MEDA | PML Staff & Consultants

PML Staff & Consultants

In addition to managing MEDA programs, PML staff serve as expert consultants to other organizations.

STAFF AT HEADQUARTERS

Jerome Quigley
Director, Production Marketing Linkages

Jerome (Jerry) Quigley is a graduate in economics and development studies from the University of Guelph. For the past twenty years, Jerry has successfully integrated the disciplines of business and development through practical entrepreneurial experience and numerous consultancies. Jerry has founded and managed two commercial enterprises for development organizations with a wide range of successful business activities. In addition, Jerry’s experience in business development consulting includes the following selected assignments: business plan for agricultural production and marketing in Northern Pakistan (International Development Research Centre); design of a national voucher scheme for insecticide treated mosquito nets in Uganda and Tanzania (World Bank / Global Fund); business development of long-life milk products through the Uganda Dairy Processors Association (USAID); business development of insecticide treated netting and ITN home re-treatment kits for malaria control in Africa (International Development Research Centre); and, business plan development for the PROARTE Handicraft Marketing Company (Nicaragua).

Nigel Motts
Senior Consultant/Project Manager

Nigel has over twenty years of African economic development experience in the areas of enterprise, agricultural production sector and value chains development, design and implementation of Business Development Services and the role of information and communications technologies (eg: e-commerce; supply chain software) in these areas. His focus is on pro-poor economic development: finding ways to integrate the productive poor and very small enterprises into value chains and mainstream markets to improve incomes. Nigel is also experienced in partnering with the private sector to deliver needed health products and services to the poor. His skill-set spans policy research, analysis and formulation, sub-sector analysis, competitive analysis at firm/sector/value chain level, needs and opportunity assessments, training and institutional strengthening, project evaluation, strategic planning and the design and management of agricultural development projects.

Alexandra Snelgrove
Senior Consultant/Project Manager

In her role as Senior Consutant/Project Manager, Alexandra is contributing to projects focussed on enterprise development, sub-sector analysis, and value chain enhancement including a fruit and vegetable subsector development program in Tajikistan and a project linking homebound rural embroiderers and urban garment makers into higher value markets in Pakistan. Alex is also managing a project in Tajikistan focusing on storage development and finance for horticulture producers. Before joining MEDA, Alexandra completed her Masters in Economic Development at Columbia University in New York City. Alexandra’s previous consulting experience includes analysis of the vegetable subsector and initial needs assessment in Cambodia, participation on a research team analyzing global cashew consumption and possible marketing strategies for cashew processors, and strategic planning for a start-up microenterprise development organization. Prior to entering the international development field, Alex worked in trade promotion in Malaysia in both the private and public sectors.

Ben Fowler
Senior Consultant/Project Manager

As Senior Consultant / Project Manager, Ben specializes in sub-sector and value chain analysis, the embedding of business support services, and the design and implementation of agriculture-sector development projects. Ben is currently managing or contributing to ten MEDA-led market and rural development projects in Latin America and Africa. Past clients for which Ben has consulted include the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme. Prior to working for MEDA, Ben coordinated the provision of business development services to clients by a Guatemalan microfinance institution and subsequently managed a microenterprise and microfinance development project for the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in rural Kenya. Ben has a background in economics and international development, can speak English and Spanish, and has some capacity in Kiswahili, Portuguese and French.

Katie Turner
Consultant/Project Coordinator

Katie's recent addition to MEDA as Consultant/Project Coordinator comes after working in Nicaragua for three years, two of which were spent working on MEDA's PRODUMER project with small holder sesame farmers. She has strong field experience in agricultural projects coupled with solid analytical skills on issues of gender, technology adoption and micro credit as they apply to rural development. Katie holds a BA in Economics, a Post Graduate Degree in International Development and has recently completed the Pro Poor Market Development Program at Southern New Hampshire University’s Microenterprise Development Institute. She speaks English and Spanish.

Ann Gordon
Senior Consultant/Project Manager

As Senior Consultant/Project Manager, Ann comes to MEDA with an extensive background in rural development in the entrepreneurial, non-profit and government sectors. Recently completing the Masters program in Capacity Development and Extension at the University of Guelph, Ann also holds a BSc. from the University of Western Ontario and is a Canadian Nuffield Scholar. Ann’s 16 years of experience in project based management which includes research, design, implementation and evaluation across the agriculture and agri-food industries has taken her across North America and internationally. This expertise will be valuable in her role with the Production and Marketing Linkages Division at MEDA, which includes the coordination of the women’s economic development projects in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

INTERNATIONAL STAFF

Timothy A. Piper
MEDA Tanzania Country Manager

As MEDA Tanzania country manager, Tim is responsible for projects worth over US$9 million annually. Most of MEDA's projects in Tanzania involve providing rural and remote communities with greater access to health products and services such as Insecticide Treated Mosquito Nets (ITNs). In Tanzania, MEDA conducts this work with funding from USAID and the Global Fund under contract to the Ministry of Health.

