GOPA Group US Chair of the Board

Patrick Fine, MEd, is an international development professional with deep experience in global health, education, humanitarian response, and building resilient communities.  Currently a senior non-resident fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Sustainable Development, he has served in senior positions in both the public and non-profit sectors, including as the CEO of FHI 360, a leading global development non-profit, and as the Vice President for Compact Operations at the Millennium Development Corporation. A retired member of the career foreign service at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Patrick served as the senior Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Africa Bureau and Mission Director in Afghanistan. 

Patrick is a hands-on development practitioner who believes the closer one is to the issues and people, the better one can understand the context and nature of the challenges to be addressed. He lived and worked overseas, primarily in Africa, for over 20 years.  He has experience designing, negotiating, and managing development programs in Africa, the Middle East, Central and Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.  

Patrick is a frequent speaker and writer on international and human development and has created and hosted the popular development podcast A Deeper Look for over four years.  He serves on several boards and has received numerous awards, including Commander, Order of Benin, USAID’s Distinguished Career Award, and the Merite D’Honour for contributions to education from the Government of Senegal.

Patrick began his career in international development as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Swaziland, where he gained a first-hand appreciation for the importance of integrating education, health, economic development, and governance into holistic, people-centered programs. His experience living and working in a rural African community continues to inform and inspire him today.