White House Author

Dr. Rajiv Shah served as the 16th Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and led the efforts of more than 8,000 professionals in 80 missions around the world. During his tenure, Administrator Shah managed the U.S. Government's response to the devastating 2010 earthquake in Port-au-Prince, co-chaired the State Department's first-ever review of American diplomacy and development operations, and spearheaded President Obama's landmark Feed the Future food security initiative. He also led “USAID Forward,” an extensive set of reforms to USAID's business model around seven key areas, including procurement, science & technology, and monitoring & evaluation.

Before becoming USAID's Administrator, Dr. Shah served as Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics and as Chief Scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At USDA, he launched the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, a new scientific institute that significantly elevates the status and funding of agricultural research.

Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Shah served for seven years with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation where his positions included Director of Agricultural Development in the Global Development Program, and Director of Strategic Opportunities.

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