Our Team
KEVIN MURPHY
Kevin Murphy is a business/sectoral strategy and competitiveness expert with twenty-five years of experience in enterprise development, strategic management, competitiveness analysis, investment and trade, and related executive-level training. Mr. Murphy provides strategic management services to corporations and advises governments and donor agencies on fostering economic development and foreign investment strategies. He has directed numerous international projects focused on competitiveness, privatization, agribusiness development and enterprise development. Mr. Murphy has authored or supervised the development of over one hundred business case studies on competitiveness, investment, and trade and strategy issues in developing countries. Mr. Murphy is also the co-author of the Manual for Action in the Private Sector (MAPS) methodology, a strategic tool for assessing constraints and opportunities for private enterprise and industry development in Africa. MAPS exercises have been implemented in over fifteen countries in Asia, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa. Mr. Murphy is a graduate of Harvard Business School, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, the University of Louvain, Belgium, and the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
JOE LOWTHER
Joe Lowther has 20 years of experience as an executive and project director and was a practicing commercial lawyer for 11 years. He is a leading expert in competitiveness and policy reform, and has managed innovative projects in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Serbia, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ukraine. He has been Chief of Party for five successful USAID projects. As Chief of Party for the USAID Serbia Business Enabling Project for six years Mr. Lowther applied an innovative methodology to help transform Serbia’s business environment and increase access to finance for SMEs, leading to sustained economic growth and record foreign investment. Mr. Lowther has conducted comprehensive business environment assessments in South Africa, Uganda, and Pakistan, and conducted a global evaluation of IFC’s business entry projects. He has written manuals and guides on policy implementation for the OECD, World Bank, and IFC, including the Public Private Dialogue Handbook, and Guide to Contracting Out Government Services. Mr. Lowther has helped local and national governments develop and implement strategies and systems for economic development and financial markets and business environment reforms in Bulgaria, Croatia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Tajikistan, Uganda, and Ukraine. Mr. Lowther has designed and conducted training for national and local governments, business associations, and business service providers on policy reform, advocacy, public-private dialogue, and many other topics. Mr. Lowther has Juris Doctor and M.B.A. degrees from Whittier College, and a B.S. in Business Administration from University of Southern California.
JASON FOLEY
Jason comes to J.E. Austin Associates with a 30-year career in international development, including most recently from McKinsey & Company. Previously, he worked at the State Department and as a senior executive at the U.S Agency for International Development where he served as Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Middle East, East Asia, and Afghanistan. Jason also was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin and worked as a senior manager for KPMG Consulting focused on financial sector reform. He has taught at a number of graduate universities including Georgetown, Princeton, Northeastern and George Washington. Jason received a Master’s Degree from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Michigan.
CHERYL WOJCIECHOWSKI
Cheryl Wojciechowski has worked in international science diplomacy since 2006. Serving in several capacities with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and as a government contractor, she has extensive experience working with scientists and government personnel in the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, and Central Asia on collaborative cross-border research. She is currently the Chief of Party of USAID’s Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC) Program technical services contract. The MERC Program funds peer-reviewed research grants from joint Arab-Israeli teams of scientists working on regional problems such as agricultural viruses, water scarcity and health threats. The goal of the program is to create and implement solutions to development challenges. One of her major roles on this program is to conduct thorough peer review panels to assess proposed work.
Prior to her work in Washington DC, Cheryl Wojciechowski held simultaneous positions at the Museum of Science, Boston, and Harvard University Extension School. At the Museum she was responsible for explaining scientific advances to the public through exhibits, presentations, and television appearances. At Harvard she taught the Biochemistry I and II courses.
Cheryl started her career with research on small molecules produced by plants for communication of other physiological processes for undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado, Boulder. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Boston College in 2002 working on antibiotic resistance and enzymology. Her post-doctoral research at Harvard Medical School’s Dana Farber Cancer Institute involved natural products and their effect on cancer cells. Cheryl continues her interest in plant derived, naturally produced compounds and their ability to have a positive impact on health and wellbeing through her company, White Rose Apothecary. In addition to her career, Cheryl is an avid cyclist, boxer, and Mom to two kids.
