Capitol Hill Forum 2007
11:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
January 31, 2007
"Agriculture in A World of Conflict and Violence: Investing in Our Future Security"
Speakers
Indira Kaur Ahluwalia
President, Development & Training Services, Inc.
Indira Kaur Ahluwalia is the founder and President of Development & Training Services, Inc. (dTS), a management consulting firm which focuses on the role of women and other underrepresented populations in economic development and democracy building activities. Mrs. Ahluwalia's expertise is in conceptualizing, managing and monitoring programs on culture and gender mainstreaming. She focuses on integrating gender as a cross cutting theme for the benefit of donor agencies including the World Bank and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) as well as academic institutions and the private sector. Under Ms. Ahluwalia's leadership, since 2002, dTS has managed gender integration projects and studies in 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Jordan, Bangladesh, Mali, Peru and the United States. Mrs. Ahluwalia has 15 years of development consulting experience in over 30 countries. Mrs. Ahluwalia earned a Masters of Arts in International Relations from the Universityof Chicago, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.
Ambassador Christopher E. Goldthwait
Consultant
Ambassador Christopher E. Goldthwait is an independent consultant acting as Advisor to Agribusiness Management Company and Delphos International. In addition, he was principal author of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Agricultural Task Force report, "Modernizing America's Food and Farm Policy: Vision for a New Direction." Prior to establishing his consulting business, he completed a 30 year plus career in the Foreign Service. From 1999 to 2004 he served as US Ambassador to Chad. From 1991-99, Goldthwait served as General Sales Manager in the Foreign Agricultural Service of the Department of Agriculture. In that capacity he was responsible for all of USDA's market development, export credit, export subsidy and food aid programs. Goldthwait was the first career official to be selected to serve as General Sales Manager, and the first career officer of the Foreign Agricultural Service to be selected to serve as an ambassador. In addition to familiarity with USDA and other US Government programs, Goldthwait has had extensive experience working with Congress. He did his undergraduate work at American University, and completed a Masters in Public Administration at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School. He is fluent in French and German.
James Kunder
Deputy Administrator, USAID
James Kunder, Deputy Administrator of USAID, has extensive government and private sector experience in international development. From 2002-2004, he served as Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia and the Near East. Previously, from January to May 2002, he was Director for Relief and Reconstruction in Afghanistan. From 1987 to 1991, Kunder was Deputy Assistant Administrator for USAID's Bureau for External Affairs. He then served as Director of the Agency's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance from 1991 to 1993. From 1993 to 1996, Kunder was Vice President for Program Development at Save the Children Federation, an international non-governmental organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in the United States and around the world. He has also served as a legislative director in the U.S. House of Representatives, Senior Transportation Analyst for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Deputy Director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He was an infantry platoon commander in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1970 to 1973. Kunder has a bachelor's degree from Harvard University in political science and a master's in international relations from Georgetown University.
Michael McWhorter
Past President, AIARD
Mike McWhorter, as International Training Coordinator, administers Short-Term Non-Academic Training Programs in coordination with academic departments and agencies of The Agriculture Program, Texas A&M University System. He coordinates student study abroad activities as well as campus visits for international dignitaries. Dr. McWhorter maintains liaison with international governments, agencies, private sector and commodity groups to develop and coordinate training opportunities with TAMUS. He facilitates training programs coordinated through USAID, USDA/FAS, United Nations/FAO, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and other agencies and foundations. For ten years before assuming his current position in 1996, Dr. McWhorter was an investment consultant. From 1973 to 1986, he was an Extension Entomologist with Texas Cooperative Extension, rising from Area Extension Entomologist to Extension Entomologist-Pest Management Program Leader. In 1977-78, He served as Agricultural Advisor to the Office of Pesticide Programs of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Dr. McWhorter earned a B.S. (1969) in Agriculture/Entomology at Texas Tech University and M.S. and Ph.D. (1971/73) degrees in Entomology from Iowa State University.
Congressman Michael (Mike) K. Simpson (R-ID)
House Appropriations Committee, Budget Committee
Congressman Michael (Mike) K. Simpson is serving his fourth term in the House of Representatives for Idaho's Second Congressional District. He serves on the House Appropriations Committee, Budget Committee, Energy and Water Development; Interior and the Environment (Vice Chair); and Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. Simpson is one of the House's leading advocates for a new energy policy and a renewed commitment to research and development of improved nuclear energy technologies. His political career began in 1980, when he was elected to the Blackfoot City Council. In 1984, he was elected to the Idaho Legislature where he served until 1998, the last six years serving as Speaker. Simpson was born in Burley, Idaho and raised in Blackfoot. He graduated from Utah State University and Washington University School of Dental Medicine.
Karl Walk
Director, Cocoa Department, Blommer Chocolate Company;
Vice-Chairman, World Cocoa Foundation
Karl Walk serves as Director, Cocoa Department, Blommer Chocolate Company and Vice-Chairman of the World Cocoa Foundation. Prior to joining The Blommer Chocolate Co. in 1988, Mr. Walk was a cocoa futures trader and member of the New York Board of Trade. His responsibilities for Blommer as Director of the Cocoa Department include the procurement of the company's cocoa bean supply, which currently exceeds 200,000 metric tons annually, and the import logistics of this cocoa. Mr. Walk also oversees the sampling and the quality approval of all the cocoa products used by Blommer. Recently, he has coordinated efforts between Blommer and the World Cocoa Foundation in origin development and cocoa sustainability. In addition, Mr. Walk currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Latin America Committee for the World Cocoa Foundation and has recently been elected to Co-Vice Chair for the Foundation. He serves on the Regulatory and Arbitration Committees for the Cocoa Merchants of America Association, and as Chairman of the Board of Cocoa Graders for the NYBOT.
