Washington, D.C. — Today, Ann Calvaresi Barr became the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID’s) fifth Inspector General. Ms. Calvaresi Barr was nominated to become Inspector General by President Obama in May 2015 and confirmed by the Senate earlier this month. She brings more than 30 years of experience in the federal oversight community to her new position.
As USAID Inspector General, Ms. Calvaresi Barr will oversee more than $20 billion in U.S. foreign assistance and development programs worldwide. She will lead an office of over 200 investigators, auditors, and other personnel who work to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of foreign assistance programs and deter waste, fraud, and abuse. Ms. Calvaresi Barr will also be responsible for oversight of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the U.S. African Development Foundation, the Inter-American Foundation, and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.
“Inspectors General play an important role in upholding the integrity of federal programs, including those providing aid and assistance overseas,” Ms. Calvaresi Barr said upon her swearing-in. “I look forward to working to protect the integrity of U.S. foreign assistance programs and ensure that the funds supporting them are well managed and used effectively.”
Prior to becoming USAID’s Inspector General, Ms. Calvaresi Barr served as Deputy Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Transportation. She also spent 25 years at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, where she served as a Director in the Acquisition and Sourcing Management Team and, earlier, worked overseas to evaluate defense, national security, and foreign disaster assistance programs.
The USAID Office of Inspector General was established in 1980 and operates independently under the authorities of the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended.