Founder & Co-Directors

Click image or name to view full CV

Founder & Co-Director

ACSD Co-Founder (in 2018) and Co-Director with 32+ years of experience supporting the design, execution, and evaluation of government, private-sector, NGO, and donor-funded programs in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad. Extensive experience strengthening the technical and managerial capacity of local government, private-sector, and civil society partners to co-design and implement humanitarian assistance, stabilization, land tenure, transitional, and development programs. Skilled in team leadership and large-scale capacity OCA assessments  and surveys to inform donor investment decisions and land use planning.

  • Partnership Localization Advisor
  • Organizational Capacity Assessment Tools and Surveys
  • Local Partner Training and Capacity Strengthening Strategies
  • Local Partner Management Systems 
  • Land Tenure & Land Use Surveys for Planning and IDP Resettlement
  • Project, Grant & Loan Due Diligence (Financial, Tax, Legal, Commercial, Technical, Environmental, Social, and Resettlement)
Email Issa Zerbo: zerbo_y@yahoo.fr LinkedIn: (opens in new tab) linkedin.com/in/issa-zerbo-4b46284b/ 

Co-Director

Multilingual senior advisor and ACSD Co-Director with 35+ years of experience supporting development institutions across Africa, including USAID missions in Senegal, Ghana, the DRC, and West Africa. Proven track record in strategic consulting, operational reform, and digital modernization. Deep understanding of African institutional dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and cross-sectoral collaboration. Trusted partner in driving results for governance, infrastructure, and human capital.

  • Institutional Capacity Building •
  • Strategic Planning & Policy Advisory
  • Digital Transformation
  • Procurement & Contract Management
  • HR & Organizational Development
  • Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning
Email Abdou Ndiaye: abdou.ndiaye@gmail.com LinkedIn: (opens in new tab) linkedin.com/in/abdou-ndiaye-95321a80/

Core Consultants – US-based

Click image or name to view full CV

ACSD Co-Founder (in 2018). Senior social scientist with 30+ years of experience supporting USAID and donor-funded programs in 28 countries, specializing in MEAL systems strengthening, adaptive management, applied qualitative research, and context-responsive program design. Extensive experience mentoring local partners, leading mixed evaluation teams, and guiding evidence-informed program adjustments in complex and high-risk environments. Deep technical expertise in the Sahel (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) and West Africa (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, the Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo) as well as fieldwork experience in the Horn of Africa (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda), Angola, Georgia, Suriname, Russia, Iraq, and Myanmar.

MEAL systems strengthening • Performance Indicator Tracking Table development and indicator tracking • Adaptive management in complex and high-risk contexts • Pre-evaluation planning and execution of project mid-term and final evaluations• Mentorship for local consultants, NGOs, universities, and research firms • Social inclusion analysis and strategy development • Strategic planning and program redesign • Workshop, training, and conference facilitation • Leadership of mixed national/international evaluation teams • Stabilization and transition programming (in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, Angola, Myanmar, and Iraq) • Applied qualitative research, analysis, and synthesis reporting

Email Della McMillan: Dellamcmillan@aol.com

LinkedIn: (opens in new tab)
linkedin.com/in/della-mcmillan

Website: (opens in new tab)
https://people.clas.ufl.edu/dellam/

Accomplished senior USAID executive with 20+ years of leadership in humanitarian relief, stabilization, disaster relief, and development operations across Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. Proven expertise in executive management, program oversight, operations optimization, and cross-agency coordination. Skilled in building high-performing teams, executing mission transitions, and leading large-scale stabilization and resilience initiatives under complex, high-risk conditions.

International Development • Executive Management • Crisis Response • Program/Operations Oversight • HR & Procurement • Capacity Building • Strategic Planning • Humanitarian Assistance • Governance & Stability • Monitoring & Evaluation

Email Rodney Stubina: Rstubina@Gmail.com LinkedIn: (opens in new tab) linkedin.com/in/rodney-stubina-nomad/

Strategic international development and program management leader with 30+ years advancing food security, trade capacity, and institutional resilience across Africa, the Caribbean, South America, Asia, and the United States.. Expert in USG (USDA, USAID, State Department) program design, grants and contract management, and cross-sector partnerships. Proven track record managing multimillion-dollar cooperative agreements, PASAs grants, and contracts with full financial and compliance accountability. Adept at building cross-sector partnerships, leading technical and operational teams, ensuring program delivery, and mentoring local institutions to achieve full compliance and sustainability in complex environments.

Program Design, Execution Management (USDA, DOS) • Program/Operations Oversight • Grant & Contract Compliance • Financial Oversight • HR & Procurement • Oversight of Project & Program Monitoring, Evaluation, Adaptation & Learning (MEAL), CLA, and Knowledge Management Systems (for individual projects and programs) • Stakeholder Engagement • Project & Local Partner (University, Private Sector, NGO) Capacity Building • Strategic Planning • Risk Management • Bilingual (English/French) • Project design and capacity-building leadership in: Burkina Faso, Chad, Colombia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Côte d’Ivoire.

