Linda-Ann Akanvou

Linda-Ann Akanvou is an international development professional with over eight years of leadership and program management. She currently serves as the senior program manager for the USAID/Philippines Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting for Improved Development (CLAimDev) activity. She is a Youth and gender integration practitioner with experience in inclusive programming, staff training on Positive Youth Development (PYD), gender-based economic analysis, and research. Her technical expertise includes market system approaches, rural enterprise development, and public-private partnerships. Before joining Panagora, Linda worked as a senior program manager at NCBA CLUSA and as a gender and youth specialist. Her scope included business planning and strategic thinking, and she built her experience in leading and implementing projects and mentoring and supervising staff. Over the years, Linda accumulated in-depth experience implementing development projects in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia focused on MERLA, value chain development, public-private partnerships, market system development, women, and youth entrepreneurship. She managed chiefs of parties and project directors to deliver effective and timely technical and operational assistance and served as Acting Chief of Party for USDA|Millet Services Business Project in Senegal. She holds two master’s degrees in finance and international affairs and is PMP certified.