Biography of USAID/Vietnam Mission Director Joakim Parker

Joakim Parker, the Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in Vietnam, has served in this position since September 2012. At USAID/Vietnam, he oversees development activities related to health and HIV/AIDS, education, economic growth, avian influenza, emerging pandemic threats, environmental remediation of dioxin, climate change, anti-trafficking in persons, good governance, and support for persons with disabilities and to ethnic minorities. His prior experience in development for USAID was in Georgia, Peru and Ukraine. He also worked for the U.S. Peace Corps and the United Nations Environment Program in Africa. Mr. Parker joined USAID in 1997 as a legal advisor after several years' legal practice with an international law firm. He holds degrees from Stanford University, University of California's Hastings College of Law, and University of the West Indies' Institute for International Relations.