Filipino-American Gloria D. Steele is the new acting administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Steele was appointed to the job by US President Joe Biden on Jan. 20.
Prior to her appointment as USAID acting administrator, Steele served in the US government’s Senior Executive Service for over 18 years.
From 2001-2004, she took on the role of Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia. In 2005, she became the Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Global Health.
Among other positions she held were USAID’s Mission Director for the Philippines, the Pacific Islands, and Mongolia (2010-2015), Acting Assistant Administrator and Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Asia (2015-2020).
Also an agricultural economist, Steele spent seven years each in the Bureau for Africa and Bureau for Science and Technology.
USAID said Steele also led the development of the agency’s first food security policy when she was still working for the Bureau for Policy and Program Coordination.
During her time in the Philippines, Steele taught Business Economics at Letran Graduate School for Business.
Steele also bagged awards such as the Presidential Meritorious Executive Award (2007), Presidential Distinguished Executive Awards (2008 and 2018), and the Order of Sikatuna award (2015).
Steele is a Business Administration graduate from Maryknoll College, now known as Miriam College. She also has a Master's degree in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University.
The College of the Holy Spirit Manila where Steele had her secondary education congratulated its alumna for her appointment.