Professional Affiliation

Former Assistant to the Administrator, USAID

Expert Bio

Robert Jenkins served as USAID’s Assistant to the Administrator for the Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Stabilization (CPS) from 2021-24. A career member of the Senior Executive Service, Mr. Jenkins was previously Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA) and the Director of USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI). Prior to joining USAID in 1998, Mr. Jenkins designed and implemented emergency relief and recovery programs with World Vision International in southern Sudan and Sierra Leone. As a Thomas J. Watson Fellow, he worked under Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Cape Town, South Africa, as a liaison between the Anglican Church’s peace and justice office and township communities. A native of California, Mr. Jenkins holds a B.A. in History and Government from Bowdoin College.

Expertise

• Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
• Democracy
• Disaster Management
• Governance
• International Development

Wilson Center Project

Re-Imaging Foreign Assistance in a Changing World

Project Summary

The Wilson Center will host a series of cascading and mutually reinforcing events, identifying a short list of critical priorities for USAID reform. That list will be summarized in writing and available to USAID leadership to inform their priority setting.