Greg Garbinsky

Gregory Garbinsky has over 34 years of international development and disaster experience, working with and for the US Government, NGO’s and the United Nations including extensive experience conducting training programs and workshops. He managed and supervised the Africa Emergency Operations Desk for FAO-Rome from 2003-2007, overseeing a $US 120 million portfolio of agriculture emergency and rehabilitation projects in 22 countries in Africa. In 2007-2008, Greg led the FAO Crisis Management Center for Animal Health, developing procedures and protocols and deploying rapid response teams for response to avian flu, Rift Valley fever and other animal health diseases. Greg worked with the USAID Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) from 1991 – 2003, where he led the Disaster Assistance Support Program, an international program of the USDA Forest Service. During this period, he developed and conducted disaster response team trainings, field operations guides, after-action workshops and deployed technical disaster specialists to international humanitarian emergencies. Greg has participated in numerous disasters around the globe, including India (Gujarat Earthquake, 2001); Kosovo (Refugee/Displaced Persons, 1999); DR Congo (Rwanda Refugee Crisis, 1994); West Africa (Togo Refugees, 1993); Chad (Desert Locust Response, 1988). Prior to this period, Greg worked in USDA’s Office of International Cooperation and Development managing a diverse portfolio of international agricultural, natural resources and disaster programs funded by USAID, World Bank, FAO and other donors. Greg is a former Peace Corps Volunteer (Burkina Faso ’77 – ’79) and has worked in over 30 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America.