CARISCA welcomed a new project director to the team this spring, as David Schlinkert was promoted into the role in April. He previously served as the director of monitoring, evaluation, research and learning.
As project director, Schlinkert is responsible for the overall management, operations and coordination of CARISCA, through the term of its funding by the United States Agency for International Development. He is the primary point of contact for all major partners and stakeholders.
“I’m really excited about honing in on what is working with CARISCA, while at the same time being open to innovation, new ideas and experimenting,” says Schlinkert. “I believe we are well-positioned to have a big impact, as we have a lot of keen academic minds on our team.
“With the team’s insights on supply chains in Africa, they can drive the way the industry works and how future supply chain management professionals are trained.”
Before joining CARISCA at the start of the project in June 2020, Schlinkert was a senior policy analyst at Arizona State University. Prior to that, he was a research scholar for USAID Global Development Lab, working on a project in Colombia.
“I’m grateful to have had the experience of being a USAID research fellow,” says Schlinkert. “It exposed me to a lot of the work that USAID does and how they run projects. I really believe in their mission and values and what they’re trying to accomplish around the world.”
Schlinkert is an avid adventurer and learner and was fortunate to spend several years traveling the world while working and volunteering. He spent six months sailing around the Virgin Islands after buying a sailboat and teaching himself to sail. He also learned Spanish while backpacking for 18 months by bus from Argentina to Arizona.
After his travels, Schlinkert spent three years working as an intensive case manager at the International Rescue Committee. The humanitarian aid organization resettles and serves newly arrived refugees in the U.S.
“Throughout my travels, the international community was so kind to me, and I’ve tried to give back in any way I can,” says Schlinkert. “In addition to surrounding myself with family and friends and building community, it has really become one of my biggest passions in life.”
Schlinkert is a three-time graduate of ASU. He holds a PhD in transborder studies, master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication