Professional Experience

2003-Current: Research Associate Professor, Department of Community Development and Applied Economics and Department of Political Science, University of Vermont

1999-2011: Senior Research Associate, Freedom House

• Assess state of democratic development of selected nations for Freedom in the World: The Annual Survey of Political Rights and Civil Liberties and Countries at the Crossroads publications.

2001-2003: Dean’s Professor of Applied Politics, Binghamton University (SUNY)
Director, Center on Democratic Performance (CDP), Binghamton University (SUNY)

1999-2001: Research Assistant Professor of Political Science, Binghamton University (SUNY)
Director, Center on Democratic Performance, Binghamton University (SUNY)

• Directed programming to promote increased understanding of the functioning and performance of democratic political institutions. Established CDP.
• Taught Courses: Democratic Institutions, The Global Democratic Revolution, Diplomacy in a Changing World, Globalization and National Sovereignty.

1999: Senior Advisor for Democracy and Governance, Center for Development Information and Evaluation, Bureau for Policy and Program Coordination, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Analyzed methodologies designed to assess the impact of USAID democratic development programs worldwide.

1997: Adjunct Professor of Political Science, Trinity College, Washington, D.C.

• Taught course on comparative African politics.

1989-1998: Senior Program Officer, National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI)

• Established, implemented and evaluated programs in support of democratic political institutions overseas.
• Regional Director for West, East and Central Africa, 1994-1998.

1981- 1991: Foreign Service Officer, U.S. Department of State

1989-1991: Assigned to the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

1987-1989: Country Officer for Liberia

• Worked to re-orient bilateral relations on basis of support for human rights and civil society development.

1986-1987: Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs

• Senior Africa bureau staff officer; member of Secretary of State's working team during African travel.
• Briefed Assistant Secretary on key issues and undertook African missions on his behalf.

1983-1985: Country Officer for the Congo, Assistant Zaire Country Officer

• Worked to improve relations with the officially Marxist-Leninist but increasingly pragmatic Congolese government.
• Reported on political/military affairs regarding Zaire; reviewed country trends for senior USG officials.

1984: Deputy Director, U.S. Liaison Office, Windhoek, Namibia (temporary duty)

• Monitored Angolan-South African military disengagement accord.
• Analyzed regional events, liaised with officials involved in the disengagement process and managed office.

1981-1983: Vice Consul, U.S. Consulate General, Milan, Italy

• Exercised responsibility for the welfare of U.S. citizens and adjudicated visa requests.

1978: Research Associate, Foreign Affairs and National Defense Division, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress

• Provided information on foreign affairs issues to Members of Congress and their staffs.