USAID Swears in New Mission Director for Ukraine
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2005
2005-075
Press Office: 202-712-4320
Public Information: 202-712-4810
www.usaid.gov
Contact: USAID Press Office
WASHINGTON DC - The Deputy Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Fred W. Schieck, today swore in Earl W. Gast as Mission Director for the USAID Regional Mission in Ukraine. Gast will be managing more than $105 million worth of projects in three countries and a wide variety of programs, including democracy development, health and economic development.
As Deputy Mission Director in two of the most difficult locations, Kosovo (2002) and Iraq (2003) Gast learned the skills needed for post conflict oriented development management. Following these two assignments, he has been in Rome for the past year as the USAID Representative to U.N Agencies in Rome.
The Administrator for USAID, Andrew S. Natsios, once commented that Gast's "… bravery, leadership, and endless hours of hard work" were instrumental in making the USAID mission in Iraq "… one of the most successful and largest post war reconstruction programs in the history of USAID." This was on the citation that accompanied his USAID Agency Award for Heroism in 2004 for service in Iraq.
Gast started working for USAID in 1990, as a Program Development officer in Manila where he designed USAID infrastructure and developed policy for privatization of infrastructure, energy sector restructuring and reform of the telecommunications sector. His next assignment was in 1995 to Moscow, overseeing U.S. government assistance programs for Russia.
Next came an assignment as a Supervisory Program Officer in both the Ukraine in 1996 and Caucasus in 2000, responsible for strategic planning and implementation of USAID programs, which in some cases totaled over $200 million.
In addition to the Agency's Award for Heroism in 2004, Gast has been awarded the Distinguished Unit Award in 2003, the C. Herbert Rees Memorial Award in 1999 as well a numerous Meritorious Honor Awards. His academic record includes a BA from the University of Maryland in History and Criminal Law (summa cum laude), and an MA from George Washington University in political science and Middle Eastern Studies. His language skills include English, Arabic and Russian.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.
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