Jindra Cekan, PhD
CEKAN CONSULTING LLC
323 11th St., NE
Suite 100
Washington, DC 20002
Services / Issues Regions & Languages Clients Resume / CV
Proposals / Publications / Presentations Contacts and Local NGOs

Resume / CV

Jindra Monique Cekan, Ph.D.
CEKAN CONSULTING LLC

323 11th St., N.E., Washington DC 20002 Suite 100
Email: jindra@cekanconsulting.com
www.cekanconsulting.com
Cell phone: 202-375-3119
Fax: 1-857-559-5404

EXPERTISE

Political Economist. 23 years of experience, 12 in project design/ M&E, training on food security and livelihoods, HIV/AIDS, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. 8 years- consulting/ business, 4 years in academia

EDUCATION

Ph.D. / M.A.L.D.

The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, 1994, 1990
‘Listening to One’s Clients’ a Political Analysis of Mali’s Famine Early Warning Systems

B.A.

Gettysburg College: Economics and Political Science, 1983

REGIONAL SPECIALIZATIONS

  • Africa: Anglophone (Ethiopia, the Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zambia) and Francophone (Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Senegal)
  • Europe/Balkans/Central Asia: Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Czech Rep., Kosovo, Macedonia, UK
  • Caribbean/Latin America: Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti and Peru

Languages: bilingual English and Czech (FSI 5), proficient French (FSI 3), basic Spanish (FS1)
Dual Citizenship: USA and Czech Republic (EU)

PROJECT DESIGN, MONITORING & EVALUATION (M&E) and TRAINING:

InterMedia AudienceScapes M&E Consultant (Washington, DC)  2010

  • Analyzed and revised a questionnaire, two field reports and wrote an interview protocol to assist InterMedia to know how policy makers and their influencers in Ghana, Kenya and Zambia access and disseminate policy-relevant information.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Sanitation & Hygiene Advocacy Researcher (Washington, DC) 2009

  • The Foundation aims to further partner knowledge of optimal best practices to help tens of millions of people in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa benefit from safe water, sanitation, and hygiene. Created and lead team of seven to research and evaluate advocacy around sanitation and hygiene in 10 countries in Africa and Asia, Europe and the US. Our team interviewed 103 public, non-profit and private key informants to inform Foundation and partners’ priorities. Wrote report with recommendations and did presentation to key staff with G. McAuliffe (Data Harvest).

Congressional Hunger Center Part-time Training Advisor (Washington, DC) 2007-2009

  • Half-time Training Advisor for Leland class of 2007-09, providing fellows mentoring and information on key food security issues and training opportunities.  Led two 10-day Leland International Hunger Fellow trainings on anti-hunger programming and policy, identified speakers and coordinated trainers.

WISHH Global Development Alliance Project Evaluation Consultant (Honduras,Kenya) 2008

  • Evaluated World Initiative for Soy in Human Health’s (WISHH) USAID-funded four-year soy market promotion and humanitarian assistance project. This project evaluated grant and training success with Honduran and Kenyan for-profit meat and bread companies. Final report recommendation included perspectives from 30 partner companies, staff and consultants.

World Vision SP&NK ICB Evaluation & Assessment Consultant (Washington. DC) 2008

  • Evaluated impact of the Specialized Programming and New Knowledge training and work-plan process including staff’s knowledge of many sectors of food security programming and how well the SP&NK project supported staff’s international cross fertilization and sharing of promising best practices.
  • Suggested revisions based on detailed interviews with 26 participants from 10 programs worldwide plus HQ staff.  Suggestions included evaluating training learning by degree of use of training during work.

Aga Khan Foundation Food Aid Consultant (Washington, DC) 2006-2008

  • Managed three USDA food aid monetization grants totaling $30 million for milk and development programming in Mali, Tajikistan and Afghanistan.  Oversaw monetization of 19,500 mt of food for milk distribution to schools.Streamlined and improved project design and reporting best practices guidance.

Lutheran World Relief (LWR) Participatory Rural Appraisal M&E Consultant (Niger) 2006-2008

  • Created, conducted community-based participatory M&E system assessment and evaluation for Gates Foundation-funded drought relief for 4,000 pastoralists on sheep restocking, wells, fodder and transhumance. Trained local staff in PRA process in French and wrote up RRA recommendations.

Save the Children USA Consultant/Principal Interviewer and Evaluator (Washington, DC) 2005-2006

  • Facilitating the Integration of Food Security and HIV/AIDS provided technical assistance in East and Southern Africa on integrating HIV/AIDS care & support with food aid.  Reviewed 20 USAID and private projects, interviewed staff about project integration of food aid, HIV/AIDS, wrote up findings.

