Claire Ehmann
WHLDP Fellow
2016 fellow
Claire Ehmann is an expert on international development, with over twenty years of experience working on global democracy issues. As the Division Chief for Civil Society & Media in USAID’s Center of Excellence on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance, Ms. Ehmann and her team provide technical expertise and analysis to USAID missions worldwide and manage programming totaling over $170 Million related to civil society, media, labor, technology, youth, Internet Freedom, and community philanthropy. Her most recent portfolio includes shaping President Obama’s Stand with Civil Society agenda, a multi-year agenda to galvanize diverse partners, including civil society and new actors including the philanthropic community and the private sector to promote more democratic laws and practices to protect freedom of association and assembly. This effort is helping to foster an open environment for civil society and reverse the trend of growing restrictions on civic space. Over the past year, Ms. Ehmann developed the Civil Society Innovation Initiative, a $ 60 Million public-private partnership to create six networked regional civil society innovation hubs. At USAID, Ms. Ehmann also served as the Deputy Team Lead for Democracy and Governance in the Bureau for Asia Near East Affairs, as well as the Senior Civil Society Advisor and the Central Asia Desk Officer in the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia.
