Abagail Nelson was recently appointed vice president for program at Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD).
Since 1999, Nelson has been ERD's director of Latin American programs. She is currently in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, working with Bishop Charles Jenkins III of the diocese of Louisiana and his staff in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
As director of Latin American programs, Nelson helped the Episcopal Church throughout Latin America to design and implement programs that respond to natural and manmade disasters and reduce communities' exposure to future risk. She has overseen ERD programs for vulnerable populations that include new housing and infrastructure construction, small business development and training, disaster mitigation and reforestation, and small agriculture and fisheries investment.
"In her new position she will have responsibility for overseeing all of the programs that ERD does on food security, HIV/AIDS along with our emergency relief programs," said Robert Radtke, president of ERD.
Before coming to ERD, Nelson, the daughter of an Episcopal priest, worked with the government of Ecuador on its coastal resource management program and as a financial analyst of Latin American telecommunications companies for several investment banks. She earned her B.A. in Government from Harvard College and her M.Sc. in Economic Development from the London School of Economics.
"I feel very, very, good about Abagail," said Radtke. "She's a tremendous asset to Episcopal Relief and Development and indeed to the entire Episcopal Church."
For more details about ERD and the Episcopal Church's response to Hurricane Katrina, please check the Hurricane Katrina Crisis Center online at http://www.er-d.org/. The center will be continually updated with new information, personal accounts, and other resources.
To make a contribution to help people affected by Hurricane Katrina, please donate to the Hurricane Katrina Response Fund by credit card at http://www.er-d.org/ or by calling 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Gifts can be mailed to: Episcopal Relief and Development, c/o Hurricane Katrina Response Fund, PO Box 12043, Newark, NJ 07101.
