Senior Technical Strategist 

Stefanie Kendall, PhD, has over 15 years of experience in international development and humanitarian response. For more than ten years, Stefanie served at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as a Foreign Service Officer for the Middle East region, where she focused on education in emergency contexts, including Yemen, Syria, and West Bank/Gaza.  At USAID, she was responsible for negotiating and coordinating with donors and across multiple sectors to support the stabilization of those living in vulnerable and fragile contexts. She worked with U.S. government agencies to develop and manage programs and worked with line ministries to ensure smooth implementation and alignment with country strategies.

Stefanie works across multiple sectors to identify solutions to challenges presented not only by conflict but also by global health and environmental crises. Her multifaceted approach leverages economic growth, water and infrastructure, and health practices to establish stable environments for families and children living in war, refugee contexts, and seeking protection from natural disasters.

Most recently, Stefanie served as Technical Director for Education in Emergencies and Primary and Pre-Primary Education at FHI 360, where she organized a cross-sector collective to respond to COVID-19, spear-headed a socio-emotional learning approach led by national entities and local community leaders, and contributed to multiple donor working groups focused on localizing interventions to ensure sustainability. Her dissertation, More than War, focused on education in Northern Ireland and Israel/Gaza, investigating ethnic conflict and socio-political responses in integrated education. Stefanie is based in Washington, DC.