AAPI President Commends Dr. Rajiv Shah for Receiving Top USAID Appointment
Nov 11, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dino Teppara, Esq.
AAPI Director of Legislative Affairs
Work: (703) 462-5221
Cell: (803) 467-2130
legislativeaffairs@aapiusa.net
AAPI President Commends Dr. Rajiv Shah for Receiving Top USAID Appointment
Washington, D.C. – Today, AAPI President Dr. Vinod K. Shah congratulated Dr. Rajiv Shah for being nominated Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development by President Barack Obama.
“Dr. Rajiv Shah is an excellent selection for Administrator of USAID,” said Dr. Shah. “He brings a strong commitment to fulfilling USAID’s mission, which will enable him to lead this important federal agency. His heritage will be an asset to him, as he brings a solid understanding of the processes needed in other nations to build infrastructure, improve education, and provide agricultural growth and independence. He is the right person for this position to improve the lives of millions of people around the world.”
Dr. Shah currently serves as Undersecretary for Research, Education, and Economics at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In this capacity, he oversees more than 10,000 staff worldwide with a budget of nearly $3 billion. Prior to this appointment, he served as Director for Agricultural Development at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Shah received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his Master of Science in health economics at the Wharton School of Business. He also attended the London School of Economics and graduated from the University of Michigan.
“The AAPI family is immensely proud of an Indian American physician being nominated to lead USAID. We are also grateful to President Obama for this historic appointment, and we look forward to continuing our work with the President and Dr. Shah in the future.”
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