IGD: Staff

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About Us > staff

Jennifer Potter | President & CEO
Megan Bowman | Vice President for Policy

Kristen Dailey | Vice President for Programs & Operations

Amy Allsopp | Communications Manager

Jacqueline Bartter | Membership Coordinator

Kimberly Bowen | Director of Development

Emily Byers | Director of Policy

Ruth Hovick | Office Manager

David Reynolds | Finance & Human Resources Manager

Chris Thompson | Development Manager

Aleena von Berks | Events Manager

Rachel Wood | Policy Communications Coordinator

Jennifer Potter | President & CEO
Jennifer Potter has directed the Initiative for Global Development (IGD) since its inception in 2003. Started in Seattle, IGD now has more than 300 partners in 11 cities across the United States. IGD provides a business voice for improved U.S. policies and private sector engagement in trade, aid effectiveness and economic development.
Prior to leading IGD, Potter served as executive director of Global Partnerships, an NGO working in the microfinance industry. Her early career included partnerships in two urban planning and development companies and the Peace Corps in Thailand.
Jennifer received a bachelor’s degree in political science with an emphasis in international relations from Chatham College and earned a master’s degree in urban studies from Loyola University.
She recently completed her second term on the board of the Seattle Housing Authority, currently serves on the board of Harbor Properties and alumnae board of Chatham College, and is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy.

Megan Bowman | Vice President for Policy
Megan Bowman has over 20 years experience in international public policy and government relations and has worked in business, government and the nonprofit sector. She began her career in Washington D.C., working for members of the U.S. House and Senate on foreign affairs and trade issues.
After returning to Seattle, she spent several years at Microsoft helping build their government affairs effort. Megan managed the company’s public policy, political and industry association relationships at the federal level, as well as helping to coordinate its positions on global policy issues. Following her tenure at Microsoft, Megan joined APCO Worldwide, the global public affairs firm, as a vice president overseeing accounts for nonprofit clients with international interests, particularly in the field of global health.
After the birth of her son in 2002, Megan opened a consulting business and worked closely with the Initiative for Global Development during its formation. She joined IGD’s staff in the fall of 2005 to lead public policy and government relations efforts. Megan graduated from Yale College with honors and has an MA in international affairs from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Kristen Dailey | Vice President for Programs & Operations
Kristen joined IGD in late 2001 and helped the organization develop from a concept to a strong network of business leaders. Her role as VP for Programs & Operations includes partner recruitment and stewardship as well as overseeing internal operations.
Kristen has been involved with international development issues for the past 14 years. Her professional background includes fundraising at the United Nations Foundation in Washington D.C., working with low-income refugee and immigrant families in Seattle, and heading a regional advocacy coalition of international relief and development organizations in Washington state. She has lived in the Dominican Republic and traveled to Vietnam, Thailand, India, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador to research microcredit and health programs. She has a master’s degree in public administration from the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington and is committed to finding effective, sustainable solutions to world poverty.

Amy Allsopp | Communications Manager
Amy manages IGD's external communications activities. Prior to joining IGD full time in 2007, she was communications coordinator at Global Partnerships. Before becoming involved in international development, Amy served in marketing and fundraising roles for the Seattle International Film Festival and Wooden O Productions, Seattle's Shakespeare in the Parks company. She has over a decade of experience in graphic design and holds a bachelor’s degree in art from the University of Idaho. She has worked as a contract designer and spent several years as part of the marketing team for the University of Washington bookstore. Amy enjoys collaborating with colleagues on all sorts of creative projects.

Jacqueline Bartter | Membership Coordinator
Jacqueline assists IGD in the recruitment and stewardship of partners. She served as a senior caseworker for the Office of the Student Advocate at her alma mater, the University of California, Santa Barbara, where her studies focused on international relations and politics. Jacqueline’s studies turned “hands-on” through extensive travels abroad, during which she met with local officials, journalists and Foreign Service members in countries throughout the Pacific Rim, Northern Africa and Europe.

Kimberly Bowen | Director of Development

Kimberly manages fund development for IGD, working to secure funding to fuel IGD’s efforts to reduce global poverty. Kimberly is a Seattle native whose fundraising experience is grounded in twenty years of marketing, strategic planning and community activism. As Deputy Director and Development Director for Seattle Parks Foundation, she managed the successful $20 million fundraising campaign to build Lake Union Park. She has served as Loaned Executive for United Way of King County and co-chair of her local community council. Kimberly’s corporate background includes working as a product manager and communications specialist at Microsoft while earning a Master of Science in Management degree from Antioch University Seattle.

Emily Byers | Director of Policy

Emily Byers joined IGD as the first staff member in the Washington, D.C. office. She came to IGD from the Government Relations department of Bread for the World, a grassroots advocacy organization that works to combat hunger and promote development in the United States and around the world. There she led the organization’s policy and advocacy work on international trade and agriculture, working extensively with Congress, the executive branch and the Washington policy community. Most recently she acted as lead analyst and lobbyist for Bread for the World’s legislative campaign for farm bill reform. Emily received her bachelor’s degree from Providence College and earned an MSc in international political economy from the London School of Economics.

Ruth Hovick | Office Manager
Ruth Hovick serves as office manager as well as assistant to Jennifer Potter, IGD’s President & CEO. Ruth’s background includes many years in the public relations field, working at The Rockey Company for 10 years and several other agencies before joining IGD in 2003.

David Reynolds | Finance & Human Resources Manager
David holds a CPA certificate and has an MBA degree from the University of Tulsa. He has over 17 years of experience in accounting and financial management. In 1992 he founded a company which he managed for 14 years, before selling it and coming to IGD.

Chris Thompson | Development Manager
Chris formerly worked as the Grant Writer for Seattle Opera. Prior to that he served for three years in the Peace Corps in Niger, West Africa, where he helped create bilingual primary schools in two rural villages. He is originally from the Mississippi Gulf Coast and has a journalism degree from the University of Mississippi. He is an active member of the World Affairs Council’s Young Professionals International Network, a member of the Washington Council on International Trade, and an avid fan of independent film and documentaries.

Aleena von Berks | Events Manager
Aleena is dedicated to facilitating opportunities to engage business leaders in the fight against global poverty. Her BA in business from Seattle Pacific University illuminated the far-reaching and critical role of the private sector. Her travels have extended throughout Asia, Central America and Europe. Internships at the Washington Council on International Trade, Washington State CTED International Trade Division and World Trade Center Tacoma have furthered her desire to spur business leaders to help define the role of the United States in the global economy. Aleena is on the board of the Rotaract Club of Seattle and member of Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Theta Kappa.

Rachel Wood | Policy Communications Coordinator

Rachel began as an intern at IGD in 2007 and joined the staff in 2008 to support the organization’s policy and communications activities. A California transplant, she received her bachelor’s degree from the Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington with a focus on global health.