I  am a freelance consultant in development communication, a native English speaker with dual British/German nationality. I live in Germany and work throughout the developing world. I have extensive work experience with universities, agricultural research and extension agencies and non-government organizations. I provide development communication services in the following areas:

• Production of publications: writing, editing and desktop publishing
• Writeshops to produce information materials
• Communication and media training
• Online training courses
• Artwork for development
• Translation from German (and French, Spanish, Italian and Indonesian) to English.

Looking for my airsickness bag collection?

Qualifications and skills

• PhD in mass communications, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA, 1992
• MA in SE Asian studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1993
• MS in journalism and mass communication, Iowa State University, USA, 1988
• BSc in geography, University of Bristol, UK, 1978
• Skilled computer user and trainer of word processing (Word), layout (InDesign), spreadsheet (Excel) and database (Airtable) programs. Also proficient in Illustrator, Photoshop, WordPress and Joomla.
• Experienced trainer, writer, publications designer, editor, workshop manager and communicator.

Languages

• Fluent in English, German and Indonesian
• Good French, Italian, Spanish and Arabic
• Some Chinese, Tagalog, Sundanese and Vietnamese
• Braille (by sight)

Countries

• Long-term work experience (5 countries): Egypt, Germany, Indonesia, Philippines, USA
• Short-term experience (32 countries):
  • Asia: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Iran, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
  • Europe: Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK
  • Africa: Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe
  • Americas: Bolivia, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis
• Dual British and German national, native English speaker, resident of Germany

Subject areas

• Agriculture, extension, livestock, natural resources, pests and diseases, pastoralism, research, rural development, soils.
• Communication, gender, health, information systems, land tenure, marketing, social protection, theatre, urban development, visual impairment.
• Artwork, atlases, audiovisuals, books, e-learning, information briefs, newsletters, policy briefs, training courses and materials, videos, websites. 

Experience

Since 2015: Voluntary work with refugees in Kürten, Germany. Help with finding work and apprenticeships; assistance in navigating bureaucracy and solving problems; managing garden and cooking projects; managing database of contacts; running information service on Coronavirus. 

Since 1996: Freelance consultant in development communication: 200+ separate consultancies for 50+ clients (donors are in italics):

• Agri-ProFocus (Netherlands)
• Agromisa (Netherlands)
• Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, AGRA (Kenya)
• ARS Progetti (Belgium, Germany, Kenya)
• Atlas Manufaktur (Germany)
• Bread for the World/Evangelische Entwicklungsdienst (Ethiopia)
• Business Partners for Development (UK, Germany)
• CARE (Bangladesh, Denmark, Netherlands)
• Catholic Relief Services, CRS (Kenya, Germany, USA)
• CTA (Germany, Grenada, Netherlands, Kenya, Senegal, St Kitts, Tanzania, Uganda)
• Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative, IDH (Netherlands)
• Endogenous Livestock Development Network (HIVOS, Germany)
• Euroconsult (Asian Development Bank, Indonesia; World Bank, Iran)
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO (Germany, Italy, Nepal, Thailand)
• Greenpeace (Germany)
• Growing Nations (Lesotho)
• Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeitt, GIZ, GTZ (Germany, Bolivia, India, Kenya)
• Heinrich Böll Foundation (Germany)
• HTSPE (Asian Development Bank, Vietnam)
• International Institute of Rural Reconstruction, IIRR (various, Ethiopia, Kenya, Germany, Philippines, Tanzania, Uganda)
• International Livestock Research Institute, ILRI (Kenya)
• ISG (Danida, Uganda)
• Royal Tropical Institute, KIT (various, Gambia, Germany, Netherlands, Kenya, Mali)
• League for Pastoral Peoples, LPP (Misereor, Germany, Italy, S Africa)
• LEI, Wageningen University and Research Centre (Uganda)
• Lokhit Pashu-Palak Sansthan (Germany, India)
• Macro (USAID, Mali)
• Masdar (World Bank and DFID, Nepal)
• Misereor (Germany)
• NIRAS (Ethiopia)
• Open Source Seeds (Germany)
• Overseas Development Institute, ODI (DFID, Sida, UK, Germany, India, Kenya, South Africa, Vietnam)
• Orgut (SIDA, Ethiopia, Vietnam)
• Participatory Integrated Watershed Management Project (African Development Bank, Gambia)
• PLAN Netherlands (Netherlands)
• Relma (SIDA, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe)
• Rosa Luxemburg Foundation (Germany)
• SNV (Zimbabwe)
• Swedish Cooperative Centre (Zimbabwe)
• Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (Mongolia)
• Theatre Embassy (Netherlands)
• Unesco (Germany)
• UN-HABITAT (Kenya, Germany)
• Uniconsult International Ltd, UCIL (Asian Development Bank, Bangladesh)
• University of Bern/Centre for Development and Environment (Switzerland)
• Unops (UNDP, Myanmar)
• Van Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands)
• VE-LOG (Germany)
• Vétérinaires Sans Frontières, VSF (Belgium, Germany)
• Visio (Netherlands)
• WASTE (Netherlands)
• Wetlands International (Mali)

1993-96: Director of communication, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (Philippines): communication management, project planning, workshop management, editing, publication, audiovisuals, training.

1986-92: Research, teaching and graduate study on agricultural information and technology dissemination, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Iowa State University (both USA), and Agency for Agricultural R&D (Indonesia).

1983-86: Editor, Central Research Institute for Food Crops (World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Indonesia)

Publications and training courses

I have written, edited or designed over 300 publications of various types, ranging from information sheets and policy briefs to training manuals and major books. I have conducted numerous training courses on various aspects of communication and writing. I have authored e-learning courses on subjects ranging from communication to biodiversity. Click here for a list.

Availability

I undertake short-term consultancy assignments (no longer than 4 weeks at a time). For family reasons, I am not currently considering long-term employment overseas.

Consulting work is inherently uncertain: funding doesn't come through, projects are delayed, or a competitor may win the bid. Because of demand, I try to plan my work at least 6 months in advance. It is sometimes necessary to juggle dates to make things fit the calendar.

I am occasionally able to take on activities at short notice if a prior commitment falls through, or if it happens to fill a gap in my calendar.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to check on my availability.

Rates

My consultancy rates are negotiable: they depend on the client (less for impoverished NGOs), location (less if I can work at home) and type and duration of the job. I can charge per day, or for a completed job (depending on the estimated amount of time the job will take). The client also pays any expenses (airfare, visas, hotel, per diem). This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a full curriculum vitae. Click here for a list of publications and training materials I have worked on.