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.