Our Team

Dan Waddle is senior vice president of NRECA International, leading efforts that promote cooperative development and designs programs that offer access to modern electric service in developing countries. He directs programs in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and Central and South Asia. The programs focus on low-cost electric service expansion through establishing and strengthening rural electric utilities using conventional and off-grid solutions.

In 2022, Dan was inducted to the Cooperative Hall of Fame by the Cooperative Development Foundation for his decades of leadership in bringing electricity to rural communities throughout the world.

With more than 30 years of experience, Dan is an expert in electric power supply and demand-side efficiency and in the design and implementation of renewable energy projects. He has hands-on experience in designing small and micro-hydro projects; biomass combustion and gasification for power applications; solar photovoltaic applications; and wind-diesel hybrid projects. He has managed numerous projects for the U.S. Agency for International Development; U.S. Dept. of Energy; the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and Asian Development Bank.

Dan has a B.S. and M.S. in agricultural engineering and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University.

Contact: dbwaddle@nreca-intl.org

Nicholas Allen

Vice President | USA

Nicholas Allen is the Vice President overseeing NRECA International’s electrification projects. Nick has worked for NRECA International for over 15 years as an electrification engineer, project manager and electrification expert on a series of projects in Senegal, DRC, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Liberia, and Ghana.

Nick is an expert in geographic information systems applied for electric power distribution systems and off-grid energy solutions. He also has extensive experience in technical, financial and sustainability analysis of grid and off-grid rural utilities. Nick has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Lehigh University and an M.A in International Environmental Policy from Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

Contact: nhallen@nreca-intl.org

Luis Arismendi

Senior Electrical Engineer | Spain

Luis has more than 20 years of experience in the areas of rural electrification and renewable energy. During this time, he has helped implement and manage projects that include utility management and construction, electric service expansion and optimization, and strategic business planning. Luis has used his skills and expertise to support challenging projects in a variety of economic and geographical environments to include Republic of Georgia, Ukraine, Guatemala, Nigeria, Mozambique and Venezuela. Luis also managed an NRECA International rural electrification project in Liberia that included the establishment of the Totota Electric Cooperative that is currently used as the model for sustainable and successful rural electrification for the Liberian government. Prior to joining NRECA International in 2015, Luis was the contract administrator for Industrias Metalurgicas Pescarmona in Venezuela. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the Simon Bolivar University in Caracas, Venezuela.

Contact: larismendi@nreca-intl.org

Jonathan Bambokela

Mini-Grid Utility Specialist | South Africa

Jonathan Bambokela currently supports the Empower Southern Africa Program in Pretoria, South Africa. Jonathan is a renewable energy professional with more than ten years of experience supporting the development and financing of energy projects using solar, wind, hydro and biomass technologies. Prior to joining NRECA International in June 2024, Jonathan was a project developer for AMEA Power in the UAE, where he was involved in the development of multiple solar power projects in various countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Jonathan has an in-depth understanding of engineering attributes as well as economic principles that underpin renewable energy power generation and off-grid investments. He also has a deep interest and understanding of policy, electric utilities, market reforms, energy transitions and strategies related to public-private partnerships in their respective sectors.

Jonathan holds a Master's degree in Chemical Engineering and a Bachelor's degree of Technology from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Chemical Engineering, focusing on electrification and decarbonization of rural and urban households in sub-Saharan Africa using hybrid renewable energy solutions.

Frank Bergh

Senior Electrical Engineer | USA

Frank Bergh, P.E. is a Senior Electrical Engineer, supporting NRECA International’s electrification projects with an emphasis on energy access in off-grid and microgrid contexts. Frank joined NRECA in 2020 and brings more than 12 years of experience in renewable energy, energy storage, electrical transmission planning, and microgrids. He is a licensed professional engineer in Illinois.

Frank began his career as a transmission planning consultant with Burns and McDonnell, where he was responsible for grid integration of utility-scale wind and solar projects. He later led grid-interconnection projects for Nordex wind turbines in North and South America. He has also worked extensively on solar energy and battery projects with SoCore Energy and Edison Energy.

Since 2005, Frank has served on several overseas projects as a volunteer with Engineers Without Borders, USA, and previously served as a member of the organization’s Board of Directors. Prior to NRECA International, Frank served as an independent consultant working on projects in Africa and the Caribbean with his firm Beyond The Grid, PLLC. Frank also co-founded JustDesign Cooperative, a multi-disciplinary design cooperative in 2017.