KARÉN ISAHAKYAN
Mr. Isahakyan has 20 years of experience successfully contributing to a succession of competitiveness projects in the Europe and Eurasia Region, including Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, South Asia and South East Asia. He serves as Director of the E&E Region for J.E. Austin Associates, the company that introduced competitiveness initiatives to USAID in 1998. He has worked with 15 industry clusters including the information technology sector in Ukraine, Bosnia, Kosovo, Moldova, Armenia, the tourism cluster in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Tanzania, and creative and furniture sectors in Ukraine. He is also skilled at facilitating public-private dialogue having helped in the formation of the Tax Council in Armenia and most recently the Strategic Council on Creative Economies in Ukraine. He co-facilitated intensive training for Ukrainian leaders on comprehensive economic reform. Mr. Isahakyan is currently leading the competitiveness component under the Competitive Economy program in Ukraine. Experience in Eastern Europe is informed by lessons from outside the region in Southeast Asia and elsewhere. He holds an MBA from American University of Armenia and completed certificate program on Leadership and Interest based Negotiations at Harvard University.
ANU JAIN
Anu Jain is the Controller at J.E. Austin Associates. He is a technically skilled accountant known for accuracy, attention to detail and timeliness in managing disbursement functions for diverse-industry employers. His accounting career spans 20 years of experience in implementing financial systems, strategies, processes and controls that significantly improve P&L scenarios. Backed by solid credentials and proficiencies in generally accepted accounting practices (GAAP) as well as Deltek Cost Point 7, Timberline, Peachtree, QuickBooks, MS Office and Excel. He is an expert in establishing accounting functions, systems and best practices; cost-reduction, automation and tax strategies; and lasting business relationships to ensure goal-surpassing fiscal performance.
BEN NUSSBAUMER
Ben Nussbaumer is the Director of Strategy and Competitiveness with J.E. Austin Associates specializing in strategy, competitiveness, and private sector development. He is experienced working on assignments to support functional market systems, strengthen public and private institutions, and create new economic opportunities for a variety of multilateral, bilateral, and private clients in Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa and the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean. He holds a master’s degree in international political economy and international economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from the University of Oregon.
KYLIE GROW
Kylie Grow is a Senior Technical Manager with J.E. Austin Associates. She manages diverse projects across many regions, including LAC, MENA, South Asia, South Caucasus, and Sub-Saharan Africa. Kylie has training in econometrics, monitoring and evaluation, and management of international teams. Her current portfolio at JAA includes work on market systems, value chains, financial inclusion, agribusiness, and evaluations. She holds a master’s degree in International Development Policy from Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy as well as bachelor’s degrees in Global Development Studies and Spanish from the University of Virginia.
JUAN FERNANDO RAMÍREZ PUERTA
Juan Fernando Ramirez has a degree in Law from Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia. He also has a minor in Public Management and has an interest in Private and Transactional Law. Since his involvement with J.E Austin Associates he has participated in projects in Nepal, Myanmar, Ghana, and Honduras. Also, he has helped write proposals for projects in Central America, Colombia and Macedonia.
DONALD EBUETSE
Donald has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and proven experience in banking and logistics. He has a passion for project management, business development impact investing, process improvement, and customer service. He is always seeking new challenges and opportunities to expand his knowledge and interest in social entrepreneurship and transnational development. As a new intern JAA, he is excited to bring his expertise to the table and collaborate with the team to achieve the company’s goals.
MADISON DAVIS
Madison is a graduate student in the Global Human Development program at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. He specializes in Environment & Climate, and Food, Agriculture, & Rural Livelihoods. In addition, Madison is pursuing certificates in Social Innovation and Diplomacy. Madison holds two BAs from the University of Denver. His past experiences include work with the World Bank’s Agriculture and Food Global Practice, the Inter-American Development Bank, and Americorps.
MEHDI KOCAKAHYA
Mehdi Kocakahya specializes in the intersection of strengthening private and public institutions. He gained experience in development work in West Africa. With over four years of professional experience in the private sector, he has worked in the fields of digital transformation, technology management, and project management.
Mehdi is about to obtain a master’s degree in international affairs and obtained a prior master’s degree in digital project management and a bachelor’s degree in international business management.
LONAH AKOT
Akot Lonah O is an intern with J.E Austin Associates. She holds a law bachelor’s degree from Uganda Christian University, Kampala, Uganda. She is currently pursuing a postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, Uganda. She is passionate about advocacy, with an interest in the private sector, and has an in-depth knowledge of the law combined with strong analytical skills allowing her to negotiate complex legal issues.
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