John O'Connell

John O'Connell is a Lead Specialist in Economic Growth at DAI (Development Alternatives Inc.), an international development company.12 He brings extensive experience to this role, with 18 years of expertise in designing and managing donor-funded programs across various agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Defense.1

Professional Background

Since 2012, O'Connell has specialized in the design and implementation of economic growth and agricultural market systems activities worldwide.1 His work involves:

• Facilitating innovative public-private partnerships with multinational companies like Land O'Lakes, Corteva, and Ferrero1
• Focusing on areas such as resilient agriculture, trade facilitation, market systems development, and food regulatory reform1

Prior to joining DAI in 2024, O'Connell held significant positions in other organizations:

• Director of Strategic Growth and Partnerships at Land O'Lakes and its affiliated nonprofit Venture37 for eight years1
• Director of Programs for Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture, overseeing a multi-donor portfolio of agricultural and economic growth programming in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus1

Expertise and Contributions

O'Connell's areas of expertise include:

• Project management
• Business development
• Recruiting
• Budgeting
• Proposal writing
• Strategic planning3

He has been engaged as a speaker at various high-profile events, including:

• COP27 in Sharm el Sheikh (discussing climate finance)
• Concordia Annual Summit in New York (addressing private sector engagement)
• USAID's global Fall Armyworm Symposium1

John O'Connell joined DAI in 2024, bringing his wealth of experience to contribute to the company's international development efforts.4 His LinkedIn profile can be found under the username john-o-connell-a420944.3