In 2015, Midwest Energy News named Frank one of the Top 40 Under 40 Energy Professionals in the Midwest. Frank has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis. In 2023, Frank received an Emerging Leader Award from the dean of engineering at Washington University. Frank is also a graduate student in Next Generation Power and Energy Systems at the University of Colorado Boulder, with his master's degree anticipated in 2024.

Eric Bidong

Project Coordinator, GIS Integration Project | Senegal

Eric Bidong is the project coordinator for the GIS Integration Project, a project funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation, to support the National Electricity Company of Senegal (SENELEC) to integrate and improve it's Geographic Information System with other business systems that SENELEC uses. Eric joined NRECA International in June, 2022 and began as a GIS specialist coordinating a feasibility study in Burundi. Eric has almost 8 years of experience in electrification and solar minigrid modeling, installation, operations, as well as technology integration in power systems. Prior to joining NRECA International, Eric was the head of platform hardware for NURU, a company specializing in mini grids in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Eric is based in Dakar, Senegal, and holds a Computer Engineering Bachelor's degree from the Christian Bilingual University of Congo.

Contact: EricBidong@nreca-intl.org

Doreen Bwalya

ZECDP Program Manager | Zambia

Doreen Chipika Bwalya’s professional career spans over 18 years, working in the public, donor, academic and private sectors. Prior to joining NRECA International in March, 2023, Doreen was the country manager in Zambia for the Africa Clean Energy Technical Assistance Facility. She has a wealth of experience in water, environment, climate change and renewable energy, providing technical and operational support to government and in-country stakeholders. She is passionate about improving the lives of the poor and vulnerable people and has worked on several projects promoting sustainable development. She holds a master’s degree in Environmental and Resources Engineering from the State University of New York - College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), in USA, where she was a Fulbright scholar, and a bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Zambia.

contact: dcbwalya@nreca-intl.org

Cristina Dominguez

Sustainable Energy for Productive and Prosperity Project Director | Guatemala

Cristina brings more than 9 years of experience in supporting countries with their energy access and transition strategies, having designed, managed, and implemented different projects in Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. That experience encompasses delivering data-driven geospatial models for electrification (grid and off-grid), clean cooking access planning, and reinforcing institutional and community capacity on energy transition and sustainable development. She has also designed and deployed field data collection and lead activities to improve collaboration between cross-sectoral stakeholders and unlock access to finance.

Before joining NRECA International, she worked as an Energy Planning Specialist at the UN organization Sustainable Energy for All, where she contributed to accelerating the development and adoption of Integrated Energy Access Plans to support countries to achieve universal energy access. Cristina helped establish a Centre of Excellence to develop innovative tools, knowledge products and impactful capacity building programs. Prior to that, she worked for the UProjecDK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office-funded program Climate Compatible Growth, as a researcher and project manager of a UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK-PACT) project which helped integrate energy planning initiatives in East Africa.

Cristina holds a PhD degree in Sustainable Energy Access from ETH Zurich (Switzerland), a M.Sc. degree in Management and Engineering of Environment and Energy from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain) and Institut Mines Télécom Atlantique – Nantes (France), and a B.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (Guatemala).

Fernando Ghetti

Project Manager, PSELD-T | Haiti

Fernando Ghetti has more than 20 years of experience in electricity distribution management, design, construction, operations, and maintenance. During his time with the NRECA International team, Fernando has completed assignments in the design and construction and supervision of power distribution systems in Haiti and Liberia. Fernando has served as Project Manager for PSELD-T (Project for Sustainable Electricity Distribution-Transition) since 2020. Prior to joining NRECA International, Fernando was a manager at the ELFEC Utility serving 350,000 consumers in Cochabamba, Bolivia. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of La Plata in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Contact: fghetti@nreca-intl.org

Zulleyma C. Guzman

Legal Representative, General and Administrative Accountant | Guatemala

Zully Guzman joined NRECA International in 1997, and is based in our office in Guatemala. She is currently responsible for accounting, legal and fiscal activities for the Guatemala office and serves as the liaison with NRECA Intenational's headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Zully also is responsible for overseeing the logistics and security for all electrification projects in Guatemala. She has more than 25 years of experience and most recently provided administrative and financial oversight for NRECA International's PSELD-T project in Haiti.

Zully received a degree in Accounting from the Commercial Institute Rómulo Gallegos Freire, Guatemala.

