SBAIC, the industry association for small businesses providing professional services in international development, is pleased to announce its new leadership team:

• Betsy Bassan is the new Chair of SBAIC. Betsy is founder, President, and CEO of Panagora Group, a women-owned firm that provides integrated and novel solutions in global health and international development.  
• Mihir Desai is the new Vice Chair of SBAIC. Mihir, who served as Co-Chair of the SBAIC Procurement Committee, is CEO of Dexis, an 8(a) certified firm that provides economic growth solutions in emerging markets.   
• Siobhan Green is SBAIC’s first Secretary. Siobhan, who served as Co-Chair of the Communications Committee, is CEO of Sonjara, a woman-owned firm that provides digital strategy, design and implementation, online learning, monitoring and evaluation, and professional performance tools, and knowledge management services, specializing in ICTs for international development, gender, and underserved populations.

SBAIC has also formed an Executive Committee to expand and increase the efficacy of its leadership base. It includes these three officers, six co-chairs for communication, procurement, and membership, as well as past chairs in an ex officio capacity. Betsy Bassan is a senior development professional with specialized expertise in country systems strengthening and capacity building, global health, private sector participation, knowledge management, and multisectoral solutions. Ms. Bassan has held executive and leadership positions with a variety of groups, including Chemonics, Save the Children, and SID-Washington. As a senior vice president at Chemonics, she led many strategic initiatives, including two highly successful start-up divisions, the International Health Group and the Europe and Eurasia region. At Save the Children, Ms. Bassan served as project director for a major USAID initiative to increase PVO/NGO capacity in health. She is a founding member and former Executive Committee member of the Coalition of International Development Companies (CIDC); former Executive Committee member of USGLC; and immediate past president of SID-Washington, the leading professional association for international development practitioners, where she led a participatory five-year strategic planning process that significantly enhanced the organization’s profile and impact. Indira Ahluwalia, the outgoing chair of SBAIC said, “Betsy is the most appropriate leader to take SBAIC forward in support of small business utilization at USAID given her range of leadership and development experience, and integrity and passion for small business issues.” Betsy said, “I look forward to working with Mihir and Siobhan and the Executive Committee as a leadership team to build on the strong foundation created under Indira’s and Bob’s leadership. We look forward to deepening our relationships with the Administration, especially USAID, and helping meet their ambitious small business goals. I am delighted that we have further professionalized SBAIC with an Executive Committee. We will benefit from Indira’s and Bob’s continued participation.” Betsy added, "We sincerely thank outgoing Chair Indira Ahluwalia and Vice Chair Bob Otto and their outstanding committee co-chairs for the achievements SBAIC has made under their tenure. Indira and Bob greatly increased the profile of SBAIC within the development community and at USAID, ensured clarity and consensus of our goals and positions, and worked steadfastly to achieve them. They have set a new bar for the association.”