SUSTAIN Researcher/Consultant (Washington, DC) 2004- 2006

  • Assessed the quality, expectations and preferences for different kinds of food aid for those infected/affected by HIV/AIDS, malnourished mothers/children and refugees.
  • Designed and sent out survey to over 30 NGO and UN field programs in Africa, Asia and Latin America and analyzed results. Coordinated with USAID/USDA, food industry and scientific experts.

ACDI/VOCA Trainer/ Facilitator (Agricultural cooperatives, Washington, DC) 2005

  • Provided project design/ food distribution training to PVO overseas staff; facilitated discussion.

Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance (FANTA/ AED) Consultant (Washington, DC) 2003–2004

  • Provided “Programming Food Aid for HIV/AIDS Mitigation” project data from 40 interviews internationally on design and monitoring of food for those infected/affected by HIV/AIDS.  Wrote up lessons learned.

American Red Cross, International Services Head of Food Security Unit, Technical Assistance, Planning and Evaluation (Washington, DC) 1999 - 2003

  • Managed ARC’s first ISA $500,000 grant from USAID to improve food security best practices worldwide.
  • Created first 'food security strategy' for ARC with sectoral foci: health/nutrition, agricultural recovery, water/sanitation and safety nets.  Trained over 80 national and international staff, and created tools/systems for food security project design, relief to development proposals: Field tools: “ARC Food Security Proposal Review Checklists and Tools”, “Food Ration Calculation Exercise”, “White Paper”. 2001, “Food Security Workshop: Developing Best Practices for Design and Implementation of Food Security Programs” and Emergency Assessment tools: MORE INFORMATION   
  • Provided ongoing project technical assistance to eight field programs, including participatory M&E during technical assistance/ project design and evaluation in Kenya and Armenia “Armenia Food Security Assessment”, Food Aid Management Food Forum newsletter, IV Q, 2001. Wash., DC.
  • Member of DC-based and international (virtual) working groups on industry best practices.
  • Recurrently seconded to ICRC in Kosovo for setting up refugee food program (1999-2000).
  • Published papers: Food security and HIV/AIDS, Safety Nets and Rapid Rural Appraisal
  • Commissioned studies: Micronutrient costs and benefits and Agricultural recovery

Catholic Relief Services Head of Food Security Unit, Program Quality Group (Baltimore, MD)  1995 - 99

  • Co-managed $4 million of USAID ISA grant to CRS worldwide food security programming.
  • Created first conceptual food security framework covering the health, agriculture, micro-enterprise, safety net, education and emergency sectors.  Provided technical assistance to field offices using food aid in 14 counties and trained over 200 international staff.
  • Conceived of and edited PRA/RRA Manual including writing “Food security” chapter in CRS PRA/RRA Manual, Spring 1999. Baltimore, MD. http://www.crsprogramquality.org/2009/10/rrapra/
  • Evaluated homes/clinics serving the disabled, aged and destitute with food aid. Devised system to assess institutions' self-reliance. Kept US Government ‘safety net’ funding from being eliminated.
  • Published papers on Food Security in Poverty Lending and Food Security in Monetization.

CARE Consultant, Agriculture and Natural Resources Management (Mali) 1995

  • Assessed impact on community development of agriculture, soil/water conservation, forestry and women. Recommend action on data collection, targeting, impact indicators and partnerships.

PROPOSAL WRITING/ REVIEW and STRATEGIC PLANNING/ MANAGEMENT

Mercy Corps Proposal Writer and Technical Reviewer  (Washington, DC) 2008, 2009

  • Reviewed and rewrote two successful Food For Peace MYAP proposals with IMC for Uganda and Congo (>$10 mil) and reviewed Malawi’s proposal with Land O’Lakes (approved), and Liberia pending.

Food for the Hungry Strategic Planning Facilitator (Washington, DC) 2009

  • Facilitated a strategic planning process for five organizations belonging to Global Relief Alliance using Appreciative Inquiry methodology.

ACDI VOCA Field Researcher and Proposal Writer (Sierra Leone and Washington, DC)  2009

  • Researched, drafted and field-program vetted a Food For Peace MYAP proposal in Africa for food assisted livelihood programming in agriculture, income generation and health (approval pending).

CARE Concept paper technical reviewer  (Washington, DC) 2009

  • Reviewed and revised USAID concept paper for Haiti.

Geneva Global Grant Writer (Washington, DC)2006

  • Wrote two successful PEPFAR HIV/AIDS New Partner’s Initiative grant proposals for capacity building and prevention/ care with US and African staff (Ethiopia and Ivory Coast) totaling $12 million. 

