Machien has six years of experience in nonprofit sector. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, and a Master’s degree in Management from the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND. As a Senior Program Officer with AECOM International in South Sudan under the USAID–funded South Sudan Transition and Conflict Mitigation (SSTCM) program, he assisted state and county governments in reduction of conflicts emanating from rebel militia groups, cattle rustling, border trade, and nomadic migration activities in South Sudan. Prior to that assignment, he was a Democracy and Governance Project Specialist with Winrock International under a USAID – funded BRIDGE Sudan Program to build capacity of state and county government officers in four key areas – human resource management, planning and budgeting, financial management, and taxation administration in Unity State. Previously, Machien was a volunteer for PACODES – a civil society organization he helped found in the United States to construct a library, transport books from United States to Ganyliel, South Sudan. He has developed strong capacity building, project management, grant proposal writing, and monitoring and evaluation skills. Machien is interested in civil society capacity building, education, health, social business and microfinance programs to help alleviate poverty and develop communities in South Sudan.
Host Organization: BRAC USA
Role at Host Organization: Machien will support the implementation and execution of their strategic and program services, public education efforts, and grantmaking strategies. He will be expected to assist with a diverse portfolio of program work that includes microfinance, livelihood development, social enterprises, health, education, human rights and legal services.