HDI Senior Staff

HDI — NYC (HQ)

Joseph Merante, Executive Director

Mr. Merante is responsible for managing the Institute's strategic relations with the U.S. Government, including the U.S. Congress, the United Nations and its affiliated agencies, and the Institute's broad network of supporters and partners. Prior to joining HDI, Mr. Merante, a career U.S. Foreign Service Officer, served in Europe, Africa, and Asia, and his last overseas post was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy to the Vatican. His domestic assignments included both European Affairs and Public Diplomacy. He also served at U.S. Mission to the United Nations from 1986 to 1989, and from 2004 to 2006. Mr. Merante holds a B.A. in Political Science from Fordham University, a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University, and a M.S. in Resources Management from the National Defense University.

 

Michael Blood, Program Manager, Mine Action

Michael Blood joined HDI in October 2009 as a Program Manager for Mine Action. Prior to HDI, Michael worked for the New York City Office of Management and Budget, the US Mission to the United Nations, and the Texas Lieutenant Governor. Michael’s duties are split between programmatic and operational support for the countries in which HDI has landmine eradication programs, and overseeing all budgetary, accounting, and grant compliance requirements for the organization. Michael spent 4 years living overseas before earning his Master of Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.

 

Michele Clarke-Ceres, Program Director, HEA

In addition to her position as Program Director of HDI’s Higher Education Alliance, Michele Lee Clarke-Ceres is also the Vice President of WorldCeres Inc., an international consultancy. Michele’s governmental experience includes progressively responsible positions on the city, state and federal levels most notably the US Department of State where she held the position of Deputy Chief of Protocol at the US Mission to the United Nations. She has also worked internationally for the Government of the Principality of Andorra and the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson. She holds B.A. in English from the State University of New York, College at Fredonia and studied at the University of Seville in Spain. She serves on several boards, such as the United Nations Development Corporation and Battery Dance Company. Most recently, Michele Lee Clarke-Ceres served as Chief of Protocol to the Governor of New York State and as Chief of Staff to the First Lady of New York State. She was later appointed New York State Honorary Chairperson of United Nations Day 2010. Michele is fluent in Spanish, and has a working knowledge of French, Catalan and Portuguese.

 

Candice Enriquez, Program Manager, U.S. – U.N. Relations

Candice Enriquez joined the Humpty Dumpty Institute as an intern in fall 2008, while finishing her BA in Political Science and Psychology at Bernard Baruch College, The City University of New York. She returned to HDI as a Program Manager for U.S. – U.N. Relations in August 2010. As a Program Manager, Candice promotes dialogue between U.S. Congressional Staffers and members of the United Nations through bipartisan delegations. Her responsibilities also include highlighting the diversity and culture of the United States by organizing delegations to various parts of the country for members of the U.N. Diplomatic Corps. Candice is a former competitor of the international, NASA sponsored competition, Odyssey of the Mind. She continues to give back to this program by serving as a judge for state and local competitions.

 

Steve Ginther, Program Manager, Mine Action

Steve Ginther joined the Humpty Dumpty Institute as the Program Manager for Mine Action in February 2008. As a Program Manager, Steve provides overall programmatic, operational and logistic support to HDI’s programs in Sri Lanka, Laos and Vietnam.  He is also responsible for research and development of new grant opportunities in mine action and food security.  He joined HDI after working in international development program management with various NGO’s such as the Global Fund for Children, International Rescue Committee, CARE, and Partners of the Americas, in Latin America and Central Asia.  He served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala and received an MSc. from the London School of Economics and Political Science in Social Policy and Planning in Developing Countries, in 1993 and a BA in International Relations from the University of Colorado in 1989.

