I am passionate about the responsible and inclusive use of digital technology to drive meaningful social impact globally. With over 20 years of experience in the social impact and digital technology sectors, I have worked in more than 30 emerging and frontier markets, specializing in sustainable and contextually appropriate technology solutions. My work spans a variety of critical areas, including agriculture, food security, financial inclusion, health, governance, resilience, and workforce development.
As the Senior Digital Advisor in USAID’s Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security, I spearhead the implementation of USAID’s digital policy at the Bureau level. I drive the integration of innovative digital technologies into resilience and food security initiatives, while also representing the Agency at high-profile global forums, advocating for the role of digital solutions in development.
Prior to joining USAID, I led efforts that secured over $30 million in funding for technology-driven projects from renowned institutions such as USAID, the Rockefeller Foundation, the World Bank, ITU, BSR, and the Global Resilience Partnership. I have also managed multi-country initiatives across sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, valued at more than $11 million.
I’ve authored numerous publications focused on helping practitioners to appropriately make use of technology for development. In addition, I have presented at dozens of international conferences, and have designed and facilitated hands-on workshops on AI, digital inclusion, low-cost video, mobile technologies, and other ICT tools for agriculture, resilience, health, education, and governance across numerous countries in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America.
You can learn more about me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwoodard/