Inclusive Conversations: A BPIA x ChemONYX Mixer and Panel

Join Chemonics International and BPIA on Thursday, June 6 from 4-6 p.m. EDT for a networking mixer and panel on inclusion in international development. The panel will consist of leadership from Chemonics and their ERG group, ChemONYX. 

Space is limited! RSVP by June 1st at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

Sarah Ahmed, Senior Vice President, USG Talent, Learning and Development Division Chemonics International

Sarah Ahmed is a senior peace, stability, and transition development leader with 19 years of experience managing donor-funded projects, including eight years of field-based leadership, management, and operations experience on U.S. government-funded projects in challenging and fluid field environments, such as Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya. As senior vice president of USG Talent, Learning, and Development (TLD), she oversees the people strategy for the USG business line, continually improving its ability to recruit and retain top talent, develop their capacity, and drive achievement of business line growth and performance, providing the overall vision, leadership, staffing, and management for the TLD Division. Among her responsibilities, she leads and supports diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, creating a diverse workforce and ensuring an inclusive and equitable work environment that motivates staff and promotes teamwork. Sarah holds a B.A. in history from the State University of New York and an M.A. in international peace and conflict resolution from American University.

Rachel Marquez, Global Outreach and Engagement Senior Specialist, Chemonics International

Rachel Marquez is the global outreach and engagement senior specialist at Chemonics International. In this role, she is developing and implementing a global diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. This strategy focuses on building a global network of teammates who engage in creative discourse, embrace learning from one another, and collaborate in an atmosphere of shared values, mutual respect, and recognition of their contributions to pursuing Chemonics' mission and sustainable development impact. Previously, Rachel was a senior operations manager supporting Chemonics' global health and supply chain portfolio and a founding member of the Chemonics Gender Equity Network, Chemonics' gender equity employee resource group. Outside of Chemonics, Rachel serves as a Baltimore City Women's Commission commissioner. Rachel has an MSc in Globalization and Development from SOAS, University of London, and a BA in Political Science and International Affairs from Northeastern University.

Victoria Sesay-Posey, Senior Program Manager, Chemonics International

Ms. Victoria Sesay-Posey is a Senior Program Manager at Chemonics International who brings over 14 years of work experience focusing on program coordination and research in the nonprofit and international development sectors, including the areas of education, healthcare, food security, and gender. A knowledgeable program management specialist with expertise in managing USAID-funded projects, and supervisory experience in diverse settings, she has supported projects in Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and South Africa. Ms. Sesay-Posey holds an MA in Sustainable Development.

James Gousse Legerme, Talent Acquisition Senior Specialist, Chemonics International

James has over 8 years of experience in talent acquisition, proposal development, training and learning, and program management. Prior to joining Chemonics in 2015, James worked in Morocco as a Peace Corps volunteer, and then Burundi for Population Services International. As a Sr. Talent Acquisition Specialist at Chemonics International, James manages the talent acquisition and recruitment strategies for the West and Central Africa and Haiti Business Unit, along with the East and Southern Africa Business Unit, supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce. James is currently pursuing a Master's in Global Business Administration at The Fletcher School at Tufts University, where he is expanding his knowledge and skills in international business. James has a keen interest in global affairs, social justice, and human rights.

Jordan Giles, Co-Director of Events, Black Professionals in International Affairs

Jordan Giles currently serves as Co-Director of Events for Black Professionals in International Affairs. She is an honors graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology where she majored in Applied Languages and Intercultural Studies with a concentration in Chinese. Jordan has more than 12 years of experience with Chinese language and culture, including full immersion while living abroad and studying Mandarin at National Taiwan Normal University’s Mandarin Training Center in Taipei, Taiwan. She also studied and lived in Shanghai and Qingdao in mainland China as part of Georgia Tech’s Language for Business and Technology program, focusing on Chinese business, technology, and sustainability. She loves traveling and visual arts, having a particular appreciation for creating mixed media art pieces and visiting art museums and galleries.