Email Harold V. Tarver: hvtarver@gmail.com LinkedIn: (opens in new tab) linkedin.com/in/haroldvtarver

Accomplished senior MEAL professional with 40+ years of leadership monitoring and evaluation programming in multi-sectoral development operations and humanitarian and disaster relief across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Proven expertise in developing MEL teams at headquarters and field offices, conduct evaluations, designing MEL systems, and training staff in MEL in development programming, large-scale stabilization, and resilience initiatives.

International Development • Monitoring & Evaluation • Capacity Building • Strategic Planning • Humanitarian Assistance • Food Security & Resilience • Surveys (Design, Execution, Analysis, and Write-Up) • Community Stabilization & Transition Programming (Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Chad, Iraq, Mali, Niger, Yemen, Tsunami Recovery Program [10 countries—India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Maldives, and East Africa])

Email Alice Willard: alicewillard.emku@gmail.com

For partnership inquiries or to explore collaboration, please contact us to continue the conversation.

Core Consultants – Africa-based

Results-driven program management specialist with 20+ years of experience in single and multi-country humanitarian relief,  countering violent extremism (CVE),  stabilization, human rights, good governance, and women and youth empowerment operations across West and Central Africa. Proven experience (and success) in: 1) launching new donor and project offices and new sub-programs; and 2) grant compliance, EU and USG project management, donor reporting capacity building, and cross-border coordination. Skilled in leading and facilitating the co-creation processes that are needed to design and execute complex programs with local government and civil society partners in challenging political and security contexts.

Conflict Analysis & Early Warning • Stabilization & CVE • Democracy, Human Rights, & Governance (DRG) • Donor Compliance & Reporting (EU, USG) • Use of Co-Creation Processes and Events to Strengthen Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building • Grants Management & Budget Oversight • Proposal Development & Concept Notes • Bilingual Communication & Multicultural Teamwork

Email Amadou Ba: baamadou884@gmail.com

LinkedIn: (opens in new tab)
linkedin.com/in/amadou-ba-4916451a4

Senior Social Safeguards and Resettlement Specialist with 15+ years of experience supporting USAID, MCC, World Bank, and IFC-funded infrastructure, energy, mining, and agricultural programs across Africa. Proven expertise in land acquisition, resettlement planning, and livelihood restoration under IFC Performance Standard 5 and World Bank ESS5. Recognized for delivering compliant, socially inclusive solutions that strengthen community trust, reduce implementation risk, and enable timely project delivery. Extensive experience managing multi-million-dollar compensation programs, leading multidisciplinary teams, and building government and implementing partner capacity.

Resettlement Action Plans and Livelihood Restoration • IFC PS 5, World Bank ESS5, and MCC Social and Gender Standards • Stakeholder Engagement and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent • Grievance Redress Mechanisms • Socioeconomic Baseline Studies and Impact Evaluation • Gender, Youth, and Vulnerable Groups • Team Leadership and Capacity Building • Social Performance Monitoring and Compliance Audits • Donor Coordination with USAID, MCC, World Bank, IFC, and AfDB

Email Moussa Ouedraogo: mouedra.eagle@gmail.com

LinkedIn: (opens in new tab)
linkedin.com/in/moussa-ouedraogo-668a29a3/

Senior researcher with 15+ years of experience leading policy-relevant studies on land tenure as a driver of violent extremism in Burkina Faso, including evaluation of major donor-funded interventions. Skilled in translating complex research into actionable recommendations that inform program design and policy decisions.

Conflict Analysis & Early Warning • Link Between Land Tenure Rights & CVE • Community & Project-Level MEAL Systems Development • Participatory Co-Development of More Inclusive Land Access and Tenure Processes for IDPs • Project and Research Management & Reporting  • Workshop Design

Email Nikiegnounou Gnoumou: ingnoumou@gmail.com

LinkedIn: (opens in new tab)
linkedin.com/in/nikiegnounou-gnoumou-980a824b/ 

Results-oriented environmental, health, safety, social, and sustainability (EHS&S) professional with more than 24 years of field-based experience in the oil and gas and chemical sectors. Demonstrated expertise in leading and supporting large-scale, complex projects in challenging and high-risk environments, with a strong track record of ensuring compliance with IFC Performance Standards and Equator Principles. Highly skilled in project coordination, risk identification and mitigation, technical analysis and reporting, and capacity building through training and mentoring. Recognized for strengthening EHS&S systems, improving operational performance, and supporting responsible, sustainable project implementation across diverse global contexts.

