Melani Schultz
Bogota
Summary
Melani Schultz is a seasoned professional with 30 years of experience in managing donor-funded programs and working with government and provide sector organizations. She has a strong background in international trade, economic development, private sector development, competitiveness, and governance. Melani has successfully led numerous high-impact projects across various countries, demonstrating her expertise in project management, economic development, technical advisory, and leadership. She is known for being a strong leader and for her adaptability and results-oriented mindset.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Chief of Party
Palladium International
Bogota, Colombia
06.2023 - Current
- Project Title: USAID Sustainable Agriculture Activity
- Project Management: Managed all aspects of the $51m project, including technical implementation, contract enforcement, security, staffing (four offices in difficult areas), operations, grants, work planning, M&E, and high-level visibility activities.
- Market Systems Development: Supported over 30,000 families to overcome poverty, leveraged $37.5m in investment, implemented new technologies and climate-smart agriculture practices on 150,000 hectares, reduced emissions by 50%, and developed 80+ private sector alliances in conflict areas.
- Value Chains: Prioritized fruits and vegetables, non-timber forest products, coffee, cocoa, rubber, and dairy products.
Chief of Party
Palladium International
Guatemala City, Guatemala
12.2018 - 06.2023
- Project Title: USAID Creating Economic Opportunities
- Investment and Job Creation: Attracted over $1 billion in investment, created 70,000+ jobs, and supported 500 SMEs, resulting in $650m in sales growth and $80m in SME financing.
- Project Management: Managed all aspects of the $70m project, including technical implementation, contract enforcement, security, staffing (95+ people across three offices), operations, grants, work planning, M&E, and high-level visibility activities.
- Technical Leadership: Led initiatives to promote trade and investment, mobilize financial services, upgrade infrastructure, improve private sector competitiveness, and develop a competitive workforce in six departments.
- Gender and Social Inclusion: Introduced policies and capacity development to empower women-led MSMEs and promote economic opportunities.
- Infrastructure Planning: Oversaw planning and feasibility studies for government and private sector investment in infrastructure, including roads, markets, economic zones, and recycling plants.
- Labor Force Development: Supported capacity development, job placement activities, and designed a program within the Ministry of Labor to facilitate temporary labor opportunities for Guatemalans in the U.S.
Chief of Party
International Development Group
Colombo, Sri Lanka
12.2016 - 12.2018
- Project Title: USAID Supporting Accelerated Investment in Sri Lanka project
- Business Environment Improvements: Promoted investment and provided institutional capacity building for government institutions.
- Project Management: Managed all aspects of the project, including technical implementation, contract enforcement, staffing, operations, work planning, and M&E.
- Capacity Development: Led capacity development for government organizations, including strategic planning, KPI development, performance monitoring, organizational development, and policy planning.
- Technical Leadership: Provided guidance on business environment and trade reforms, including investment approvals, contract enforcement, FTA implementation, and labor market issues.
Chief of Party
International Development Group
Azerbaijan
08.2010 - 09.2013
- Project Title: USAID Azerbaijan Competitiveness and Trade (ACT) Project
- Project Management: Managed the $22M project from start to finish, including work plan development, M&E, and reporting.
- Business Environment Improvements: Enhanced the legal and regulatory environment for businesses and created a more open trade environment to support Azerbaijan's WTO accession.
- Technical Leadership: Evaluated, recommended, and implemented improvements in investment, competition, tax, property, and banking (including anti-money laundering).
- WTO Compliance: Assisted Azerbaijan in complying with WTO requirements, including TBT, SPS, IPR, customs, trade remedies, and agriculture.
- Capacity Building: Built capacity of over 18 government organizations to improve the trade and business environment and financial sector.
- Agricultural Lending: Increased agricultural lending by 119%, resulting in 31,974 new loans and enhanced operations of local banks.
- Value Chain Competitiveness: Improved value chains for dairy, aquaculture, and fruits and vegetables, leading to increased sales, income, productivity, and exports.
- Farmer Training: Trained over 24,000 farmers in best practices and 700 loan officers in best lending practices.
Chief of Party
AECOM International Development
Colombo, Sri Lanka
10.2008 - 08.2010
- Project Title: USAID Connecting Regional Economies (CORE) Project
- Project Management: Managed the $18M project, including planning, M&E, staff supervision, and hiring.
- Private Sector Development: Supported market-led development in six sectors, including tourism and agriculture, to improve competitiveness and incomes in conflict-affected regions.
- Oversight and Coordination: Provided administrative and technical oversight, ensuring contract compliance and coordinating with USAID, donors, and Sri Lankan officials.
- Public-Private Alliance: Oversaw a successful alliance replicated by other donors like JICA and IFAD.
- Business Environment Improvements: Identified and assessed areas for improvement, such as developing a one-stop-shop for investment and creating dialogues on policy issues.
- Staff Management: Managed over 60 staff across four offices, focusing on livelihood development, value chain competitiveness, value chain services, workforce development, and enabling environment.
- Value Chains: Included dairy, papaya, cashew, pineapple, and aquaculture.
- Business Development Services: Facilitated services to improve delivery, develop commercial relationships, and reduce transaction costs.
Education
MBA - International Business Finance
George Washington University
Washington, DC05-1997
Master of Arts - International Affairs
George Washington University
Washington, DC05-1997
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY05-1993
Skills
- Project Management
- International Development and Trade
- Technical Advisory and Capacity Building
- Leadership and Team Management
Languages
English
Native language
Spanish
Proficient
C2
Portuguese
Upper intermediate
B2
Certification
Project Management Professional (PMP) - Project Management Institute
Board Experience
- International Development Group, 2013, present
- Impact Internacional, 2006, 2009
Key Qualifications
- 30 years of experience working with donor-funded programs and government agencies as a technical advisor and project manager.
- Expertise in international trade, economic development, private sector development, competitiveness, and governance.
- Experience in business environment and trade policy reforms, financial sector reform, agricultural value chain development, and SME development.
Timeline
Chief of Party
Palladium International
06.2023 - Current
Chief of Party
Palladium International
12.2018 - 06.2023
Chief of Party
International Development Group
12.2016 - 12.2018
Chief of Party
International Development Group
08.2010 - 09.2013
Chief of Party
AECOM International Development
10.2008 - 08.2010
MBA - International Business Finance
George Washington University
Master of Arts - International Affairs
George Washington University
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
Cornell University