Maruf Hasan

Senior Planning Engineer | USA

Maruf Hasan is the senior planning engineer and supports NRECA International's electrification projects. He also serves as the Country Director for Uganda and plays a key role in supporting projects in Bangladesh and Africa.

Maruf began his career almost 20 years ago at NRECA International as a distribution engineer in planning, design, and construction supervision. His area of expertise includes system planning, loss reduction, low-cost distribution technology development, integration of distributed generation, and design and construction of distribution lines. Maruf innovated an affordable house wiring design in Uganda that has the potential to bring electricity to millions of people in Uganda and throughout sub-Saharan Africa. He also designed and implemented an open-wye-open-delta low-cost distribution system in Tanzania.

Maruf holds a Master of Engineering in Electric Power Engineering from Liverpool John Moores University, UK.

Contact: mhasan@nreca-intl.org

M. Mahamudul Hassan

Geospatial Information Systems Specialist | Bangladesh

Mohamed Mahamudul Hassan has worked for NRECA International for 6 years as an GIS Specialist on a series of projects in Angola, Bangladesh, Burundi, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. He has almost 10 years of experience in the geospatial information systems (GIS) arena, to include data collection, processing analysis, and spatial data visualization. Using his GIS skills in the power distribution systems and off-grid energy solutions area, Hassan was heavily involved in the massive geospatial data collection of MV infrastructure and evaluating electrification expansion planning (grid and off-grid) for several projects. His areas of expertise include automating and scripting GIS processes, overseeing data flow, creating and managing geospatial databases and developing maps and aerial photography. Hassan holds a Master of Science in GIS for Environment and Development from Jahangirnagar University in Bangladesh, and Bachelor of Urban and Rural Planning from Khulna University in Bangladesh.

Contact: mahamudul.hassan@nreca-intl.org

Zuraidah Hoffman

Communications Manager | USA

Zuraidah Hoffman is responsible for all communications activities for NRECA International, and since 2013 has focused her work on promoting the team's work, and how lives are positively impacted by the availability of reliable electricity.

Zuraidah is an experienced storyteller, producer and communicator. To support the team, she has traveled to countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America to illustrate why rural and impoverished communities need access to affordable and reliable electricity to experience social and economic growth. To do this, Zuraidah has produced award-winning stories that promote the electric cooperative business model as a way for these communities to own and chart their future. Zuraidah has also worked in Haiti, Ethiopia, Uganda and Liberia to develop and implement outreach plans to help illustrate that a better life starts with power.

Zuraidah received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Contact: zhoffman@nreca-intl.org

Ingrid Hunsicker

Senior Program Manager | USA

Ingrid Hunsicker has been with NRECA International for 27 years, starting at the Guatemala regional office. As Senior Program Manager, Ingrid directs and manages the NRECA member-sponsored volunteer program that enables electric cooperatives throughout the United States to participate in voluntary assignments in developing countries, and encourage on-going working relationships among U.S. and international cooperatives.

In addition, her portfolio includes the stewardship of hundreds of donors throughout the country whose contributions assist NRECA International in its international initiatives. Her previous professional experience includes 10 years with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Guatemala working with internally displaced, returnees and refugees of Guatemala’s civil war that ended in 1996.

Contact: Ingrid.Hunsicker@nreca.coop

M. Nazrul Islam

Sr. Management Information Systems Specialist | Bangladesh

Mohamed Nazrul Islam is an experienced IT professional with a diverse background in system analysis, design and development. With 18 years of experience in the field, Nazrul has honed his skills in commercial information systems and management information systems for electric utilities. His expertise lies in programming languages such as C & C++, C++ Builder & MS Visual C++, VB.Net, C#.Net, Borland Delphi, JEE, Java with Eclipse and Oracle J Developer 12c, PHP. He is also proficient in database management with experience in Oracle, MS SQL Server, Firebird, Postgres, MySQL and MS Access.

Nazrul holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology and has completed specialized training courses in Oracle and Network+. He has worked across various countries including Bangladesh, South Sudan, Uganda, Pakistan, Haiti and Guatemala where he has contributed significantly to the development of several applications using open-source technology for electric utilities.

Nazrul continues to showcase his skills by leading the development of numerous applications that have helped to improve operations within electric utilities. Fluent in both English and Bangla languages, Nazrul is a highly valued member of any team seeking innovative solutions to complex IT challenges.

