Malcolm Odell has over 25 years’ experience in
international project management and training, with a special focus on agricultural
development, conflict, post-conflict management linking peace-building, relief,
rehabilitation and rural development.He has lived and worked in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East for over 19
years, including 8 years in rural villages.He brings special skills and experience in consensus-building,
teamwork, empowerment, and participatory decision-making around the design,
presentation, and implementation of programs for grass-roots development and environmental
conservation. He has had extensive experience in training and the
‘training-of-trainers’ in participatory evaluation techniques, including development of an innovative and
highly successful organizational empowerment, advocacy, and community
mobilization strategy, "Appreciative Planning and Action,” (APA). Through Malcolm’s work,
this model has now been integrated into over a dozen new and existing programs
in Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Cambodia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, DR Congo,
Sierra Leone, and other countries across Africa and Asia/Pacific. Results of
Malcolm’s work include quantifiable scaling-up of grass-roots agriculture and
rural development, community mobilization, incomes, and sustainable ecological
protection in conflict and conflict and post-conflict settings, including
excellent results in reversing the classic ‘dependency syndrome’ that typically
undermines the sustainability of relief and development programs. Highlights
include:
·Sudan: Community mobilization training of trainers for
agriculture, water & sanitation, education, and community self-help
development generating 44 projects over 6-week time frame
Nepal:Engaging 200 local trainers and civic leaders in building the national
“Imagine Nepal” movement, contributes to resolution of 10-year Maoist
conflict and restoration of democracy.
Sierra Leone: Community mobilization program generates 150 self-help community projects valued at over
$100,000 in post-conflict setting, eastern hills along Guinea border.
Sri Lanka: Self-help housing construction quadruples
to 6,000 units in 4 years; builds foundation for post-Tsunami scaling-up
of housing construction and sets targets for 10,000 homes.
Professional Background and Accomplishments
Co-Owner, Partner, Appreciative Inquiry Consulting, LLC,
and APA Consulting (2001-present).Designed and implemented Appreciative Inquiry/Appreciative Planning
and Action workshops
and training programs for clients including The Mountain Institute, International
Rescue Committee, Pact, USAID, Peace Corps, Habitat for Humanity, NIH/NIAID,
UNH, JICA, Salvation Army, US, Japan, Nepal, Kenya, Norway. Training of trainers for
peace-building with “Imagine Nepal” program helped end Maoist insurgency; post-conflict
community empowerment program with returning
refugees led to 150 self-help community projects valued at over
$100,000 in Sierra Leone, reversing refugee dependency.
Technical Advisor, Asia,Habitat for Humanity International,
Thailand, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka (2000-2003). Designed and implemented innovative
participatory monitoring and evaluation program for enhancing organizational
capacity, advocacy, decentralization, and scaling-up of Habitat housing
production, contributing to peace-building during ongoing Tamil Tiger conflict
and post-Tsunami reconstruction.
Empowerment Mobilization
Specialist, Pact,
ECTA, Nepal, Kenya, USA (1998-present). Initiated and trained staff in AI/APA
participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation, advocacy, team-building,
organizational development, curriculum and design for helping scale-up agriculture-based
microenterprise development to reach 125,000 women during ongoing Maoist
rebellion; team leader, editor, Road to Wealth empowerment handbook now used in 7
African countries with 60,000 women in conflict and post-conflict settings
including Democratic Republic of Congo. Women report considerable success in ending domestic violence
in their communities.
Environmental Health, Safety,
& Social Advisor/Trainer, Morrison Knudsen and Asian Development Bank; Kali Gandaki
Environmental Mgt. Unit (1997-1998). Established environmental, occupational
health and safety, and community monitoring and mitigation programs, large-scale
community reforestation, conflict resolution, and landmark ‘green road’
initiative for Nepal’s largest, $450 million, hydro project.
Project Co-Manager & Sr.
Community Development Advisor, The Mountain Institute, Global Environmental Facility, Gvt.
of Nepal (1994-1997). Managed $5 million Makalu-Barun Conservation Project with
100 staff; created innovative and replicable system for mobilizing communities and
staff around eco-tourism, health/mountain medicine; developed participatory
natural resource management approach now used in Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim,
Central Asian region; communities end poaching and double incomes.
Managing partner, Synergy International, Amesbury,
MA, & Washington, DC (1972-1994).Team leader/lead trainer for 56 international project design,
management, evaluation and training missions and workshops. Designed and tested
early Rapid Rural Appraisal and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA & RRA) activities in Africa; designed and
presented 76 courses/workshops for 1500 participants from 33 countries; member
of Board of Directors, Merrimack River Watershed Council. Assignments in Malawi,
Zimbabwe, Egypt, Botswana, Palestine, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and USA.
Senior Fellow & Executive Director, Center for Policy
Negotiation/Common Ground, Boston, MA
(1988-1990).Led national & international
environmental policy and conflict resolution program; designed and implemented
national workshop with White House, Congressional, business leadership.
Director of international programs, Education Development Center,
Newton, MA (1983-1984). Headed up international education management, research,
& development program and program reorganization.
Director, Senior Rural Sociologist, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Botswana(1975-1980). Organized and developed
national program of village-oriented social, economic, environmental,
agricultural research and development for reversing Kalahari desertification
under national Tribal Grazing Land Program; managed staff of 12-20; achieved
100% localization with 75% females; led project design for $3 million rural
development program.
Cross-cultural/language studies
instructor,
Nepal/India program, Carleton College & Associated Colleges of Midwest,
Northfield, MN (1973). Trained
students in language and culture for study in Asia.
Community planning coordinator, training consultant, Board of Cooperative Educational
Services and Office of Economic Opportunity, Cortland and Cattaraugus Counties,
NY (1971-1972).Created community
participation program for media development to address rural poverty including
Native Americans.
Teaching & research assistant, Dept. of Rural Sociology, Cornell
Univ., Ithaca, NY (1967-1971). Conducted rural agricultural and oral history
research, taught undergraduate classes, designed and implemented training for Peace
Corps Volunteers.
Teacher, agriculture, &
community development volunteer, Peace Corps, Nepal (1962-1967). Designed and taught
vocational studies and teacher training programs for rural high schools. Acknowledged
by staff as ‘super-volunteer;’ invited by high mountain Sherpa communities to return
for second tour to open new mountain schools; developed indigenous eco-tourism,
community development, agriculture, and tree-plantation programs that enhanced
local livelihoods and nutrition.
Consulting, Evaluation, & Management
Development Experience
Kenya, South Africa, Sierra Leone,
Pakistan, Egypt, Botswana, Nepal, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Palestine/West
Bank/Gaza, Afghanistan, Malawi, India, Lesotho, Jamaica, England, Canada, USA, Norway,
Sri Lanka, eastern and western Germany for GTZ, International Rescue Committee,
Yak & Yeti Hotel, Mountain Institute, Pact, World Bank, IFAD/FAO, AFDB,
USAID, SIDA, NORAD, GTZ, DANIDA, Heifer Project, Habitat, The Salvation Army,
Cornell, Univ. of Conn., UNH Executive MBA program; over 100 projects for 30 countries;
team leader/lead trainer for 56 projects.
MS1970 Cornell
UniversityBehavior, &
Planning for Natural Resource
and Agric. Mgt.
BA 1962
Princeton
UniversitySocial
Sciences, Asian History, andArchitecture
Personal and professional references, salary history, and bibliography of
over 75 books, articles, reports, documents, publications available on request.