North American Miller’s Association (NAMA) Food Aid Consultant (Ethiopia, Kenya, D.C.) 2006

  • With manufacturer’s representative, arranged visits with 12 PVO offices in East Africa, discussing how to improve commodity management and food aid quality, especially in light of HIV/AIDS.

Catholic Relief Services Head of Food Security Unit, Program Quality Group (Baltimore, MD)                    1995 - 99

  • Improved programming of global U.S. Title II food aid projects through co-managing a $4 million 5-year USAID Institutional Support Agreement Grant.
  • Co-led grant-writing team that won grants totaling over $30 million in US government grants, and collaborated with European agencies/ private donors.

Catholic Relief Services (Kenya) Principal Proposal Writer, USAID Title II MYAP2005

  • Primary writer and reviewer of successful but unfunded $22-million inter-sectoral food aid proposal to USAID.  Coordinated inputs and teamwork across health/AIDS, agriculture and management staff.

American Red Cross, International Services Head of Food Security Unit, Technical Assistance, Planning and Evaluation (Washington, DC) 1999-2003

  • Created first 'food security strategy' for ARC to consolidate diverse development/ transition/ relief programming. Created group-wide strategy for disseminating this new approach. Also identified the need for and commissioned entire food aid commodity management system aligned with standards of the International Federation of the Red Cross worldwide.
  • As leader or member of small grant writing teams, won over $5 million in US Government (USAID, USDA, CDC) and Red Cross Federation/International Committee for the Red Cross. 
  • Managed first ARC $500,000 3-year USAID Institutional Support Grant to improve the use of food aid.

The Ilorin Diocese Social Development Coordinator/Grant-writer (Nigeria) 1987

  • First grant writer for Diocese. Got 8:12 grants funded, up to $25,000 for economic development, health, disabled services and women’s projects. Created grant application packet and process.

Salomon Brothers Inc Financial Analyst, Corporate Finance (New York, NY) 1984-88

  • Designed databases and did research and presentations on foreign exchange, mergers and acquisitions, insurance and forest products. Acting head of Graphics & Data analysis team.
  • Organized Corp Finance analyst recruiting and supervised analyst regional trainings.

UNIVERSITY TEACHING

The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University (Medford, MA) Adjunct Asst Prof of Politics 1994

  • Created and taught graduate-level seminar, "The Politics of Change in Central Europe".

Harvard University (Cambridge, MA) Head Teaching Assistant (TA), Faculty of Arts & Sci. Fall 1992-94, Spring 92

  • Fall: "History of Modern Africa-1850 to the Present" (undergraduates). Led discussion sections, graded papers, examinations. Coordinated more than 100 students and three TAs.
  • Spring: "The Emergence of African Capitalism" (undergraduate). Same as above, 40 students.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS/ BOARD MEMBERSHIPS

  • KUSARD (Kenya Relief and Development NGO) Board of Advisors  2004-present
  • Co-Principal in both North South Group and Data Harvest 2007-present
  • American Evaluation Association Member 2007-present
  • Appreciative Inquiry DC Member and Presenter  2007- present
  • Consulting Women (Washington DC) Member 2005- present
  • Washington (Buddhist) Mindfulness Community Board of Directors and Advisor 2010, 2005-07, 1998-99
  • Two Rivers Public Charter School working groups 2007-2009
  • Who’s Who in the Czech Republic 2003-08; Who’s Who of American Women in the 1980s

HONORS

  • Presented to the Knowledge Management Group of the Society of International Development on the “Power of the (Appreciative) Question” (2009)
    http://www.microlinks.org/multimedia/SID_AI/player.html
  • Published “A Wealth of Knowledge: Case Studies in Learning from a PVO’s Most Precious Assets” article in Monday Developments with G. McAuliffe http://www.scribd.com/doc/17003730/MDDec2008
  • African Studies Review and Parallax Press- manuscript reviewer (2008, 2009)
  • Quoted in “The Parentpreneur Edge” by Julie L. Kirk on parenting while being an entrepreneur (2007).
  • Represented Catholic Relief Services at World Food Summit (Rome 1998)
  • Certificate of Distinction in Teaching, Harvard University Faculty of Arts & Sciences (based on student evaluations, in top 5% of Harvard’s 1,000 Teaching Assistants 1993-94)
  • Doctoral Scholarships: Pew Charitable Trust (1990-92), African Studies Centre, University of Cambridge, UK (1990-91) and The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy (1990, 1993-94)

Additional proposals/ presentations/ publications in separate document. References also available.