Team in Action
While much of our work is behind the scenes, we take every opportunity to be visible in our support of agricultural prosperity where it is needed most.
October 9
Associate Director of Program Development Sara Stribling attended the Cracking the Nut conference held in Abuja, Nigeria, from October 7-8, 2024. Building on Cracking the Nut® 2023, which focused on reducing risk in rural and agricultural investment, Cracking the Nut® 2024 focused on creative ways to leverage public and private sector investment to support climate adaptations in agriculture.
October 11
CNFA's team met in Rock Creek Park for our annual fall picnic! The team enjoyed good food, fun activities, and an afternoon to connect outside the office.
October 4
As part of their team-building activities, CNFA's Programs team took part in a scavenger hunt at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. The event encouraged collaboration and strengthened connections within the team in a fun and engaging environment.
September 19
CNFA’s team in Washington, D.C., celebrated a series of important project wins that will expand the organization’s portfolio into new regions. At the celebration, CNFA’s President and CEO, Sylvain Roy, was also surprised with a plaque commemorating 15 years working with the organization.
September 13
CNFA's human resources team attended a career fair at George Washington University to share information on CNFA's mission and resources for those interested in pursuing careers in international development.
September 3
CNFA’s Feed the Future USAID Hinga Wunguke Activity team is attending The Africa Food Systems Forum - AGRF in Kigali, Rwanda. The event, which is taking place from September 2-6, features over 3,000 attendees from 70+ countries and highlights the importance of inclusion, sustainability, and innovation in ensuring more equitable and climate-resilient food systems.
August 29
As part of the the Business Development team's efforts to foster creativity and collaboration, team members visited Glenstone Museum in Potomac, Maryland. The museum’s serene environment and interesting exhibits provided an ideal backdrop for team members to connect, reflect, and engage in meaningful conversations after a busy proposal season.
August 27
This month, CNFA is hosting Mandela Fellow and principal forestry officer at Malawi’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change, Amon Kabango. Kabango shared insights on his experience as a member of the Young African Leaders Initiative Network and its flagship Mandela Fellowship program. Kabango is also working closely with CNFA's Amalima Loko activity to support its goal of improving household-level food security and resilience in Zimbabwe.
October 25
CNFA’s human resources team is attending this year’s annual Society for Human Resource Management conference in Chicago to meet with other industry professionals and discuss how best to deploy human resources strategies in support of CNFA’s mission.
June 24
Last week, CNFA attended the annual Peace Corps Career Fair, where team members connected with volunteers and shared information about CNFA and its mission.
June 18
CNFA’s Kathleen Doherty attended the annual meeting of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture in Guatemala. As one of the Lab’s board members, Kathleen brought valuable technical expertise in agribusiness development and value chain strengthening to this year’s meeting. CNFA is pleased to continue as a scaling partner to the Innovation Lab as it works to bring innovations in agricultural and horticultural science to small-scale producers worldwide.
June 5
We are proud of our very own Major Bowen for completing the EMT Course at Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Training Academy and passing the national EMT exam! After a lifetime of service through the U.S. Army, U.S. Department of State, and non-profit organizations like CNFA, he now volunteers with Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department, continuing his service by supporting his local community in Maryland.
May 23
This week, CNFA team members rolled up their sleeves and put our mission into practice by volunteering with DC Greens to help reduce hunger in our community! From planting and weeding to harvesting fresh produce, the team enjoyed supporting DC Greens to improve access to quality, affordable, healthy food across the nation’s capital.
May 13
CNFA's team is attending a hiring fair at George Mason University to share opportunities with recent graduates interested in learning more about careers in international development.
May 13
At CNFA, we tap into our entrepreneurial spirit on a daily basis. Meet El Gebrehiwot, our senior program officer and a chocolatier! Inspired by CNFA’s Food for Progress-funded USDA West Africa PRO-Cashew Project and Maximizing Opportunities in Cocoa Activity, El founded Ende Cacao—a sustainably sourced, bean-to-bar small chocolate business—and recently showcased her handmade chocolates at the Embassy of France’s D.C. Chocolate Festival. Congrats, El!
May 2
CNFA’s team is attending U.S. Department of Agriculture's International Aid Food Showcase, which highlights the importance of U.S.-grown commodities to international food aid efforts.
