Rule of Law Initiative Staff - Africa Division
Nigeria
Reed D. Slack, Chief of Party in Nigeria, is implementing an Anti-Trafficking in Persons program for USAID/Nigeria. Previously, he served as Regional Anti-Corruption Advisor in East Africa for the Rule of Law Initiative's Africa Division. Prior to his work in Africa, Mr. Slack served as counsel to the Ethics Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. While at the Ethics Committee, Mr. Slack also assisted the government of Mongolia in revising its anti-corruption statutes. Mr. Slack was born in Hurricane, Utah. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University (B.A. 1988) and the Georgetown University Law Center (J.D. 1993).
Anne Ikpeme, Senior Staff Attorney, joined the Africa Division in August 2006. Previously, she was a Senior Program Manager with Global Rights (formerly International Human Rights Law Group). At Global Rights she was responsible for the coordination of the women's rights program and ensuring that gender is mainstreamed into activities and programs. She also coordinated the Electoral Processes Advocacy Program, the Ethics in Government/Anti-Corruption Program, and assisted in the implementation of the trafficking in persons program. Ms. Ikpeme has a Master's in International Law & Diplomacy (MILD) from Enugu State University of Technology, Enugu, Barrister at Law (BL) from the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, and a Bachelor of Law LL.B (Hons) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Roberta Chizoma Opara, Staff Attorney <zomaopara@yahoo.com> joined the Africa Division in November 2006. Chizoma had previously worked with BBC World Service Trust as a Production & Logistics Assistant, where she coordinated project efforts on HIV/AIDS awareness. She also trained as a Litigation Officer with N.E. & Associates, assisting with providing advisory services on Corporate Law and Finance to Board of Directors in public and private sector companies. Chizoma graduated with a Bachelor of Law from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2003, was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2004, and is currently a member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) and the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
Olayinka Lawal, Senior Staff Attorney, is based in Abuja, Nigeria. Before joining the Rule of Law Initiative Africa Division in August 2006, Yinka was the Executive Director of Constitutional Rights Project (CRP), a leading human rights' NGO based in Nigeria. He provided direction for CRP in the following key program areas: Legal Aid Clinic; Justice Sector Reform & Human Rights; Advocacy & Civic Participation; Legislative Strengthening; & Conflict Resolution. He also served as a resource person to many international and national organizations and facilitated several workshops, seminars and conferences, including: Mississippi Consortium for International Development (MCID), National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), and Niger Delta Professionals for Development (NIDPRODEV). He holds an LL.B from the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria and a B.L. from the Nigerian Law School.
Ramatu Salahu, Project Accountant, graduated from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria Nigeria in 2002 with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting. Ramatu was formerly a Customer Consultant at Stanbic Bank Nigeria before joining the Nigeria office.
Liberia
Anthony Valcke, Liberia Country Director, is an English-qualified attorney who has studied French and EU law. He worked for over 7 years with international law firms on a variety of commercial law matters, before leaving for Liberia in 2005 to take up a legal position with a U.S. project tasked with reforming the country's armed forces.
Laurie Cooper, Senior Program Manager, is a trained mediator with a 17-year background in African politics and development. Prior to joining the ABA's Liberia office in October 2006, she managed election support projects in southern and east Africa, West Bank/Gaza and Skokie, IL (2005 Iraq legislative elections, organized in the U.S.). In addition, she managed information technology-based partnerships between high schools in the U.S. and Mauritania, Mauritius and Namibia. She graduated from Georgetown University and is a resident of Washington, D.C. Ms. Cooper speaks French, Portuguese and Spanish.
