Dr. Gaston GOHOU is a senior statistician economist, expert on development and poverty issues, with more than 27 years of professional experience. His expertise includes: poverty reduction policies, public finances, managing for development results (MfDR), designing and implementing development projects (logical framework, investment projects, budget support,…), monitoring and evaluation, designing and implementing surveys, data quality evaluation.
Dr. Gaston GOHOU has worked for several African governments, the World Bank, and the African Development Bank (AfDB). Dr. Gohou has extensively trained project managers to design and implement their project (Strategic planning, design, logical framework,…). Dr. Gohou has advised several Governments in Africa and Asia in the design, implementation, and Monitoring & Evaluation of development projects/programs, including poverty reduction strategies and National Development Plans. Dr Gohou also taught economic development at the University of Maryland at College Park, USA.
Dr. Gaston GOHOU has worked in more than 39 countries including Algeria, Belgium, Benin, Bostwana, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Canada, Chad, RCA, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Finland, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, United States of America, Vietnam, Zimbabwe.
Dr. Gaston GOHOU holds a PhD in economics and a Master’s in international economics and econometrics from the University of Maryland at College Park, USA. He also holds a Master in Applied Mathematics from the University of Abidjan and a Master degree in Statistics and Applied Economics (ISE) from ENSEA of Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire. He is fluent in both French and English.
Dr. Gaston GOHOU is a co-founder and CEO of CESS Institute and Development from Inside.
Mr Headley is a senior economist at the AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATIONS (ATA), INC that is non-profit making. He undertakes economic analysis with a particular focus on the transportation industry in order to assist ATA councils/divisions, members, government agencies, other associations, vendors, and the general public in the area of industry statistics.
Mr. Headley manages and supervises the Economics and Statistics Department in the Chief Economist’s absence.
Mrs. Aimée USANASE is a senior social and legal expert with more than 10 years of experience. She held various positions in different public and private institutions before joining DI.
She has been a team member or leader of various project teams. She provided numerous technical assistance to various governments in Africa to design their Poverty reduction strategy and National Development Strategy.
She served as voluntary advisor for local government for 7 years where she participated in policy design and supervised the implementation at different levels where she initiated different women, youth and people living with disabilities’ empowerment programs, initiated various innovation groups at different levels.
In Rwanda, she contributed a lot in social protection planning, she developed the 5 years strategic plan for the Ministry of Gender and Family promotion, and she contributed to the design of the National development strategy of Rwanda (EDPERS 1 & 2, Vision 2020 and DDPs). She was also exposed to several Rwanda’s policies, legal and social protection framework. In Burundi, she contributed to the study on the dynamic of poverty by assessing its impact on gender equality. She also worked on the economic impact of Ebola on women during the study conducted by the UNDP on the economic impact of Ebola in affected countries.
Mrs. Aimée USANASE conducted various research on different topics such as “Poverty Reduction and Nation Resilience”, “the local economic impact of the mobile cash transfer to the refugees instead of food, the case WFP-Rwanda”, “The dynamic of SMEs business climate in Rwanda and Ivory Cost”
Mrs. Aimée USANASE founded Promo-Africa, an African advocacy institution to promote Investment that impact especially family and gender equality and women empowerment in Rwanda.
Mr. William Pardy is an Economic and Community Development expert with over 30 years of professional experience in several countries in Civil Society and Local Government, Community and Regional Planning and Economic Development, and Capacity Building and Education.
He has worked with communities, all levels of government and NGOs, providing guidance, advice, support and education in the field of community and economic development. Besides his work and experience in North America, he has lived and worked in six provinces in Canada, in Scotland, Ukraine and The Gambia, and as well, has completed numerous assignments in Europe and throughout Asia including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand and India.
Much of his development work over the past years has been in communities, who were facing despair and struggling to overcome some economic or social challenge. These assignments and extensive travels have led to an innate understanding of the human aspects of development and living, an inherent appreciation of people, sensitivity to their needs and a gift of sharing that is the basis to his life and work.
He is an avid essayist with philosophical and developmental articles and essays published by universities, in academic and other journals and through various media sources relating to the community, economic and social issues. He had a set of essays published by St. Mary’s University in Nova Scotia, another by Sir Robert Gordon University in Scotland and currently writes a column on development issues for The Western Star in Corner Brook, NL, Canada.