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MSI Names New Senior Vice President for Programs

MSI is pleased to announce the promotion of Allison Poyac-Clarkin, PhD to the role of Senior Vice President for Programs. In this role, she will serve as a member of the Executive Management Team and oversee MSI’s extensive democracy, governance and conflict rule of law and government accountability portfolios.

With more than 20 years of development experience, Dr. Poyac-Clarkin brings substantial knowledge of conflict theory and assessment and robust technical expertise in countering violent extremism and promoting peace in conflict and post-conflict contexts. She provided technical direction on several large-scale USAID-funded democracy and governance programs and served as chief of party for a USAID-funded program in Kosovo. She most recently led MSI’s peace and stability practice area.

“Ali has the intellectual rigor and operational experience that is a hallmark of MSI’s approach to serving our clients,” said MSI President Keith Brown. “That she is also a considerate and determined leader adds to the division and the company’s great growth prospects.”

MSI’s experience in the democracy, governance and conflict (DGC) sectors spans environments affected by conflict, state fragility, corruption, criminal violence and violent extremism, as well as in emerging or consolidating democracies. The firm works across the program cycle from assessments and strategies to program design and implementation, and to monitoring, evaluation and learning.

Dr. Poyac-Clarkin will lead a team of more than 20 democracy, governance and conflict practitioners as they develop and implement programs across an array of disciplines, from civil society and public sector management to countering violent extremism, conflict mitigation and the rule of law and government accountability. Central to all this work is an emphasis on locally-led approaches and building the participation and capacity of all stakeholders, including women, youth, minorities and underrepresented groups.

“For over 40 years, MSI has championed localization, seeing ourselves as “facilitators” working hard to bring communities, governments, and institutions together to realize their own vision for prosperity and peace,” shared Dr. Poyac-Clarkin. “MSI places needed resources, capacity building, and technical expertise into the capable hands of those who ultimately are the true drivers of change.”

Dr. Poyac-Clarkin continued, “It’s an exciting time to be in this sector and I am so looking forward to working alongside my amazing colleagues, the DGC Arlington and field teams – the real heroes who make the magic happen.”

Learn more about MSI’s work in democracy and governance, peace and stability, and rule of law and government accountability.

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