Key People

Kate Burnett

CEO & Head of Client Success

Kate Burnett is the CEO of Locally Led™ and heads up business operations and the Client Success team.  As a seasoned, international development professional with a professional services background, she thrives amidst diversity & in growth environments. Kate – a dual national, services clients globally with a focus on the USA & Sub-Saharan Africa, splitting most of her time & efforts between these 2 continents. Kate is an admitted attorney in the State of Florida, the District of Columbia & U.S. Southern Federal District & has been practicing for 26 years. She’s also certified by UC Berkley Law School in sustainable capitalism & ESG related laws – a rapidly evolving & hugely relevant area of interest for both for-profit & non-profit sectors.

Prior to joining Locally Led™, Kate set up, managed & successfully led the first in-house global Legal function at Population Services International, a USA-based international NGO & social enterprise network with operations in 45 countries. Prior to that she spent a decade building, growing & leading the first in-house Legal, Contract & Compliance function at BroadReach Healthcare, a global healthcare technology, data analytics & international development organization – based in South Africa & Washington, DC, USA.  Kate began her legal career in the international arena providing in-house contracting expertise to large independent power producers in Hong Kong & Indonesia.

Kate hails from London, grew up in Bahrain & Hong Kong, studied in South Africa & the USA & considers herself a true global citizen. She’s an avid Springbok rugby fan & loves to keep aligned by practising yoga!

Carlos Orte

Chief Operating Officer

A senior international development specialist, with 20 years’ experience, Carlos brings deep expertise in organisational development, rooted in his experience of starting up and operationalising large complex projects in difficult environments including two large DFID funded programs in Nigeria, and more recently a PEPFAR funded program in Mozambique. He has significant experience in managing grants, both as a recipient and a disburser of funds, thus bringing a deep understanding of managerial and compliance-focused processes. Carlos also has extensive project management experience and has worked with multiple development organizations on producing accurate budgets and designing project plans to include assessing existing monitoring and continuous quality improvement systems. He has successfully developed winning proposals for all major donors around the globe and raised investments from multiple private foundations as well as from private corporations.

He is skilled at consensus-building and engaging with diverse stakeholders through participatory processes. While Carlos has worked mostly in HIV/AIDS programmes, he has also worked on wider health systems strengthening and programs focusing on data for impact, which leverage new technologies such as blockchain to support sustainable development programming.

Carlos is a native of Spain with permanent residence in South Africa, speaks 4 languages and is currently learning his 5^th, all while making ceramics in his spare time.

Yvonne Habulembe

Head of USAID Consulting

Yvonne Habulembe is the Head of USAID Consulting at Locally Led™.  She has a Bachelor & a Master of Business degrees, plus an impressive 23 years of experience working in the international development sector.  Yvonne spent over 18 years working with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) at their Southern Africa Mission offices in Botswana & South Africa & has experience working in 12 additional African countries.*  She has held senior roles in USAID’s Financial Management Office (FMO) & its Office of Acquisition and Assistance (OAA). Yvonne’s last position at USAID, as a Senior Acquisition & Assistance Specialist, found her managing part of the regional bilateral health procurement portfolio – valued at US$1.5 billion, as well as the Regional HIV and AIDS Program (RHAP) portfolio.  Yvonne has obtained USAID’s Federal Acquisition Certification in Contracting – Levels I and II & mentored junior USAID foreign-service nationals (FSNs) along with new entry-level Contracting/Agreement Officers.

In 2018 Yvonne transitioned to work with implementing partner organizations in Southern Africa.  She took on the role of Head of Compliance, Grants & Contracts for the South African local BroadReach Healthcare, where she led a team & managed the organization’s Prime awards, sub-awards/contracts & compliance function for South Africa programs.  Subsequent to this, she worked with PACT – a US-based international NGO as Senior Contracts & Grants Manager, supporting & managing the Africa portfolio. Yvonne has deep & broad expertise in US Government rules and regulations (& compliance requirements), bid & proposal/RFP review, negotiation & drafting of a full range of contracting/procurement instruments, the full life-cycle of award management (from start-up to close-out), plus new partner compliance assessments/audit/evaluations & capacity building.

During her career, Yvonne has been the proud recipient of multiple professional awards honoring her resourcefulness, customer service, capacity building and teamwork skills.  She’s currently applying her combination of experience, plus hard and soft skills in the consulting arena – providing strategic, operational and compliance assistance to NGOs and implementing partners across the Southern Africa region.

* Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Liberia, Nigeria, Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia

Tamera Fillinger

Head of Strategic Partnerships

Tamera is a U.S. qualified lawyer & former USAID foreign service officer with extensive experience advising international NGOs & their Boards of Directors on legal, compliance, governance & strategic planning issues to enhance organizational sustainability, scalability & impact. She has spent most of her career living in Asia & Africa working with NGOs as well as USAID.

For years, Tamera was based in Nairobi & Jakarta with USAID as a regional legal advisor where she focused on all aspects of USAID’s programs in Asia & Africa, including agreements with host governments & other partners, grant management & donor coordination. Her work since then has been focused on working directly with NGOs & has included wotking with TalentNomics, a global women’s leadership & mentorship organization headquartered in the U.S. & India, where Tamera served as Executive Advisor to the Board of Directors on strategic planning & implementation.  TWC2, a Singaporean NGO focused on migrant worker advocacy, where she founded & ran its legal clinic assisting migrant workers with their wage & medical claims. The clinic’s work led to research & the publication of Labor Protection for the Vulnerable which made policy recommendations to enhance low wage worker protections in Singapore & beyond. Plus, United Foundation for Children’s Health in Beijing, where Tamera directed programs to increase access to medical services for abandoned children & the poor.

