Barun Gurung's Departure
It is with regret that we announce the departure of Dr Barun Gurung as the PRGA Program Coordinator, effective September 30, 2007. Since Barun joined the Program in 1999, he has interacted with many of our partners and supports-that is, many of you our readers! We thank him for the support, guidance and encouragement he has provided during his time in the Program. We send him on with our best wishes for success in the new challenges he takes on.
With the new Program strategy and structure, the Coordinator position will not be refilled. Rather, the oversight of Program operations will be provided by Dr Roger Kirkby, CIAT's Leader for the People and Agroecosystems Research for Development Challenge. The strategic oversight of the Program continues to be provided by the Program Advisory Board, chaired by Dr Janice Jiggins.
It is with great pleasure that we announce the appointment of two researchers as Program consultants. Dr Dennis Aviles, Bolivian national, has accepted the position of gender consultant effective October 9, 2007. She will be based at our coordination office in CIAT headquarters (Cali, Colombia), and will begin her task by conducting a gender audit. Dr Ann Braun, New Zealand national, will join the Program as acquisition consultant effective October 8, 2007. Her main task will be donor relations and proposal development. Dr Braun worked for the Program in 2001-2004 as the Participatory Natural Resources Management Group facilitator. We welcome both Dennis and Ann to our team, and look forward to successful work with them over the coming months.