Integrated Environment, Safety, Health and Security (ESHS) management for extractive industries, including oil, gas, and mining • Leadership of complex, result-driven projects and multidisciplinary teams in high-risk and challenging environments • Environmental and social risk assessment, incident investigation, and corrective action planning. • Compliance with international and industry standards, including IFC Performance Standards, Equator Principles, RCER, and ISO management systems • Production of clear, decision-focused technical reports for senior management, lenders, and regulators • Design and delivery of compliant training programs and operational manuals aligned with corporate policies, host-country regulations, and project objectives • Strategic stakeholder engagement across the project lifecycle, including program design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation • Community grievance management and conflict resolution to strengthen accountability, reduce risk, and maintain social license to operate

Email Francois Djissou Happi: fatherfrancois243@gmail.com

LinkedIn: (opens in new tab)
linkedin.com/in/djissou-happi-francois-a7336372

Senior Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning specialist with 20+ years of experience supporting USAID and other donor-funded programs across West and East Africa. Expert in designing MEAL and CLA systems for complex, multi-country portfolios, strengthening partner capacity, and translating data into adaptive management decisions in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

MEAL • CLA • Knowledge Management • Data Quality Assurance • Partner Capacity Strengthening • Adaptive Management 

Email Rakiswende Leon Ouedraogo: ouedrakis@yahoo.fr

LinkedIn: (opens in new tab)
linkedin.com/in/leon-ouedraogo-3572a2352

Experienced agricultural engineer with 30+ years of experience in the design, execution, and evaluation of agricultural infrastructure (rural roads, agricultural and pastoral wells, retention ponds, large agricultural dams, mills, irrigated perimeters, and tied ridges) using FFW (sourced from the USG and WFP) in Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Proven expertise in the design, execution, and monitoring of micro-finance projects to strengthen livelihoods and encourage social cohesion in areas affected by civil conflicts and/or extractive industries (Chad and Central African Republic).

Agricultural Engineering • Rural Infrastructure Development (roads, wells, ponds, dams, mills, irrigated perimeters, small dikes, stone ridges, and improved seeds) • FFW Programming • Micro-Finance Projects • Project Management • MEAL • Community Stabilization and Transitional Programming.

Email Radjab Mahamat Saleh: salehradjab@gmail.com

LinkedIn: (opens in new tab)
linkedin.com/in/mahamat-saleh-radjab-radjab-96b19a6a

Senior Gender, Social Inclusion, and Human Rights Specialist with 15+ years of experience designing, implementing, and evaluating both national and regional donor-funded programs in fragile and conflict-affected environments. Demonstrated expertise integrating gender equality, GBV, Do No Harm, and human rights approaches into resilience, food security, WASH, health, governance, and social cohesion programs across the Sahel (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger) and East Africa (Kenya and Uganda). Proven ability to strengthen government institutions, international NGOs, and civil society partners to deliver inclusive, sustainable, and policy-aligned results.

Project baseline assessments, strategies, & budgeted action and budgeted implementation plans to strengthen gender and social inclusion • Do No Harm approach to program design and execution • Mid-Term and Final Evaluations • Reproductive Health & Rights • Gender-Based Violence • Partner capacity strengthening and coaching for human rights advocacy, conflict management, and peace building • Sectors: WASH; Resilience & Food Security; Governance & Social Cohesion; Maternal & Child Health & Nutrition.

Email Sinare Fatimata Oulima Sinaré: fatim.ouilma@gmail.com

LinkedIn: (opens in new tab)
linkedin.com/in/sinare-fatimata-ouilma-85a56382/?locale=fr_FR

Conflict, stabilization, and natural resources governance specialist with 15+ years of experience designing and managing donor-funded programs across West Africa, including Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Niger. Recognized for translating conflict analysis and early warning into practical stabilization, resilience, and governance interventions in fragile and border-area contexts. Extensive experience with USAID, World Bank, GIZ, DANIDA, and the Netherlands Cooperation programs, working at the nexus of security, development, and humanitarian response. Proven ability to engage government institutions, security actors, private-sector stakeholders, and local communities to mitigate resource-related conflicts, strengthen social cohesion, and support inclusive local governance. Experienced regional trainer with applied expertise in DDR, CVE, cross-border governance, and reintegration programming.

Conflict Analysis & Early Warning •Stabilization & CVE Programming • Program Management in Fragile and Border Regions • Cross-Border Governance & Security • DDR & Reintegration of Ex-Combatants • Capacity Building of Security Forces and Local Authorities • Natural Resource Conflict Mitigation • Community Resilience & Social Cohesion

Email Gérard Kessé Yessé: yesseger@yahoo.fr LinkedIn: (opens in new tab) linkedin.com/in/gerard-yess%C3%A9-73781039/