Global Education Learning Series: Expecting the Unexpected...(Mis)Adventures in Managing Book Supply Chains

Brooke Estes is an Education Program Specialist in USAID’s Office of Education, a role in which she serves as a member of the Secretariat of the Global Book Alliance, a partnership focused on increasing access to high quality reading materials for all children.  She has led the Alliance's work on book supply chain analysis, supported the development of the GBA's Strategic Plan, and provides technical review and insight on the Alliance's flagship activities and other book supply chain initiatives. Prior to joining the Alliance, Brooke has worked on market systems development with Habitat for Humanity and researched local market opportunities for small farmers in Ecuador.  She has worked in a variety of education programs within the United States and internationally.  Brooke has a Master's in Development Practice from Emory University, and earned both a Master's in Teaching and Bachelor’s in Spanish from the University of Virginia.

Ana Robledo is a Research Education Analyst for the International Education Division at RTI International. She brings specialized knowledge and expertise in the publishing trade, especially in the development of materials for reading instruction. For more than a decade, she worked as a manager of large-scale educational publishing projects in Colombia and as an editor of supplementary reading materials for children and young adults. More recently, she has worked in the international education sector and has contributed to the design and management of a range of education projects supported by foundations, nongovernmental, and bilateral donors. In her role at RTI, Ana is currently primarily engaged as Project Manager for ABC+: Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines, a USAID-funded early learning project. She also provides technical expertise to projects in early grade reading that involve the development and production of both instructional and supplementary reading materials. She has served as a technical advisor to projects in Nepal, Uganda, Malawi, and Kenya. Additionally, she has contributed her knowledge of the publishing industry to studies on the book sector and on book provision policies in low- and middle-income countries. Her recent publications include a survey of early grade reading materials in 11 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, a book sector study in Morocco, as well as What Works in Early Reading Materials. Ana received her undergraduate degree in English from Mount Holyoke College and her master’s from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Karen Tietjen is Principal Technical Advisor for the Education Division at Creative Associates International. She is an education economist specialized in education reform, policy development, sector planning, and finance. She has 40 years of experience in program design, management, evaluation, research, and impact assessment in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East, working for USAID, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and national governments to formulate their education sector policy and investment frameworks and develop education programs, especially to reach underserved populations. She has designed, directed and overseen USAID-funded projects, addressing early grade reading, school drop-out, private school support and distance education.  She holds an M.S. and is ABD in Education Economics from Florida State University in Tallahassee.

Sonny Lacey is a technology consultant with blueTree Group specializing in supply chain applications in developing countries. Sonny’s formal logistics education began in the US Army, where he was in charge of supply chain monitoring and anti-interdiction in remote locations. He has worked for IBM and AT&T as an engineer, extensively in the field, testing and implementing educational material logistics platforms in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Chief among his goals for sustainable supply chains is the use of local technology partners.