Rajiv Shah

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Rajiv Shah
Rajiv Shah official portrait.jpg
Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development
In office
January 7, 2010 – February 19, 2015
Preceded by Alonzo Fulgham (Acting)
Succeeded by Alfonso E. Lenhardt (Acting)
Personal details
Born (1973-03-09) March 9, 1973 (age 51)
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Spouse(s) Shivam Mallick Shah
Alma mater University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
London School of Economics
European Institute of Business Administration
University of Pennsylvania
Website Official biography

Rajiv "Raj" Shah (born March 9, 1973) was the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from January 7, 2010 to February 19, 2015. He was confirmed by the Senate on December 24, 2009. In this role, Shah led more than 9,600 professionals in 80 missions around the world, and managed an annual budget of over $22 billion.

During his years at USAID, Shah also led the humanitarian response of the United States to crisis such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti,[1] famine in the horn of Africa,[2] and refugees fleeing Syria.[3]

Prior to his appointment at USAID, Shah served as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education, and Economics and Chief Scientist on April 17, 2009. Shah's nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate by unanimous consent on May 12, 2009.

Before serving in this administration, Shah worked in a range of leadership roles at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation including Director of Agricultural Development,[4] Director of Financial Services, leader of the Strategic Opportunities initiative and manager of the Foundation's $1.5 billion commitment to the Vaccine Fund.[5]

After stepping down from USAID in early 2015,[6] Shah joined Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service (SFS) faculty as a Distinguished Fellow.[7] In this role, he works closely with Steven Radelet, director of Georgetown’s Global Human Development Program.[8]

Career

Community Engagement

Shah was actively engaged in the Seattle community as a trustee of the 54,000-student Seattle Community College District, and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Seattle Public Library.[9] Shah co-founded multiple nonprofit organizations including Project Impact for South Asian Americans.[10] Prior to his appointment at USDA, Shah worked in a range of leadership roles at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.[11]

USAID

January 7, 2010: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the swearing-in ceremony of Shah as new USAID Coordinator, in Washington, DC.

Shah became Administrator of USAID days before the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti and led the successful effort to help Haiti recover and rebuild.[1] His crisis management skills and expertise were hailed by many who appreciated his swift and strategic response.[12] In 2012, under Shah's leadership, the agency also played a pivotal role in helping Syrian refugees by providing food assistance and other humanitarian support.[13] Shah oversaw USAID's efforts in numerous other international crises, including the famine in the horn of Africa.[14]

Shah was influential in the development and implementation of Power Africa, an initiative that will double access to power in sub-Saharan Africa.[15] Shah leads the Administration's efforts to change America's food assistance program, including winning new flexibilities in the farm bill that would reach 1 million additional children at no additional cost.[16]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/rajiv-shah/gIQAHB3RAP_topic.html[dead link]
  6. ↑ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/in-the-loop/wp/2014/12/17/usaid-head-raj-shah-to-tell-staff-hes-leaving-which-we-all-knew/
  7. ↑ http://www.georgetown.edu/news/rajiv-shah-joins-georgetown-faculty.html
  8. ↑ Global Human Development Program
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/20/news/economy/raj_shah_usaid.fortune/index.htm Archived March 1, 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons

Political offices
Preceded by Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development
2010–2015		 Succeeded by
Alfonso E. Lenhardt
Acting
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Rajiv_Shah&oldid=716592063"