WASHINGTON, June 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID) announced the swearing in of Richard
Goughnour as its new Mission Director for the Dominican Republican.
Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean Adolfo Franco
presided at the event and administered the oath to Goughnour.
As Mission Director for the Dominican Republic, Mr. Goughnour will
manage the USAID program of $21.8 million for fiscal year 2006. The mission
provides assistance to the Dominican Republic to strengthen their
democracy, promote economic opportunities and competitiveness, and improve
the lives of the poor by providing access to quality education and health
care.
Mr. Goughnour has over 28 years of experience with the Agency. He began
his USAID career in 1978 as a Financial Management Officer in
Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, and later served as the Controller for
USAID/Ecuador (1987-1992) and as the Regional Controller for USAID/Bolivia
(1992-1997). He subsequently served as USAID Deputy Mission Director in
both Ukraine (1997-2000) and El Salvador (2000-2002). Prior to his
assignment to the Dominican Republic, Mr. Goughnour served as the USAID
Mission Director to Brazil (2002-2006), where he was responsible for the
full range of administrative and program management activities related to
the USAID/Brazil development program. There, he oversaw an assistance
program that contributes to the protection of Brazil's unique biodiversity,
the promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency, HIV/AIDS
prevention and tuberculosis control and treatment, employability skills for
disadvantaged youth, and the promotion of free trade.
Mr. Goughnour holds the rank of Minister Counselor in the Foreign
Service of the United States and is the recipient of several awards. He
graduated from the American University/USAID Development Studies Program
with highest honors.
Born in Duluth, Minnesota in 1951, Mr. Goughnour graduated from the
University of Minnesota where he majored in accounting and business
administration. From 1974 to 1976, he served as a U.S. Peace Corps
Volunteer and Volunteer Leader in northeast Brazil, working with the
Ministry of Agriculture as a financial management consultant assisting a
network of cotton cooperatives. He is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, and
has a working knowledge of Russian.
Mr. Goughnour is married to the former Julia Maria Viana. They have
three sons, Christopher, Jason, and Kenneth.
For more information on USAID's programs in Latin American and the
Caribbean, please visit out website:
http://www.usaid.gov/locations/latin_america_caribbean/
Public Information: 202-712-4810
SOURCE U.S. Agency for International Development
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