Subject: Meet the Subcontracts Team!
From: Lisa Ashcraft <[email-masked]>
To: Lisa Ashcraft <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2014 16:30:45 +0000

This message is being sent on behalf of Anna Rose, Abt’s Subcontract Manager …

Dear Colleagues,

As you may know, the Subcontracts team has experienced some changes over the past few months, including some staff turnover that has necessitated portfolio re-balancing.  It is my pleasure to announce that with the recent arrival of Caren Matzkin, the Subcontracts team is now complete!  To that end, though many of you are familiar with some of us, I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce the entire team to you, and to highlight our collective background, strengths and experience, as well as a little something on a personal note - just so you can get to know us and have a better understanding of who is supporting you and your programs.  In addition to the profiles below, attached is a portfolio assignment document intended to help you find the right person on our Subcontracts team from whom you should seek assistance.

To start things off, my name is Anna Rose, and I joined Abt in May 2012, coming to you from across the street at DAI where I was a Subcontracts Negotiator.  Prior to working in this industry I spent many years working in supply chain, procurement and finance for XM Satellite Radio. My initial experience at Abt was supporting subcontracts requirements and proposal efforts for the SEP Division.  In October of 2013, I was promoted to Manager of Subcontracts, where oversee the team of consummate professionals (and overall terrifically nice people) we have here.  When not working, I am an avid reader, and am remodeling a Capitol Hill row house with my husband and our menagerie of one dog, three calico cats, and a sixteen-year-old boy.

And now, our Subcontracts Team:

Autumn Silaphath joined Abt’s Subcontracts team in June of 2013 and manages part of the International Health Division subcontracts portfolio, including the SHOPS and CA QHCP programs.   Autumn has a broad knowledge of USAID contracting, most recently acquired during her tenure at Creative Associates, and brings a diverse skill set that includes procurement and financial project management.  Prior to Creative Associates, Autumn worked for John Snow Inc. and CHF International.   Autumn holds an MBA from Trinity University with a concentration in International Business, and a BA from Trinity College.   She has a daughter in her freshman year at VCU, a miniature schnauzer named Smokey, and splits her time between here and her favorite place on earth, Richmond, VA.

Brad Longman joined Abt Associates in November 2012 and is responsible for subcontracts and subawards in the International Health Division. His current portfolio includes many of Abt’s assistance-type awards, including Africa IRS, HFG, Mozambique CHASS-SMT, Senegal HSS, and Nigeria PATHS2. Prior to joining Abt, he worked in a similar capacity with DAI, negotiating, executing, and administering subcontracts for projects promoting economic growth, stable and effective governance, natural resources management, global health, and transitions to democracy. Prior to his contracting experience, Brad got his feet wet in development by interning with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). He holds his M.B.A. from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and B.A. from the University of Virginia.  When he’s not working, Brad enjoys spending time with his wife, their seven month old son Cal, and their eight year old dog Charlie.

Caren Matzkin is the most recent addition to our team. She began her professional career working for hospitals such as Georgetown and Johns Hopkins in health care administration, procurement and contracts; subsequently she moved into the defense industry, managing subcontracts and contracts for Lockheed Martin and Northrup Grumman.  Caren will be using both facets of her experience here at Abt, supporting portfolios in the US and the International Health Divisions. Caren holds a BA from American University in Management & Communication, and an MBA in Social and Public Policy and International Affairs from Georgetown. She grew up here in the D.C. area, and is kept very busy with two daughters and an 80-pound Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Chessie.

Deepak Nathani  joined the Subcontracts team in June 2013 and oversees the ERD and IEG subcontracts portfolios. Deepak brings extensive pre- and post-award international and domestic experience, most recently gained working for Louis Berger Group as a Sr. Procurement and Contracts Associate.   Prior to Louis Berger, Deepak worked for the State Highway Administration of the Maryland Department of Transportation. Deepak holds an MBA from John Hopkins University, a Master of Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, and a BS in Engineering from the Delhi College of Engineering.  Deepak was born in India and began his career there as a civil engineer; however, he found that there were better opportunities in the procurement field, so he made the transition. He speaks fluent Hindi and English, and likes to watch movies in his spare time.

Helina Haileselassie has worked for Abt for seven years, starting in the US Health Division as an FCA, and most recently joining the Subcontracts team as a Subcontracts Administrator supporting the US Health portfolio. Helina is originally from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and moved to the US in 2001. Her educational background includes a degree from Addis Ababa University in Economics and an MBA from UMD, and her work experience ranges widely from construction to business development through finance, procurement and banking.  In her spare time she enjoys reading, traveling, sightseeing and playing with her three kids. She is also a coffee enthusiast and often hand-roasts her own beans and creates her own custom blends.

Sean Fitzpatrick began his tenure at Abt in 2009 as an FCA in the SEP Division, and joined the Subcontracts team this past October to support that same Division.  Sean has a BA from Salisbury University, and recently completed an MBA at Loyola.  He was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, and currently lives in his newly purchased, first home in Lake Linganore, MD, where he enjoys boating, maintaining his salt water aquarium and home brewing delicious IPAs.

Each of us is committed to providing best-in-class support to our internal and external clients, whether it’s coordinating subcontractor inputs to Global Priority bids or providing ongoing subcontracts support to our existing programs all over the world.  We appreciate your teamwork, collaboration, and patience as we balance the pre- and post-award requirements of our roles here at Abt, and welcome your feedback as we strive to partner with you and with our external partners to win and support great projects for Abt.

Please do not hesitate to contact me directly should you have any questions, need any help, or just want to provide feedback (good or bad!) as we build on our foundation of excellent team members to provide you with a supportive, responsive, informed internal asset to your critical roles in this company.

Best regards,

Anna Rose

Manager, Subcontracts

Lisa Ashcraft | Vice President, Contract Operations | Abt Associates

4550 Montgomery Avenue, Suite 800 North | Bethesda, MD  20814-3343

O: 301-347-5915| F: 301-634-1801| [email-masked]

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