Contact: nislam@nreca-intl.org

Rakibul Islam

Geospatial Information Systems Manager | Bangladesh

Rakibul Islam brings over 13 years of experience in managing and maintaining geospatial information systems (GIS) and data, and is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of GIS projects. He works closely with the project managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure that the GIS solutions are aligned with the business objectives of NRECA International.

Rakibul played key roles in developing the geospatial electrification platform that supports national electrification strategies, geospatial master plans, grid expansions and off-grid analyses. He was the GIS Information Management Specialist in NRECA International’s project with the Northern Electricity Supply Company in Bangladesh where 20,000 km electric lines and 1.7 million customers were geolocated. Rakibul also managed the effort to digitize about 20 million household structures and over 60,000 km of MV infrastructure and analyze electrification options for Ethiopia. He was also involved in developing and analyzing geospatial databases for projects in Kenya, Uganda, Colombia, Papua New Guinea, DRC, Malawi and The Philippines.

Rakibul has a master of science degree in GIS for Environment and Development from Jahangirnagar University, a Masters degree in Development Studies from East West University, and a Bachelor's degree in Urban and Rural Planning from Khulna University, all in located in Bangladesh.

Tajul Islam

IT Specialist | Bangladesh

Tajul has extensive experience in the field of software development. He is actively involved in system analysis, managing IT projects, and developing software for customer relationship management systems for electric utilities. His expertise also lies in identifying business requirements and translating them into effective technological solutions. Tajul holds a Masters in Science degree in Computer Science & Engineering from the University of Dhaka.

Faridul Islam

Bangladesh Country Director | Bangladesh

Faridul Islam is the Bangladesh Country Director, responsible for managing the team and overseeing all NRECA International project activities in Bangladesh.

Faridul has over 21 years of experience in administration, HR, and financial management. With his extensive experience in financial analysis and management, Farid helps the team to make informed business decisions that have contributed significantly to NRECA International's growth in Bangladesh. Faridul holds an MBA from the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

Contact: fislam@nreca-intl.org

Guillermo Layarenza

Senior Distribution Engineer | USA

Guillermo Layerenza is an electricity distribution sector expert with more than 25 years of experience and he joined NRECA International in 2015. His areas of expertise include improving the performance of power utilities. Guillermo conducts business process redesign, assesses key performance indicators (KPIs), identifies best practices, cost optimization, analyzes and implements technical and commercial loss reduction programs and tariff studies. Guillermo also has extensive experience in conducting electricity transmission and distribution system planning, producing high and medium voltage power system modeling studies, developing capital investment plans and financial models for electric service providers, analyzing electricity market structures, and developing rural electrification studies and policy making and assessing renewable generation (solar and biomass).

Guillermo holds a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from the University of La Plata, Argentina.

Contact: glayarenza@nreca-intl.org

Ernest Lupiya

ZECDP Community Engagement Officer | Zambia

Ernest Lupiya has experience in natural resource management and is skilled at mobilizing grassroots campaigns and teaching communities on alternate livelihood activities. He has experience in both quantitative and qualitative research and data analysis and speaks five languages. Prior to joining NRECA International in 2022, Ernest has helped implement various livelihood and community-based natural resources management projects with the United Nations Development Programme's Global Environment Facility, U.S. Agency for International Development, WeForest in Zambia and others. Ernest received his Bachelor of Science in natural resource management from the Copperbelt University in Kitwe, Zambia, and is currently pursuing a Master's in business administration.

Contact: elupiya@nreca-intl.org

Aaron Mineen

Project Engineer | Liberia and Zambia

Aaron Mineen is the project engineer for the Zambia Electric Cooperative Development Program. His responsibilities include gathering data to help determine sites for mini-grid projects for cooperative development, perform forecast analyses on customers and electricity demand, and providing all technical support to ensure successful project implementation.

Aaron also plays a key role in the continued success of the Totota Electric Cooperative in Liberia, where he assisted in the design of the project, supervised distribution line construction, trained the TEC staff on how to operate pre-paid meters, and he developed a data analysis software that increased efficiency at the co-op.

Aaron holds a bachelor of science degree in Electrical Engineering from Stella Maris Polytechnic University in Liberia.

Contact: amineen@nreca-intl.org

Mulotwa Munthali

CECP Cooperative Development Specialist | Malawi

Mulotwa Munthali joins the Clean Energy Cooperatives Program (CECP) team in Malawi with more than 20 years of experience managing financial cooperatives. His expertise includes developing and implementing strategies to help business enterprises succeed, and he will be leading the formation of cooperatives for CECP.

