I have been working in international development for 30+ years, as a facilitator, capacity development specialist, researcher, manager, finance & budget manager, and a little of everything else. I’ve worked on pandemic preparedness, HIV, TB, women and children’s health, community development, social and behavior change, and integrated approaches. After all these years, I consider my life as a Peace Corps volunteer in a village in Botswana as my best teacher—there I stumbled across what I believe is the most powerful aspect of development: authentic engagement, based on mutuality, creativity, and joy. 

I am in awe of what I’ve witnessed all along the way: what all people and groups are capable of, anywhere in the world, when they are able step up and come together to shape their worlds--preserving what is good and right, and moving forward where needed. 

Todays’ development efforts to “shift the power” are critical to righting the listing ship of today’s international development; staying home a lot in 2020 enabled me to write about this state of affairs--a surprising tens of thousands of reads of my articles demonstrated the untapped potential of many social and community leaders who need more voice and agency to do what needs to be done. The great body of knowledge of Collective Impact barely touches many low- and middle-income countries--and I’ve found through personal experience it really translates well, and represents much potential in righting the ship of development writ large.