Board of Directors
Steve Hansch
Steven Hansch has been a technical consultant in health, food and nutrition for USAID, CARE, FAO, the Academy for Educational Development (AED), Marine Overseas Services, and Datex. He has extensive experience in developing, managing and evaluating projects associated with humanitarian field operations, including health, nutrition, and economic analyses in Malawi, Kenya, Mozambique, Sudan, Somalia. He has authored articles in various journals and written analytical reports on nutrition needs in crises and evaluations of food aid programs of different NGOs and WFP. He led various projects and Refugee Policy Group missions to Rwanda, Zaire, Somalia, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, and Panama; coordinating all research and publications related to iimproving coordination among relief and development agencies with regard to food aid, nutrition, and food security. Mr. Hansch was President of Cuny Center for the Study of Societies in Crisis, the Director of International Humanitarian Programs for the Congressional Hunger Center, and a Consultant Analyst for InterWorks. He now serves as an ongoing advisor to various foundations and non-governmental relief organizations, including Relief International, ARC, IMC, Partners for Development and Project Concern. He regularly lectures at Johns Hopkins and various other universities and NGO training courses and has recently initiated, organized and co-chaired five conferences on different humanitarian aid issues, including food security, micronutrient deficiencies, psycho-social disabilities, early warning, human rights and basic education.
Frantz Celestin
Frantz Celestin joined the project development unit of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional Office for North America and the Caribbean in 2006. In his role as Project Coordinator Mr. Celestin coordinates IOM Washington's Return of Qualified Sudanese program, Co-coordinator of the Migration for Development in Ethiopia Program, serves as lead organizer of the Caribbean Regional Seminar on Migration Management, and recently developed and won a multi-million dollar project for the reintegration of returnees from the United States to select Caribbean countries. Mr. Celestin is also a founding member and current board member for the Center for Peace Building International. Before joining IOM, Mr. Celestin held positions with the Corporate Executive Board, the Center for North American Studies, the Salam Peace and Justice Institute, and the Peacebuilding and Development Institute. Mr. Celestin holds a Master's degree in International Affairs from American University and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and International Relations from Florida Atlantic University.
Sarah Cohen Wood
Sarah Cohen Wood is an Associate of Governance and Institutional Development and a Conflict Specialist at ARD, Inc. She previously served at USAID as the Strategic Planning and Learning Coordinator for the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance in the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance. She has also worked as the USAID liaison for the State Department Offices for the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS). Ms. Wood has worked in several countries in Africa, and specializes in the role of civil society in post conflict and transitioning environments. For three years she managed the NGO Sector Strengthening Program, designed to enhance the institutional capacities of local NGOs and civil society organizations in fragile and post-conflict countries. Ms. Wood is a specialist in Monitoring and Evaluation and designed the first local workshop for local and international NGO and USAID Mission staff on Conflict Sensitive Monitoring, focusing on the Mano River Union. She recently worked for the Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance in Darfur, Sudan and was stationed in both North and South Darfur.
Zen Hunter-Ishikawa
Zen Hunter-Ishikawa is the Director of the El-Hibri Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic and charitable organization working toward the end of human suffering worldwide, headquartered in Washington, DC. Previously, he served as Coordinator for the International Peace & Conflict Resolution Division (IPCR) at American University's School of International Service where he directed faculty and student services, including initiatives in recruitment and placement and education management. Prior to this position, he was the Program Director for the American Academy of Diplomacy, a non-profit organization of former ambassadors and American foreign policy experts. Mr. Hunter-Ishikawa serves as Chairman of the Fundraising Committee on the Board of Directors for the Center for Peace Building International (CPBI). In addition to his role at CPBI, Mr. Hunter-Ishikawa also advises other non-profits on development and financial administration and management. He holds an M.A. in International Peace & Conflict Resolution from American University’s School of International Service.
Steven Hansch has been a technical consultant in health, food and nutrition for USAID, CARE, FAO, the Academy for Educational Development (AED), Marine Overseas Services, and Datex. He has extensive experience in developing, managing and evaluating projects associated with humanitarian field operations, including health, nutrition, and economic analyses in Malawi, Kenya, Mozambique, Sudan, Somalia. He has authored articles in various journals and written analytical reports on nutrition needs in crises and evaluations of food aid programs of different NGOs and WFP. He led various projects and Refugee Policy Group missions to Rwanda, Zaire, Somalia, Burundi, Uganda, Tanzania, and Panama; coordinating all research and publications related to iimproving coordination among relief and development agencies with regard to food aid, nutrition, and food security. Mr. Hansch was President of Cuny Center for the Study of Societies in Crisis, the Director of International Humanitarian Programs for the Congressional Hunger Center, and a Consultant Analyst for InterWorks. He now serves as an ongoing advisor to various foundations and non-governmental relief organizations, including Relief International, ARC, IMC, Partners for Development and Project Concern. He regularly lectures at Johns Hopkins and various other universities and NGO training courses and has recently initiated, organized and co-chaired five conferences on different humanitarian aid issues, including food security, micronutrient deficiencies, psycho-social disabilities, early warning, human rights and basic education.
Frantz Celestin
Frantz Celestin joined the project development unit of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional Office for North America and the Caribbean in 2006. In his role as Project Coordinator Mr. Celestin coordinates IOM Washington's Return of Qualified Sudanese program, Co-coordinator of the Migration for Development in Ethiopia Program, serves as lead organizer of the Caribbean Regional Seminar on Migration Management, and recently developed and won a multi-million dollar project for the reintegration of returnees from the United States to select Caribbean countries. Mr. Celestin is also a founding member and current board member for the Center for Peace Building International. Before joining IOM, Mr. Celestin held positions with the Corporate Executive Board, the Center for North American Studies, the Salam Peace and Justice Institute, and the Peacebuilding and Development Institute. Mr. Celestin holds a Master's degree in International Affairs from American University and a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and International Relations from Florida Atlantic University.
Sarah Cohen Wood
Sarah Cohen Wood is an Associate of Governance and Institutional Development and a Conflict Specialist at ARD, Inc. She previously served at USAID as the Strategic Planning and Learning Coordinator for the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance in the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance. She has also worked as the USAID liaison for the State Department Offices for the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS). Ms. Wood has worked in several countries in Africa, and specializes in the role of civil society in post conflict and transitioning environments. For three years she managed the NGO Sector Strengthening Program, designed to enhance the institutional capacities of local NGOs and civil society organizations in fragile and post-conflict countries. Ms. Wood is a specialist in Monitoring and Evaluation and designed the first local workshop for local and international NGO and USAID Mission staff on Conflict Sensitive Monitoring, focusing on the Mano River Union. She recently worked for the Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance in Darfur, Sudan and was stationed in both North and South Darfur.
Zen Hunter-Ishikawa
Zen Hunter-Ishikawa is the Director of the El-Hibri Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic and charitable organization working toward the end of human suffering worldwide, headquartered in Washington, DC. Previously, he served as Coordinator for the International Peace & Conflict Resolution Division (IPCR) at American University's School of International Service where he directed faculty and student services, including initiatives in recruitment and placement and education management. Prior to this position, he was the Program Director for the American Academy of Diplomacy, a non-profit organization of former ambassadors and American foreign policy experts. Mr. Hunter-Ishikawa serves as Chairman of the Fundraising Committee on the Board of Directors for the Center for Peace Building International (CPBI). In addition to his role at CPBI, Mr. Hunter-Ishikawa also advises other non-profits on development and financial administration and management. He holds an M.A. in International Peace & Conflict Resolution from American University’s School of International Service.