Prior to joining MEDA, Tim served as Deputy Country Director for TechnoServe in Tanzania.

In addition, Tim is Chairman of the American Business Association in Tanzania, founded two years ago in cooperation with the US Embassy and private sector companies. He also serves on Tanzania's Steering Committee for the Millennium Challenge Account.

Mr. Piper has previous experience in both for-profit and non-profit worlds. He has served as Head of an independent school near Houston, Texas, as Vice President of Operations and CFO of a trucking company in Arkansas, held financial and marketing positions with PepsiCo, and was a marketing analyst with American Airlines.

He holds a B.S. in Psychology, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Santa Clara, California, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Catherine Sobrevega
MEDA Afghanistan Country Manager

As MEDA Afghanistan Country Manager, Catherine is responsible for the 4-year CIDA funded Project "Through the Garden Gate: Value Chain Strategies for Integrating Women into Sustainable Horticultural Markets in Afghanistan". This project will help women improve the quality and yield of their home based gardens and then build links to sustainable markets in order to increase family incomes.

Prior to joining MEDA, Catherine had been managing economic development and microfinance projects for CARE Philippines (8 years), CARE Eritrea (3 years) and International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Bosnia (1 year). Most recently Catherine was Microfinance Program Manager of CARE Afghanistan’s Economic Independence for Women in Afghanistan (EIWA) Project, funded by the World Bank. She helped established MoFAD (Microfinance Agency for Development) to become an independent microfinance institution in Afghanistan. In addition, Catherine is one of the founding members of Afghanistan Microfinance Association (AMA).

Catherine holds a B.S. in Management and Industrial Engineering degree from Mapua Institute of Technology in Manila and a post graduate course on Microfinance from Asian Institute of Management in the Philippines.

Bradley Beeler
Field Project Manager, Tajikistan

After working with MEDA as an SME business development consultant for over a year, Brad has recently taken on the role of Field Project Manager in Northern Tajikistan where he is responsible for a four year US$5 million integrated value chain project focused on the fruit and vegetable sub sector. The project provides extension services and SME lending facilities and matching grants to farm families and processing enterprises. To this role, Brad brings strong experience in the field of business development, planning and management. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut where he received degrees in Animal Science and Reproductive Physiology. Following graduation he was employed as a Cooperative Extension Specialist for Cornell University where he lead the development and implementation of Extension programs in dairy and livestock management, agricultural engineering and business development.

Throughout his career Mr. Beeler has continued his studies with advanced courses in agricultural economics at The Ohio State University, business management at the University of Toledo and international business at Western International University. He also formed two agricultural business development and management consulting firms which provided agricultural business consulting services throughout the northeast United States.

In 1992 Mr. Beeler joined the faculty of The Ohio State University where he was responsible for the development of a new federally funded Agricultural Business Enhancement Center. In 1996 he developed a similar center for the Ministry of Agricultural in Leningrad (Saint Petersburg), Russia under the USDA Russian/American Farm Privatization Project. Brad maintains a strong international development relationship with both The Ohio State University and USDA. He recently completed a three-year assignment as Project Director for a $2 million New Jersey multi-college Consortium grant to develop a regional veterinary technology program focusing on biotechnology.

Keith Poe
Project Manager, Nicaragua

As Project Director for PRODUMER II in Managua, Nicaragua, Keith is responsible for a three year CND$2.8 million project which provides technical assistance and access to credit to 1,000 sesame producers. The PRODUMER II project receives funding from CIDA, the Canadian International Development Agency.

Prior to joining MEDA, Keith was a graduate student at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where for the 2005/06 academic year he served faithfully as Alpha Camel of the International Association of Camel Breeders, a campus-wide organization active in discussing current issues among development practitioners. During this time Keith was also employed as the Teacher’s Assistant for the Director of Graduate Studies in International Agriculture and Rural Development.

