International Development Expert
Lead Consultant on the Technical Assistance & Development and Corporate Communications Teams of CCRIF SPC
 

Elizabeth Emanuel is an international development expert with over twenty-five years of development experience working primarily with small island and coastal states. For the past 15 years she has been the lead consultant on the Technical Assistance and Development and Corporate Communications teams of CCRIF SPC. CCRIF is the world’s first multi-country, multi-peril risk pool based on parametric insurance. Through her work she engages with CCRIF stakeholders in the Caribbean and Central America to help them better understand disaster risk financing, risk layering and the role of parametric insurance in financially protecting their economies against natural disasters and closing the protection gap. She also works with local communities and civil society organisations across the Caribbean to develop and implement projects to build their resilience to climate change as part of the CCRIF Technical Assistance Programmes. She has experience working across the Caribbean.

She has led the development of several public policies for governments across the Caribbean in areas such as energy, transport, sustainable development planning, green economy and disaster risk management. She was one of the lead consultants that supported Jamaica in the development of that country’s first long-term national development plan – Vision 2030 Jamaica and also led the implementation of the Plan for many years. With respect to sustainable development goals (SDGs) she has worked with 3 countries in the Eastern Caribbean in the preparation of their Voluntary National Reviews of the SDGs for the UN High Level Political Forum. She has authored several technical papers and training manuals. She is an excellent communicator and can translate highly technical concepts into simple language for a wide variety of stakeholders.

She has developed several courses at the tertiary level in areas such as natural resources valuation, environment & sustainable development, ecosystem-based adaptation, green economy and green business among others. She played a central role in developing CCRIF’s 45-hour disaster risk financing course which is now offered as a master’s level course at the University of the West Indies. She also lectures at several universities.

She also has experience working with several development partners, including the UNDP, UNICEF, UN Women, UNECLAC, FAO, World Bank, IDB, UNDESA among others. She also has experience working on projects in Africa in areas such as international waters, youth development and agriculture value chains.

In her earlier years, she worked as an advisor to the Government of Jamaica focusing on greening of government and areas such as green procurement, environmental stewardship of government operations and strategic environmental assessments among others.

President & Managing Director,
Special Olympics Europe Eurasia & Senior Advisor for International Development for Special Olympics, Inc.
 

David Evangelista is the President & Managing Director of Special Olympics Europe Eurasia and Senior Advisor for International Development for Special Olympics, Inc. He is responsible for the growth and development of the Special Olympics movement across 58 nations across Western Europe, Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. As Senior Advisor for International Development, David is responsible for the creation and expansion of global partnerships with United Nation agencies, foreign aid agencies, international non-governmental organizations and global philanthropy. David has extensive global experience in the areas of government relations, industry engagement, international development, thought leadership and global partnership building in support of marginalized populations. David serves on the Advisory Board of the Division of Multilateral Diplomacy for the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), a current member of the Centre for Sports and Human Rights (CSHR) and is a member of the international Board of Directors for The Access Challenge (TAC). He also serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the London School of Economics’ The Inclusion Initiative Diversity and Productivity Committee. David was a former member of the High-Level Group on Sports Diplomacy for the European Commission and a former member of the Global Partnership for Children with Disabilities for UNICEF.

A Progressive Melvin Jones Fellow of the Lions Clubs International Foundation, David is Founding President of the Washington, DC Special Olympics Lions Club and currently serves as a member of the Centennial 100 Champion Lions Club based in London. An experienced guest speaker, David has delivered keynote speeches and serves as a guest lecturer at leading universities, including Harvard University, the University of Chicago, Georgetown University, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, the University of New York-Prague, as well as at various business institutes in Europe. He has also served as a guest speaker and presenter for the United Nations, European Union, and a range of civil society organizations on issues related to international development, global affairs, disability, and government relations. David has also provided numerous interviews to a range of media outlets, including the BBC, NPR, ESPN, and national media affiliates across Europe, the Caribbean and North America.

David has a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from the School of International Service of American University in Washington, DC and an Executive Master’s in Business Administration/ International Business from Universidad Intercontinental de la Empresa in Vigo, Spain. A native of Rhode Island, USA, David, resides in Vigo, Spain with his wife and their two sons.

Financial Specialist,
Agricultural Competitiveness Programme and Sustainable Agriculture Productivity Programme, funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Complementary Grant funded by the European Union
 

With over a decade of expertise, Shefanie Vin is a highly skilled professional in programme coordination, strategic management, financial oversight, and stakeholder engagement across diverse sectors. She has provided advisory services to more than 40 organisations, including multilateral development projects, driving impactful outcomes in financial reporting, budget management, and project implementation.

Currently, Shefanie serves as a Financial Specialist for the Agricultural Competitiveness Programme and Sustainable Agriculture Productivity Programme, both funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), as well as the Complementary Grant funded by the European Union. She leads the management, budgeting, and compliance efforts for a financial portfolio exceeding USD50 million. Additionally, Shefanie serves as the Finance Manager for Suriname’s Growth Enterprises Programme with Solidaridad LatinoAmerica, where she has supported SMEs through financial and procurement processes, ensuring compliance with government and World Bank procedures to enable them to receive grant funds for growth and productivity.

Shefanie holds a Strategic Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), a Master’s in Management with a specialisation in Financial Decision Making from the Open University of the Netherlands, and is currently pursuing an Executive Master of Science in Finance and Control in collaboration with Erasmus School of Accounting. She also holds certifications in Public Procurement and Management Drives and is proficient in financial structuring, public speaking, and project management.

In addition to her professional work, Shefanie is active in volunteer service. She is the Founder and Charter President of the Paramaribo FOCUS Lions Club and serves as a member of the Finance and Investment Committee at Fos Feminista. Shefanie was the first appointed youth leader from the United States of America and the Caribbean to serve on the Lions International Board of Directors, where she collaborated with the Board on policies impacting both youth and adult members globally. Her leadership and commitment to community service have established her as a recognised leader in both professional and volunteer circles.