JOANNE ADAMS is a specialist in public administration, project management and the communication of public policy. Her areas of expertise include institutional development and the development and implementation of integrated management and communication strategies. She is experienced in public survey design and in applying research in the design of monitoring and evaluation systems and the design of free and paid media campaigns. Ms. Adams has designed public policy research and implemented strategies for social, judicial and economic reforms in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Poland.

She has more than 25 years of experience including 12 years in the mayor’s office in Houston and 15 years in international development consulting. She has worked as a USAID chief of party, project supervisor, or technical advisor in 15 countries, principally in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union.

Ms. Adams has advised the President and Prime Minister’s Offices in the Republic of Georgia, the Prime Minister’s Office in Poland, and the Office of the President of Romania and the Romanian Parliament. She currently works on projects to communicate economic reforms in the Balkans.

She holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from Harvard University and a BA from Rice University.

ALEKSANDRA DRINIC is a communication and public relations specialist with 15 years of experience in strategic communication, media relations, public affairs, community relations, training and the establishment of private-public partnerships.

She has worked in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a communication specialist for the USAID Cluster Competitiveness Activity promoting B&H tourism both internationally and domestically. As an analyst, public education and training officer for the USAID Corporate Governance and Business Investment Project she promoted newly established capital market institutions. She also has extensive experience in the design of opinion research and training.

Ms. Drinic worked with the government privatization agency to encourage citizens’ participation in the privatization process, resulting in an 80% subscription rate. She has also worked with the NATO-formed Joint Commission Observers and the U.S. State Department.

During the war Ms. Drinic worked with the International Red Cross Committee on human rights protection and issues concerning the abuse of ethnic minorities. As a public relations representative and editor-in-chief of the monthly magazine for the RS National Red Cross she was responsible for the dissemination of information on missing soldiers and civilians, often participating in the exchange of prisoners at the front line.

She holds an Advanced Certificate from and is a full member of the UK Chartered Institute of Public Relations, a degree from the Banja Luka Law Faculty, and attended the School of English, Wimbledon, London, Surrey.

BRANISLAV ČALE is a communication and public relations specialist with six years of experience in strategic communication, media relations, event management and training.

He currently serves as the communication manager for the American Chamber of Commerce in Serbia (AMCHAM). He served as communication advisor for the USAID Commercial Court Administration Strengthening Activity where he worked to establish public information offices and provide communication training for the Serbian commercial courts. The courts were recently recognized as the public institution in Serbia that has contributed the most to the establishment of best practices in complying with the Freedom of Information Law.

Previously Mr. Cale was a partner and member of the Board of Directors of FreeSerbia.org, the first independent E-Magazine in Serbia.

He holds a diploma in mathematics and computer science from Belgrade University, Faculty of Mathematics, and earned a certificate as a public relations manager from the Belgrade Business School for Public Relations (PRA); he has also served as a lecturer at PRA.