Leslie Enright Welcomed as US Office Director

(New York – December 19, 2007) The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), an international training and rural development organization founded in 1960, announced today the appointment of a new Director of its U.S. Office.

Leslie Enright, who holds a Master’s degree in international social work from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, has been working in Kosovo for the last five years, focusing in particular on livelihood, income generation and small-enterprise development. She has also worked in Nepal, Croatia and India. She will take over as Director effective February 1, 2008, replacing Susan L. Grove, who has led IIRR’s U.S. Office as Director for the past two years. Grove is stepping down in order to take up a position as Executive Director of the Poughkeepsie Farm Project in Poughkeepsie, New York. Juan Miguel Luz, IIRR’s President, said “I am delighted that someone with Leslie Enright’s excellent track record, knowledge and energy is taking over as our U.S. Office Director."

“IIRR has been an important force in establishing sustainable programs, conceived in a participatory and market-oriented way, designed to improve the lives of rural people and their communities throughout the world by overcoming poverty and achieving dignity," said Ms. Enright. “I am happy to take on the challenge of helping to raise resources and manage the communication efforts of the Institute worldwide from our US Office."

8 Posted on : March 6, 2008