U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PRESS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-4320
2002-121
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2002
Contact: USAID Press Office
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today, President George W. Bush thanked two USAID officers, Lisa Hartenberger, the Education Advisor for USAID in Kabul and Nitin Madhav, Program Development Officer for Afghanistan, for their service and support of rebuilding operations in Afghanistan at a ceremony in the White House. The event recognized the work of U.S. agencies, private organizations and individuals to support efforts that continue to rebuild Afghanistan.
"Ultimately, one of the best weapons, one of the truest weapons that we have against terrorism is to show the world the true strength of character and kindness of the American people. Americans are united in our concern for the innocent people of Afghanistan," said President Bush.
Also recognized at this ceremony were USAID Administrator Andrew S. Natsios, Afghan Ambassador H.E. Ishaq Shahryar, as well as the Afghan Minister for Higher Education, Dr. Sharif Fayez, and representatives from America's Fund for Afghan Children, and the Defense Department.
Ms. Lisa Hartenberger is the USAID education policy and program advisor in Afghanistan, managing the education projects USAID implements in concert with the Afghan government. Lisa also coordinates education programming with the international donor community. She coordinates school reconstruction programs and curriculum development including initiatives like drug education, teacher training and accelerated learning for girls and women. She has served as Program Development Officer for the Education Development Center, a U.S. non-governmental organization that works on education programs in developing countries, as well as the World Bank and UNICEF. She is currently working on her Doctorate in International Communications at the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned her Masters degree. She earned her Bachelor degree at the University of California at Los Angeles.
Mr. Nitin Madhav manages and develops assistance programs for Afghanistan and is assigned to USAID headquarters in Washington. He was on the ground for USAID in post-Taliban Afghanistan this past Spring, helping the U.S. government and other world donors launch the first Back-to-School Day. He has worked with Afghan refugees since 1992, first as an intern with the United Children, and also with Save the Children. Nitin also served as an aid relief worker in Rwanda in 1997 for U.S.-based Doctors of the World. He speaks nine languages, has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and two Masters, in Public Health and in Economic and Social Development, from the University of Pittsburgh.
For more information on USAID's activities in Afghanistan, please visit www.usaid.gov/afghanistan.
U.S. Agency for International Development is the government agency that has provided humanitarian assistance and economic development worldwide for more than 40 years.