Prior to joining NRECA International, Mulotwa established and owned Munyulu Investments. This firm provided consultancy services to companies that required extensive assessments on operational and financial barriers to succeed, and how to overcome them. Prior to that, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of the United National Savings and Credit Cooperative in Malawi.

Mulotwa received a Bachelor of Science degree in in Agriculture Economics from the University of Malawi, and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Eastern and Southern African Institute, in conjunction with Maastricht School of Management.

Gladys Musaba

ZECDP Gender and Social Inclusion Specialist | Zambia

Gladys Musaba joined the ZECDP team in January 2023, with a deep background in implementing and monitoring gender and social inclusion programs. She has more than 15 years of experience in humanitarian aid, specifically in safeguarding children and women from harm, and building their abilities to advance from critical situations.

Prior to joining the NRECA International team, Gladys was the Coordinator for Save the Children's Gender and Safeguarding program in Zambia. In this capacity she oversaw programs that integrated gender equality strategies, and provided training to staff, stakeholders and teams in the field, on all aspects of safeguarding children and women.

Gladys earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Development Studies from the Zambian Open University, and a Master of Arts Degree in Development Studies from the University of Lusaka.

Yurlady Chaverra Palacios

Quality Assurance Program Coordinator | USA

Yurlady Chaverra Palacios joined NRECA International in 2024, and is based in our headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. Yurlady plays a role in developing, designing, and implementing NRECA International's quality assurance program's policies and procedures. She will support business development activities and support project managers to monitor and evaluate the status of projects from the home office and at project locations.

Yurlady has a background in strategic business, economic and community development initiatives. Prior to joining NRECA International, Yurlady was a case manager for the Arlington County Department of Human Services. A few career highlights include serving as a Junior Advisor for the Columbian National Planning Department's Development Project Financial Fund in Bogotá, Colombia. She also was a coordinator for the program management unit of the Chocó Department Government in Quibdó, COlombia.

Yurlady has a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, and a Master of Science degree in Marketing from Universidad Libre, in Cali, Colombia. She also has a Master of Science degree in International and Economic Development from the University of San Francisco, California.

Doreen Pelekamoyo

Office Manager | Zambia

Doreen Pelekamoyo is an experienced finance and administrative professional with experience working in commercial, public and non-governmental organizations in the areas of human resource management and project management. Prior to joining NRECA International in August 2022, Doreen was the administrative accountant for the European Union Delegation to Zambia and COMESA for 15 years. During this time supported activities to ensure the organization's operations run smoothly which included the financial and budgetary process, contracts management, and asset management. Other career highlights include serving as a project administrator for CARE International's STOVES project. Doreen received her diploma in Human Resource Management from Evelyn Hone College, and a Master of Science in Development Practices from Oxford Brookes University in the UK.

Contact: doreen.pelekamoyo@nreca-intl.org

Abdullah A. Rafee

Sr. Geospatial Information Systems Analyst | Bangladesh

Abdullah All Rafee is a senior geospatial information systems (GIS) analyst with more than 12 years of experience in this domain. His expertise includes developing GIS databases, managing field-level GIS teams, designing survey methodologies, and processing GIS data for project planning. He also creates social and demographic data profiles, conducts hydrological analyses, develops climate and disaster vulnerability maps, and analyzes satellite images.

Abdullah’s recent projects include the SOCOTECO II Project in the Philippines and the Northern Electricity Supply Company (NESCO) Project in Bangladesh. In both projects, he was responsible for developing android-based GIS data collection methodologies, designing survey tools, conducting field training, and ensuring data quality at the field level. Abdullah has also managed and supervised a team of satellite image interpretation experts to transcribe and extract image data for the entire countries of Angola, Papua New Guinea, and the DRC in 2019-2020.

Abdullah completed a Master's Degree in Disaster and Human Security Management from Bangladesh University of Professionals, and a Bachelor's Degree in Urban and Rural Planning from Khulna University, Bangladesh.

Shaheen Reza

IT and Accounts Officer | Bangladesh

Shaheen manages the office accounts, ensures accurate financial records for the Bangladesh office. He also compiles, analyzes and generates financial data reports for the NRECA International office in Arlington, Virginia. Shaheen also provides IT support to maintain the optimal functionality of the office server and other end-user IT support services. Shaheen holds a master’s degree in business studies with a specialization in Management.

