Three LAC Employees Nominated for performance awards: Recognizing Excellence at IBTCI
Three outstanding IBTCI LAC Bureau Institutional Support Contract employees were nominated for performance awards by USAID/LAC in 2022: Sophia Migabo, Patrick CoatarPeter, and Ayona Riley.
Sophia Migabo, IBTCI Program and Administrative Support Analyst, USAID/LAC Office of Caribbean Affairs (CAR), was recognized by USAID/LAC for performance merit awards in the fall of 2022 and in 2021. In 2022 Sophia provided exceptional support to USAID/LAC during USAID’s 2022 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) kickoff event. Per USAID/LAC’s CAR Director, Sophia and her teammates all went well beyond their normal responsibilities to ensure the success of USAID’s 2022 CFC kickoff event. “Not only did they dedicate extra time to planning and preparing the event, but their selfless dedication, positivity, and creativity were evident to all as they staffed the event, recruited and organized volunteers, and shared CFC information w/ the entire agency during the event. What’s most impressive is that because of their normal responsibilities, all three had to come in earlier than normal and stay after hours to ensure that everything was in place for the kickoff event.”
Despite the additional responsibilities and tasks, the team’s positivity and energy created an enabling environment that allowed the event to go forward despite technical and logistical challenges. Additionally, while other volunteers lost focus and left, Sophia spent the entire day serving as “the best CFC cheerleader one could imagine.”
Congratulations Sophia on your outstanding performance and much appreciation for your extraordinary efforts!
Patrick CoatarPeter, IBTCI Energy and Environment Analyst, USAID/LAC Office of Regional Sustainable Development, was nominated for exceptional support to the USAID LAC Bureau and to the Caribbean Missions, particularly during a critical staffing shortage. In addition to his ongoing responsibilities, for two months, Patrick filled a staffing gap left by the retirement of a senior team member. He served as the Bureau’s primary advisor on energy. Patrick guided several energy programs under the Caribbean Energy Initiative and provided great input to various briefing documents for USAID leadership involved in the Summit of the Americas. Patrick has played a lead role shaping USAID’s energy-related contributions to the Administration’s Partnership for Addressing the Climate Crisis in the Caribbean (PACC 2030).
Patrick’s USAID primary point of contact on the Energy and Environment Team stated that Patrick has provided excellent mission support to the Caribbean Development Program, including traveling to the Dominican Republic to support the Mission’s high profile LAC Climate Week event. “I am infinitely grateful to the LAC/RSD/ENVE team for the award”, Patrick says. “It was a challenging and rewarding time, so I very much appreciate the recognition.”
Way to go Patrick!
Ayona Riley, a Program Analyst with USAID’s LAC Bureau’s Cuba Affairs Office, was nominated for a performance merit award for her contributions to USAID/LAC’s Northern Triangle Task Force (NTTF). Ayona was invited to join USAID’s as a Policy/Emerging Initiatives Advisor for Pillar I of the Task Force. With her support and expertise, the NTTF was able to develop policies and plans to strengthen USAID’s ability to address the root causes of irregular migration from Northern Central America; ensure a strategically and technically robust USAID approach to program interventions; coordinate engagement and partnership with Congress and the press and managed external messaging; and enable the operational and administrative success of both the NTTF itself and USAID’s efforts in Northern Central America.
Ayona provided strategic program and policy support on three work streams to the NTFF: food security, digital development, and internal displacement in the region. Ayona, also served as a backstop to the Guatemala country desk officer, and at one time co-lead on the Honduras desk. Ayona says, “Supporting the CAM office and being a part of the NTTF was a non-stop, deep-dive, feet-to-fire experience as Northern Central America is a priority for the Administration, but the NTTF leadership was so supportive and it was one of the best teams I worked on – I’d do it all again in a heartbeat!”
