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Constance Berry Newman is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center. She currently serves as special counsel for African affairs at the Carmen Group and is an advisor on Somalia to the US African Development Foundation. She is best known for her work in addressing issues related to poverty and civil and human rights, as well as advancing democracy around the world.
From 2004 to 2005, Constance served as assistant secretary of State for African Affairs. From 2001 to 2004, as the assistant administrator for Africa at the US Agency for International Development, she oversaw the US government’s economic development in Africa and was a key participant in the launching of the African Education Initiative to expand children’s access to basic education and increase the number of teachers, especially at the primary school level, across the continent. From 2002 to 2005, Constance acted as President Bush’s G8 personal representative on Africa. Throughout her career, Newman has held seven presidential appointments, five confirmed by the Senate, in both Republican and Democratic administrations.
Newman holds an undergraduate degree in political science from Bates College and a law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School. In 2012, Government Executive magazine selected Newman as one of the twenty all-time greatest civil servants.