James F. Thompson
Encyclopedia
Jim Thompson currently serves as the Deputy Special Representative for Global Partnerships in the Office of the Secretary of State
's Global Partnership Initiative
. He is the former Acting Director for the Department of State’s Global Partnership Center and is responsible for leading a team in building new public private partnerships (PPP) at State, directing the PPP knowledge management programs, training of State PPP practitioners, and conducting outreach to corporations and foundations.
(USAID). In this role, he led the creation of the new Global Framework agreements for USAID, and built relationships with The Starbucks Coffee Company, Rotary International
and Seaboard Corporation
. He also led a team in the formation of the Collaboration Agreement, which is a new partnership vehicle at USAID. Thompson joined the GDA in 2004 and redesigned the Alliance Builder training curriculum, which is now regarded as one of the best training experiences at USAID. He was GDA’s primary facilitator for training, conducting Alliance Builder training sessions in Washington, at individual USAID Missions, and at regional training conferences around the world.
As a USAID Food for Peace
Officer between 1996–1998 and 2001–2004, he served as Washington’s liaison to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), writing policy recommendations for U.S. Government interventions and representing the U.S. Government at WFP executive board sessions in Rome
. He rewrote the Food for Peace monetization field manual in 1998 and conducted monetization field workshops in Guatemala
, Haiti
, Kenya
, and Washington. In the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch
, Thompson served on USAID’s Disaster Area Relief Team in Guatemala and oversaw the determination of the appropriate food aid response.
While serving in the USAID Bureau for Europe & Eurasia from 1998–2001, he redesigned USAID’s Cognizant Technical Officer (CTO) government contract management training program and delivered over 20 week-long training courses, in Washington
, Hungary
and El Salvador
.
Thompson served as a Contracting Officer for five years, working with USAID’s Europe and Eurasia Bureau and for the Global Health Bureau. Additionally, he successfully helped to re-engineer the criteria for the National Institute of Health’s Contractor Performance Review system shared by all of the civilian federal agencies.
Before joining USAID, he worked as a Contract Specialist at the United States Department of Energy
, where he managed a $500 million sales program of oil from the Naval Petroleum Reserves.
Thompson has a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations
from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Political Studies on a Rotary Graduate Fellowship at the University of Auckland
in New Zealand
. He is a resident of the District of Columbia, where he lives with his husband of 16 years and their two children.
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
's Global Partnership Initiative
Global Partnership Initiative
Global Partnership Initiative may refer to:* Global Partnership Initiative on Urban Youth Development in Africa* U.S. Department of State Global Partnership Initiative...
. He is the former Acting Director for the Department of State’s Global Partnership Center and is responsible for leading a team in building new public private partnerships (PPP) at State, directing the PPP knowledge management programs, training of State PPP practitioners, and conducting outreach to corporations and foundations.
Biography
Thompson is also the former Acting Director of the Global Development Alliance (GDA) at the United States Agency for International DevelopmentUnited States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
(USAID). In this role, he led the creation of the new Global Framework agreements for USAID, and built relationships with The Starbucks Coffee Company, Rotary International
Rotary International
Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help...
and Seaboard Corporation
Seaboard Corporation
Seaboard Corporation is a diversified conglomerate that operates worldwide a number of agriculture and ocean transport businesses. In the United States, the company mainly engages in pork production and processing. Internationally, Seaboard also has operations in cargo shipping, commodity...
. He also led a team in the formation of the Collaboration Agreement, which is a new partnership vehicle at USAID. Thompson joined the GDA in 2004 and redesigned the Alliance Builder training curriculum, which is now regarded as one of the best training experiences at USAID. He was GDA’s primary facilitator for training, conducting Alliance Builder training sessions in Washington, at individual USAID Missions, and at regional training conferences around the world.
As a USAID Food for Peace
Food for Peace
Public Law 480 also known as Food for Peace is a funding avenue by which U.S. food can be used for overseas aid....
Officer between 1996–1998 and 2001–2004, he served as Washington’s liaison to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), writing policy recommendations for U.S. Government interventions and representing the U.S. Government at WFP executive board sessions in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He rewrote the Food for Peace monetization field manual in 1998 and conducted monetization field workshops in Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, and Washington. In the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch was the most powerful hurricane and the most destructive of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season, with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph . The storm was the thirteenth tropical storm, ninth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the season. Along with Hurricane Georges, Mitch...
, Thompson served on USAID’s Disaster Area Relief Team in Guatemala and oversaw the determination of the appropriate food aid response.
While serving in the USAID Bureau for Europe & Eurasia from 1998–2001, he redesigned USAID’s Cognizant Technical Officer (CTO) government contract management training program and delivered over 20 week-long training courses, in Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
.
Thompson served as a Contracting Officer for five years, working with USAID’s Europe and Eurasia Bureau and for the Global Health Bureau. Additionally, he successfully helped to re-engineer the criteria for the National Institute of Health’s Contractor Performance Review system shared by all of the civilian federal agencies.
Before joining USAID, he worked as a Contract Specialist at the United States Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
, where he managed a $500 million sales program of oil from the Naval Petroleum Reserves.
Thompson has a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Political Studies on a Rotary Graduate Fellowship at the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He is a resident of the District of Columbia, where he lives with his husband of 16 years and their two children.