 

Alma Manzo, Program Manager, U.S.-U.N. Relations

Alma Manzo joined HDI in January 2008 working on the US/UN programs of the Institute. Prior to joining HDI, has worked for years in Europe and in the United States. She started as Press Officer and Executive Assistant to the Italian Ambassador in Albania. Was also responsible to organize Italian Government and Parliament Representatives' visits to Albania. In the United States, Ms. Manzo worked at the Voice of America Albanian service as producer and anchor. In Italy in 2002 she served at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome as member of the Task Force for the Italian Presidency of the European Union. Ms. Manzo has a degree from University of Tirana the School of Philology in Italian literature. She still follows her old passion by teaching Italian at Georgetown University while in Washington DC and now at the 92 Street Y Cultural Center.

 

Ann-Kristin Odegard, Program Manager, Mine Action

Ann-Kristin Odegard joined the Humpty Dumpty Institute as the Program Manager for Mine Action in August 2011. As a Program Manager, Ann-Kristin provides overall programmatic, operational and logistics support to HDO’s programs in Vietnam and Burma. She is also responsible for research and development of new grant opportunities in mine action and food security.  She has more than eight years of humanitarian work experience. Prior to joining HDI she worked at the Norwegian Refugee Council managing their country programs in Afghanistan and Pakistan and at the International Rescue Committee where she over the years worked with a variety of country program teams in the Horn and East Africa, Balkans, Asia and the Caucasus. She holds a B.A. in International Relations from the City College of the City of New York where she graduated with honors.   She also volunteers at the Housing Works bookstore in New York where she nurtures her passion for literature while at the same time supporting their goal of fighting the dual problem of HIV/AIDS and homelessness.

 

Rose Servedio, Senior Administrator

Rose Servedio is the Senior Administrative Officer at HDI. She has been with HDI since its inception in 1998. Ms. Servedio handles bookkeeping, administers benefits and coordinates travel for all HDI employees. Previously, Ms. Servedio worked at Estee Lauder, Inc.

 

 

HDI — Colombo, Sri Lanka

Aminda Rodrigo, Country Director for Sri Lanka

Aminda is a Sri Lankan national and has experience in the corporate sector, serving as Director of a group of companies in Colombo, as well as in International Relations having served as Second Secretary at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington D.C. Aminda has served in the Advisory Committee on Marketing for the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka (EDB), and has been a Board Member of the Environment Friendly Refrigeration Association of Sri Lanka (EFRASL). Aminda has a bachelor’s degree in Management Studies from the University of Leeds, UK, and resides in Colombo.

Namal Jayaweera, Assistant Country Director for Sri Lanka

Namal Jayaweera joined HDI in November 2006 as Assistant Country Director for Sri Lanka. Namal provides administrative, logistical, and programmatic support to Aminda Rodrigo. Namal also serves as the office manager for the Colombo office.

Namal has over 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector in Sri Lanka. Prior to joining HDI, Namal was an Administrator at the Danish Development Cooperation Office (DANIDA). Namal has a degree in Human Resources from the Institute of Personnel Management of Sri Lanka. Namal is a Sri Lankan national and resides in a suburb of Colombo.

HDI — Vientiane, Laos

Stephanie Sparks, Country Director for Lao PDR

Stephanie Sparks is HDI's Country Director for Lao PDR. Since 2004 she has lived and worked in post-conflict and development settings in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and now Lao PDR. Ms Sparks has worked with a number of NGOs including Medair, Save the Children UK and the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action. She took the position of Country Director with HDI in 2010. Ms Sparks holds a BA in International Affairs from the University of Colorado and is currently enrolled in a Master's program with the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies

Channaly Manichanh, Project Coordinator for Laos

Channaly Manichanh joined HDI in February 2007 as Project Coordinator for Laos. Channaly has over seven years of experience administering education and rural development projects in Laos. Prior to joining HDI, Channaly worked on a joint WFP/UNDP project to improve access to primary education in Phongsaly province. Channaly has a B.A. in Education from the National University of Laos - Vientiane. Channally is originally from Phongsaly province in northern Laos, and she currently lives in Vientiane.