WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Special Assistant to the Acting Administrator George Laudato administered the oath of office to Senior Foreign Service Officer Dr. Jeffrey Ashley as its new USAID Representative for Yemen.

"Yemen is a critical ally of the United States and Dr. Ashley was chosen for this assignment because of his outstanding record of service to the Agency" said Special Assistant Laudato. "We are confident Dr. Ashley will do an outstanding job managing one of USAID's fastest growing missions."

As USAID Representative to Yemen, Dr. Ashley will oversee a mission and staff whose budget this year is approximately $24 million and provides assistance in the areas of health, education, democracy and governance, and economic growth.

A member of the U.S. Foreign Service, Dr. Ashley's most recent assignment was the USAID Representative at a provincial reconstruction team in Kirkuk, Iraq where he managed a large portfolio of development projects and coordinated with multiple U.S. government agencies and the U.S. military.

For the past several years, Dr. Ashley has managed large development programs in governance, economic growth, child survival, maternal and child health, infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS programs in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Dr. Ashley holds a doctorate in public health with specializations in epidemiology, maternal and child health, international health and infectious diseases from the University of Texas, Texas Medical Center in Houston. He was a former Peace Corps volunteer in Latin America.

For more information about the USAID and its programs in Yemen, please visit www.usaid.gov.