The Moray House School of Education
The Graduate School

Project Title: An investigation of the professional development needs of expatriate leaders of humanitarian aid projects in Central Asia and the Middle East

Supervisor:  

Research topic:

Many people currently working as leaders of humanitarian aid projects have professional backgrounds not directly related to their current position. My research seeks to identify the professional development needs of expatriates working as leaders of humanitarian aid projects in areas where there is a high degree of instability. A list of competencies will be developed using a facilitated small group methodology called DACUM. These competencies will be used as a baseline to identify the professional expectations of project leaders within humanitarian aid projects in Central Asia and the Middle East. Using personal interviews and focus groups this research will attempt to distinguish which competencies are professional prerequisite and those which can be learned on-the-job.

Professional experience:

I recently accepted an invitation to serve as the international director of Operation Mercy, a Swedish based humanitarian aid organization (see www.mercy.se). I have worked in Istanbul for more than twenty years as a projects director and leadership development consultant for corporate and non-profit sector clients. In my early days, I worked as a senior consultant with Price Waterhouse in Washington DC, and before that as a business education (computer programming and accounting) teacher. I have a Master's in Education (in business education) and a Master's in Divinity (in counseling) from universities in the States.