Join us for our next SGIS Alumni Coffee Chat with Dr. Jennifer Kuzara on Wednesday, 4.10 from 1-2PM in Oldfather 827. Dr. Kuzara is a UNL alumna with 20 years of dedicated service in global health and development. She currently serves as Deputy Chief of Party for USAID. All UNL students welcome.
Dr. Kuzara's Bio:
Dr. Jennifer Kuzara is a seasoned M&E specialist with nearly 20 years of dedicated service in global health and development. Currently holding the role of Deputy Chief of Party for USAID’s Program Cycle Mechanism, Jennifer oversees an $80 million initiative aimed at providing essential technical expertise to USAID offices and missions worldwide.
Jennifer's expertise includes strategic program monitoring, innovative evaluation approaches, and leveraging learning in complex environments, collaborating with both local and international partners to establish effective MEL processes. Her practical experience spans a wide spectrum, from global and public health to economic development and governance, with a particular focus on non-permissive environments across Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.
Within USAID, Jennifer is recognized for her invaluable contributions in M&E planning and methodology, ensuring data quality, and integrating Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting techniques for enhanced program effectiveness. She has played a pivotal role in promoting Complexity-Aware MEL approaches, fostering resilience in challenging contexts.
Prior to working with USAID, Jennifer learned the practical needs of international development implementation during her seven years with CARE in support of Sexual, Reproductive, and Maternal Health and Livelihoods programming, while her time with the Centers for Disease Control conducting systematic reviews of public health interventions equipped her with the tools for evidence quality-assessment and synthesis.
Jennifer holds a PhD in Anthropology from Emory University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, coupled with an MPH in Epidemiology from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.