President, Development & Training Services, Inc.
Indira Kaur Ahluwalia is the founder and President of Development & Training Services, Inc. (dTS), a management consulting firm which focuses on the role of women and other underrepresented populations in economic development and democracy building activities. Mrs. Ahluwalia's expertise is in conceptualizing, managing and monitoring programs on culture and gender mainstreaming. She focuses on integrating gender as a cross cutting theme for the benefit of donor agencies including the World Bank and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) as well as academic institutions and the private sector. Under Ms. Ahluwalia's leadership, since 2002, dTS has managed gender integration projects and studies in 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Jordan, Bangladesh, Mali, Peru and the United States. Mrs. Ahluwalia has 15 years of development consulting experience in over 30 countries. Mrs. Ahluwalia earned a Masters of Arts in International Relations from the Universityof Chicago, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology.
Ambassador Christopher E. Goldthwait
Consultant
Ambassador Christopher E. Goldthwait is an independent consultant acting as Advisor to Agribusiness Management Company and Delphos International. In addition, he was principal author of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Agricultural Task Force report, "Modernizing America's Food and Farm Policy: Vision for a New Direction." Prior to establishing his consulting business, he completed a 30 year plus career in the Foreign Service. From 1999 to 2004 he served as US Ambassador to Chad. From 1991-99, Goldthwait served as General Sales Manager in the Foreign Agricultural Service of the Department of Agriculture. In that capacity he was responsible for all of USDA's market development, export credit, export subsidy and food aid programs. Goldthwait was the first career official to be selected to serve as General Sales Manager, and the first career officer of the Foreign Agricultural Service to be selected to serve as an ambassador. In addition to familiarity with USDA and other US Government programs, Goldthwait has had extensive experience working with Congress. He did his undergraduate work at American University, and completed a Masters in Public Administration at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School. He is fluent in French and German.
James Kunder
Deputy Administrator, USAID
James Kunder, Deputy Administrator of USAID, has extensive government and private sector experience in international development. From 2002-2004, he served as Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia and the Near East. Previously, from January to May 2002, he was Director for Relief and Reconstruction in Afghanistan. From 1987 to 1991, Kunder was Deputy Assistant Administrator for USAID's Bureau for External Affairs. He then served as Director of the Agency's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance from 1991 to 1993. From 1993 to 1996, Kunder was Vice President for Program Development at Save the Children Federation, an international non-governmental organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in the United States and around the world. He has also served as a legislative director in the U.S. House of Representatives, Senior Transportation Analyst for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Deputy Director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He was an infantry platoon commander in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1970 to 1973. Kunder has a bachelor's degree from Harvard University in political science and a master's in international relations from Georgetown University.
Michael McWhorter
Past President, AIARD
Mike McWhorter, as International Training Coordinator, administers Short-Term Non-Academic Training Programs in coordination with academic departments and agencies of The Agriculture Program, Texas A&M University System. He coordinates student study abroad activities as well as campus visits for international dignitaries. Dr. McWhorter maintains liaison with international governments, agencies, private sector and commodity groups to develop and coordinate training opportunities with TAMUS. He facilitates training programs coordinated through USAID, USDA/FAS, United Nations/FAO, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and other agencies and foundations. For ten years before assuming his current position in 1996, Dr. McWhorter was an investment consultant. From 1973 to 1986, he was an Extension Entomologist with Texas Cooperative Extension, rising from Area Extension Entomologist to Extension Entomologist-Pest Management Program Leader. In 1977-78, He served as Agricultural Advisor to the Office of Pesticide Programs of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Dr. McWhorter earned a B.S. (1969) in Agriculture/Entomology at Texas Tech University and M.S. and Ph.D. (1971/73) degrees in Entomology from Iowa State University.
Congressman Michael (Mike) K. Simpson (R-ID)
House Appropriations Committee, Budget Committee
Congressman Michael (Mike) K. Simpson is serving his fourth term in the House of Representatives for Idaho's Second Congressional District. He serves on the House Appropriations Committee, Budget Committee, Energy and Water Development; Interior and the Environment (Vice Chair); and Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. Simpson is one of the House's leading advocates for a new energy policy and a renewed commitment to research and development of improved nuclear energy technologies. His political career began in 1980, when he was elected to the Blackfoot City Council. In 1984, he was elected to the Idaho Legislature where he served until 1998, the last six years serving as Speaker. Simpson was born in Burley, Idaho and raised in Blackfoot. He graduated from Utah State University and Washington University School of Dental Medicine.
Karl Walk
Director, Cocoa Department, Blommer Chocolate Company;
Vice-Chairman, World Cocoa Foundation
Karl Walk serves as Director, Cocoa Department, Blommer Chocolate Company and Vice-Chairman of the World Cocoa Foundation. Prior to joining The Blommer Chocolate Co. in 1988, Mr. Walk was a cocoa futures trader and member of the New York Board of Trade. His responsibilities for Blommer as Director of the Cocoa Department include the procurement of the company's cocoa bean supply, which currently exceeds 200,000 metric tons annually, and the import logistics of this cocoa. Mr. Walk also oversees the sampling and the quality approval of all the cocoa products used by Blommer. Recently, he has coordinated efforts between Blommer and the World Cocoa Foundation in origin development and cocoa sustainability. In addition, Mr. Walk currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Latin America Committee for the World Cocoa Foundation and has recently been elected to Co-Vice Chair for the Foundation. He serves on the Regulatory and Arbitration Committees for the Cocoa Merchants of America Association, and as Chairman of the Board of Cocoa Graders for the NYBOT.