Denise Lamaute joined the Middle East Bureau’s Office of Technical Services Economic Growth Team after serving in Afghanistan as the deputy to the Economic Growth Team Leader.  In Afghanistan, Ms. Lamaute supervised 20 staff and managed an economic growth (EG) portfolio that included workforce development, financial sector strengthening, small and medium enterprise (SME) development, mobile money and mobile solutions, land reform, WTO accession and trade, and public financial management.  

Prior to serving in Afghanistan, Ms. Lamaute worked in USAID’s Europe and Eurasia (E&E) Bureau in the Office of Democracy, Governance, and Social Transition (EE/DGST/ST).  In E&E she was responsible for labor markets, workforce development, and social insurance issues.  Since she started with USAID in 1998, Ms. Lamaute has also worked in the Bureau for Europe & the New Independent States (ENI) as well as the Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT) where she handled pension reform development issues in over a dozen countries.

From 2005 to 2008, Denise was the Director of the Social Security Administration’s Division of Program Studies where she was responsible for worldwide social security research programs, public and private pension systems, and bilateral social security payment agreements.  Denise has a B.A. from Brandeis University (magna cum laude), a J.D. from Washington University in Saint Louis, and an LL.M. (Taxation) from Washington University in Saint Louis.