April 26
The CNFA team is attending the SIDUS Conference 2024 today! In line with this year’s theme, “World in Crisis: Sparks of Hope,” we aim to connect with other industry leaders to discuss how international development can evolve to successfully meet the challenges posed by a complex, dynamic world. Stop by our booth to come meet the team!
April 19
CNFA’s Sheryl Cowan also attended the “Enabling Global Action for Climate Finance Dialogue” event in Washington, D.C., hosted by the COP29 Presidency. The first in a series of planned dialogues, the event aimed to serve as a platform for development organizations, private sector entities, and nonprofits to identify new opportunities to stimulate climate finance ahead of this year’s Conference of Parties meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan.
April 26
CNFA team at the Society for International Development's SIDUS Conference.
April 3
Last week, CNFA attended the Coalition for Racial & Ethnic Equity in Development’s second anniversary event, “Inspire and Empower: Cultivating Human Dignity, Equality and Equity.” Keynote speeches from USAID Administrator Samantha Power and USAID's Clifton Kenon Jr. highlighted how organizations can engage with CREED to better operationalize #DEI. As a sponsor, CNFA works with CREED and other implementing partners to advance racial and ethnic equity in the global development sector. #CREED2Year
March 12
Last week, CNFA’s teams around the globe celebrated International Women’s Day and CNFA’s women leaders by joining IWD events hosted by government agencies and local communities. #IWD2024 #InspireInclusion
March 1
During the event celebrating the success of the USAID Agriculture Program in Georgia, CNFA’s Sylvain Roy expressed his gratitude for the partners who have helped the Program strengthen agribusiness efficiency and competitiveness over the past five years. Of note, he expressed his appreciation to partners from the public and private sectors who have supported the Program’s efforts to develop the economy and improve resilience despite challenges like conflict and COVID-19.
February 20
CNFA congratulates Tony Butler-Sims for his recent appointment as President-Elect for the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management. With over 30 years of experience in Human Resources, Butler-Sims will oversee all chapter activities, with a focus on championing veteran’s initiatives within the DC SHRM chapter.
January 29
This week, Sylvain Roy, CNFA's president and CEO, met with local partners in Zimbabwe where USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance-funded Amalima Loko activity is working with communities to improve food security and resilience through sustainable farming and watershed management.
May 29
CNFA’s team joined delegates from around the world on day two at AIM4Climate, with CNFA’s Sylvain Roy connecting with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack during the opening address on the role of women in agriculture led by Dina Esposito, assistant to the administrator for USAID's Bureau for Resilience and Food Security. Thank you Secretary Vilsack and U.S. Department of Agriculture for your vision and leadership in driving positive change around the world.
May 8
Sylvain Roy, president and CEO, and Patricia Costa, vice president of program development, are attending the AIM4Climate Summit today—an event hosted in Washington, D.C. by the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research that brings together agricultural development partners from around the globe to accelerate investment in and support for climate action and innovation.
November 30
Earlier this month, operations team members from across CNFA’s projects gathered for a weeklong exchange where they had the chance to share learnings, provide insights from their respective projects and discuss best practices for implementing activities across a variety of countries and contexts. The event focused on areas such as compliance, human resources, communications, finance and safety and security with the aim of strengthening operational excellence and collaboration across projects.
November 29
Yesterday, CNFA hosted a brown bag where Jay Vroom, senior agriculture advisor and former CropLife America president and CEO, led a session with the CNFA team members in Washington, D.C., on the U.S. Farm Bill, highlighting its history and scope related to agriculture and international development. This was followed by a lively discussion on ideas and approaches to advance agriculture development.
September 19
We are celebrating our colleague Babu Ramasamy’s 25 years of service with CNFA! Ramasamy joined CNFA in 1998 as the chief accounting manager and now serves as associate vice president, Finance, where he successfully leads the organization’s finance team. On behalf of all of us, thank you for your hard work and dedication to CNFA.
April 7
The Business Development team welcomed several new team members to support with proposal development.
February 22
CNFA’s Brittney Lee attended the one-year anniversary for the Coalition for Racial & Ethnic Equity in Development (CREED). CNFA is a member of CREED and sponsored the event which featured several panelists, including from the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, the PepsiCo Foundation and the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University. The panel discussed ways to bring sustainable advancement in racial and ethnic equity in international development.