She began her career with Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in New York in its corporate & China practice groups. She taught law school in Beijing & Singapore & is proficient in Mandarin Chinese. Currently Tamera is also a consultant with Nathani Law Practice advising non-profit organizations. She excels at working collaboratively, listening actively & helping organizations & their Boards with their future planning based on lessons learned, best practice, & evidence-based research.

Dr Daniel Nhemachena

Senior Consultant: Healthcare and Development

Dr. Dan Nhemachena is a distinguished public health specialist and development consultant with 17 years of experience, currently serving as an independent Senior Consultant and Head of Programs in Healthcare and Development. He has a strong background in health systems strengthening, policy development, strategic resource planning, and operational management. Dr. Nhemachena has held leadership roles in organizations like the Clinton Health Access Initiative, the Aurum Institute, and the Centre for Health Policy within the Wits School of Public Health.

With a keen focus on innovation and commitment to improving healthcare access and quality, he has successfully led projects to reduce maternal and newborn deaths, strengthen national health planning processes, and integrate HIV and TB services. Dr. Nhemachena’s academic credentials include a Master of Philosophy in Management, a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Development and Management, and he is a Medical Doctor.

Amy Gaver

Master Trainer

Amy has over 30 years of experience in nonprofit organizations, program management & building collaborative leadership. Her experience includes planning & implementation of strategy, guiding system wide improvements in project management practices, development of knowledge management systems for organizational learning methods & adopting a cycle of continuous improvement. She has worked in US & international programs including Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe & South America, & has provided leadership in multiple disaster response operations & the implementation of recovery strategies. She has a passion for training & organizational learning.  She has designed & facilitated meetings, conferences & strategic planning workshops. She is certified in PMD Pro 1 & 2 & a trainer of PMD Pro 1 & 2 and Project DPro. MBTI® certified to administer Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Step 1 + 2 & interpret the results& certification from the Knowledge Management Institute.

Her experience includes Director, Quality & Learning International Services American Red Cross, Head of Disaster Management Unit for Asia Pacific IFRC & Director Disaster Preparedness, Youth & AmeriCorps Programs ARC Bay Area.

Maureen MacCarthy

Master Trainer

Maureen is an internationally recognized trainer, facilitator & curriculum designer in the Humanitarian & Development Sector. Maureen has 25 years’ experience & expertise in both technical content areas (Project Management, Financial Management) & in Human Resources (Supervisory/Management Skills). She has a life-long passion for improving systems & developing people. Maureen is a PMD Pro 1 + 2 (Project DPro) Certified Project Manager. She was the lead designer of InsideNGO’s successful PMD project management training & certification workshop, having personally trained & certified over 5000 global professionals. Maureen has trained & worked professionally in 14 countries.

Her professional interests are learning, creativity, collaboration & communication in support of organizational success. Her experience includes: Director of Project, Portfolio & Knowledge Management at PATH, Consultant, Coach, Trainer & Facilitator with organizations such as PATH, JHPIEGO, Partners in Health, International Red Cross, Ipas, IREX & The Carter Center.

Steve Kroll

Master Trainer

Steve is a seasoned, international development trainer & facilitator having conducted training workshops for more than 12,000 individuals, across 49 countries worldwide, over the past decade. Steve is also a recognized thought leader, subject matter expert & authority on US Federal (USAID/CDC/HHS) assistance & contracting/acquisition rules & regulations (2 CFR 200, FAR, AIDAR), indirect cost rate recovery, procurement planning, effective financial management, cooperative agreements vs. acquisition instruments & fraud prevention/detection. Steve has worked with Humentum (formerly InsideNGO) as a global trainer & has achieved the rank of Master Trainer based on his extensive experience & superior skills.

A dynamic team builder, leader & facilitator who instills discipline & high-performance standards while empowering people to grow, Steve has a demonstrated & impressive record of capacity development & training.

Raymond Justice

Master Trainer

Ray’s compliance works focuses in the areas of compliance, operations, contracts & grants management, plus fraud & ethics. Ray has provided consultations to organizations on a comprehensive range of operational areas including advising on regulatory interpretations & compliance, streamlining existing operational processes & ensuring adequate internal controls including training on donor regulations or organizational policies and procedures. Specific issues where Ray has assisted organizations are in matters related to governance, cost reasonableness, procurement, grants & contracts management, sub-recipient monitoring/management, fraud & ethics investigations, reviewing field policies and procedures for compliance and risk. Ray is a Certified Fraud Examiner and a Certified International Compliance and Ethics Professional.

Prior to consulting, Ray has held senior leadership positions in both international & domestic NGOs (in multiple sectors) in charge of compliance, grants & contracts departments. He has extensive experience includes a wide range of USG funding agencies as well as a number of private donor organizations. Ray, a former Inside NGO (now Humentum) trainer has also delivered in-house trainings to NGO staff on policy and procedures, ethics, sub-award management & financial sustainability. Ray, a has supported organizations undergoing compliance, risk, and fraud investigations by external donors or regulatory agencies. He’s great at supporting, designing and implementing operational systems & recommending internal controls to reduce costs, increase efficiencies, accuracy & compliance. Ray’s vast industry knowledge ensures that solutions are grounded in practical, operational experience that support the strategic goals & missions of organizations.