Contact: shaheen@nreca-intl.org

Araceli Rivera

Financial and Administrative Advisor | Nigeria

Contact: arivera@nreca-intl.org

Roy Saopa

CECP Electrification Engineer | Malawi

Roy Saopa's professional career spans more than 14 years, working in Malawi's energy sector in both public utilities and non-profit organizations. His expertise lies in implementing off-grid solar electrification projects in remote communities, bolstered by a background in distributed renewable energy generation systems. Roy has a passion for clean energy electrification projects, bolstered by his commitment to advancing clean energy electrification projects, particularly in remote communities.

Roy is the Electrification Engineer for the Malawi Clean Energy Cooperatives Program (CECEP). Prior to joining the team in 2024, Roy was the Control Center Engineer, Power System Operations for the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Malawi, and a Master’s degree in Renewable and Sustainable Energy from the Murdoch University in Australia.

Brandon Simons

ZECDP Rural Electrification Engineer | Zambia

Brandon supports the engineering and construction of the distribution systems and contributes to ZECDP's cooperative capacity building. He is an experienced humanitarian engineer who's worked on innovative projects in Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific, helping advance several of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

Prior to joining NRECA International, Brandon was a Senior Battery Applications Engineer at ReJoule in California, repurposing electric vehicle batteries for microgrid storage in underserved communities. In 2021, he was an Engineering for Change Fellow for SolarBuddy, an organization that provides solar solutions to children living in energy poverty. There he advised the development of a modular solution for clean cooking, cooling, and lighting in Madagascar and Papua New Guinea. Brandon also has an extensive background in sustainable agriculture, Greenhouse Gas management, and educational resource access. He served in the Peace Corps in Zambia.

Brandon received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and a M.S. in Sustainable Engineering from Villanova University.

Ben Smith

CECP Project Director | Malawi

Ben Smith is the Project Director for the Clean Energy Cooperative Project (CECP) in Malawi. He has eight years of experience in the energy sector and brings with him a portfolio of overseeing programs that increase energy reliability, cost efficiency, and how best to transition to clean energy for power utilities and the energy market.

Ben will be leading the CECP team in Malawi, to promote the development of five new clean energy cooperatives in rural parts of the country. Prior to joining NRECA International in 2024, Ben served as the Vice President of Energy Innovation and Solutions for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. In 2021, he served as CoServ Electric Cooperative's (Texas) Power Supply Advisor. Other career highlights include working as a business strategy analyst for Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), and served in the Peace Corps in Nicaragua.

Ben received a B.A degree in Environmental Studies from Earlham College, and an M.A. of Public Affairs from Indiana University.

Mehman Tatliyev

ZECDP Agricultural Finance & Productive Use Manager | Zambia

Mehman Tatliyev is a seasoned development finance professional with over 30 years of international experience in both functional and business roles providing a unique perspective and skills set in sales and portfolio management with banks and microfinance institutions in Canada, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Jordan and Zambia. Prior to joining NRECA International, Mehman was the Chief Operating Officer at Finca Jordan.

Mehman has a BA degree from Azerbaijan Technology University. He is also a graduate of Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Pennsylvania.

Natasha Taumbe

Office Director | Malawi

Natasha Taumbe is a seasoned professional with more than 10 years of experience in operations management across many sectors, playing key roles in successfully executing high profile projects throughout their lifecycles.

Prior to joining NRECA International in January 2024, Natasha was the Head of Operations for the Malawi Education Sector Improvement Project (MESIP). During this time, she facilitated multiple projects, oversaw operational budgets and financial accountability, and was responsible for recruiting and onboarding new staff members. Other career highlights include serving as the Project Operations Manager for Land O'Lakes International Development, and the Finance and Administration Officer for Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ).

Natasha received her Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Exploits University in Lilongwe, and a Master of Science degree in Project Management from the University of South Wales, in Cardiff, United Kingdom.

Jim Walsh

Director of Business Development | USA

Jim Walsh is the director of business development, responsible for securing funding for new projects to fulfill NRECA International’s mission to increase electricity access in developing countries. Jim is an experienced project manager with expertise in project planning, risk evaluation, and business development. He has extensive experience in project conceptualization, mobilization, and international contracts and grants for a variety of development interventions, including electrification projects.

He started his career more than 25 years ago as a project development officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development and has lent his expertise and work experience in countries across all continents. In addition, Jim has received specialized training in a variety of areas including environmental assessment, new cooperative start-up, and project finance.

Jim has a BA in Political Science from the University of Chicago and attended graduate-level classes in economics from the George Washington University.

Contact: James.Walsh@nreca.coop