Mr. Poe has nearly a decade of experience with a variety of Nicaraguan NGOs providing micro-credit and non-financial services to market women in Managua. He also served as the Job Creation Administrator for the Mennonite Central Committee in Bangladesh, supporting a network of fair-trade handicraft businesses in rural areas. Additionally, he has experience as the owner and operator of a private transportation service in Managua which was active in the early 1990’s and a pineapple farm on the outskirts on Managua in the late 1990’s.

Keith holds a B.A. in History from Messiah College, Grantham, PA, an MBA from the Universidad Centroamericana (UCA) in Managua, Nicaragua and a Masters in International Agriculture and Rural Development from Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.

Lemmy Manje
Field Project Manager, Zambia and Ethiopia

As Field Project Manager for the Innovation Fund project in Zambia and Ethiopia, Lemmy is responsible for a three year market development project that seeks to successfully integrate smallholder farmers into mainstream markets through the facilitation of increased access to low-cost water technologies.

Prior to joining MEDA, Lemmy was managing a market development project for the International Labour Organization. He has ten years of professional work experience specializing in microfinance and business development services; credit and finance, micro-small enterprise development; private sector development, poverty reduction strategies, policies, interventions and programmes and application of information and communication technologies for market and business linkages. He has consulted and worked for various international organisations including the European Union, United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DfID), Africa Development Bank, Microfinance Opportunities, USAID, Development Alternative Inc, European Union, CGAP, International Labour Organization, University of Manchester and CARE International. In the last five years, Lemmy’s professional experience has been focused on the development of innovative and sustainable business solutions that increase the incomes and performance of poor entrepreneurs who are operating in productive economic sectors but have failed to enter mainstream markets. His work has included value chain analysis and upgrading of productive economic sectors.

Lemmy has a Masters degree in International Development from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom. He has a recognised international publication record in microfinance with CGAP, USAID, Development Alternatives Inc, University of Manchester and the International Labour Organization. He also has practical experience as an entrepreneur in various business lines in Zambia including shareholder and partnership in a management consultancy firm. He has also served as board member in development organizations and private companies.

Fazila Banu Lily
Field Project Manager, Pakistan

Fazila Banu Lily joined MEDA in January 2008 as the Field Project Manager for the Pakistan office. In her role, Fazila manages the ongoing implementation of MEDA’s Market Access for Women Producers in Pakistan Project.

In her 20 + previous years before joining MEDA, Fazila worked for CARE Canada and was posted in Afghanistan from July 2005 to December 2007 where she managed both humanitarian aid and development programs for poor and vulnerable women in Afghanistan. She has managed projects and programs by both working with partners and doing direct implementation. Fazila has extensive experience working in different sub sectors in the natural resources sector in addition to infrastructure development in flood prone areas in Bangladesh.

Fazila obtained her PhD in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India in 1998.

Helen Loftin
Senior Consultant/Project Manager

Helen Loftin is Regional Project Manager at MEDA in the Production & Marketing Linkages department. From her new base in Islamabad Pakistan, Helen manages the ongoing development and implementation of MEDA’s women’s economic development projects in Afghanistan and in Pakistan. Her role is also to foster new networks in the region in order to expand MEDA’s work with the communities in these countries.

Helen has expertise in building and renewing business plans for enterprises in India, Bangladesh and right here in Canada - addressing the myriad business challenges faced by marginalized women and facilitating their participation in commerce.

Other consulting assignments in Ethiopia and Mozambique provided clients with deeper understanding of, as well as tools for, the practical application of value chain principles in building effective pro-poor programs.

In her 20+ previous years before joining MEDA, Helen co-managed the successful family contracting business and consulted for many small businesses in Canada in a diverse range of industries. She is a graduate of business administration studies and holds a MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada.

Sonia Domínguez
MEDA Peru Country Manager

As the MEDA Country Manager for Peru, Sonia is responsible for the promotion of market-driven development, value chains analysis, conservation and service development for rural and Natural Protected Areas in Peru. Her team has recently achieved the first Total Administration of the National Sanctuary of the Manglares de Tumbes in Peru.

Sonia brings her previous experience from the private sector to the development and implementation of social projects in Peru. Prior to joining MEDA in 2001, Sonia worked extensively in the private sector in the areas of procurement, import, logistics, financial analysis, contract negotiation and project evaluation.

Sonia holds a BA in Industrial Engineering from the University of Lima in Peru and an MBA form Clarion University of Pennsylvania in the USA. She is fluent in English and Spanish.