research associate with the Center for Terrorism and Intelligence Studies in Denver, Colorado (2008).  Brewer holds an M.A. International Studies from the University of Denver and a B.A. Psychology and Spanish from Beloit College.

Host: Amb. (ret.) Robert W. “Bill” Farrand, Peace Operations Policy Program, GMU