September 13, 2018 (WASHINGTON) – This statement is delivered on behalf of the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN) by Co-Chairs George Ingram and Tessie San Martin.
The Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network would like to thank outgoing Co-Chair Dr. Connie Veillette for her five years of MFAN leadership and her commitment to the goal of more effective and accountable U.S. foreign assistance.
Connie Veillette joined MFAN as a Co-Chair in 2013, bringing three decades of experience in the foreign policymaking environment. In addition to her work as Senior Fellow at the Lugar Center, Veillette held previous roles in the House of Representatives, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Congressional Research Service and was the director of the Rethinking U.S. Foreign Assistance Program at the Center for Global Development.
She has been instrumental in strengthening and sharpening MFAN’s focus around U.S. aid effectiveness through thoughtful leadership and determined engagement. The network is pleased that she will remain an active member of the MFAN Executive Committee.
MFAN is glad to welcome Lester Munson as the newest Co-Chair. Munson joined the MFAN Executive Committee in June 2017 and brings extensive experience from the legislative and executive branches, including as Staff Director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Chief of Staff for Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois, and as Deputy Assistant Administrator at the U.S. Agency for International Development during the Bush administration. He has long been a dedicated advocate for aid effectiveness.
MFAN looks forward to working closely with Munson and Veillette in their new roles as the coalition continues to advocate for country-owned, transparent, and accountable U.S. foreign assistance.
