Jeff Picard

Board of Directors

Jeff Picard has spent his career at the intersection of economic development, diplomacy, and national security. He began in public service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa, where he chaired the Volunteer Advisory Committee, then served sixteen years at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In the USAID Administrator’s office, Jeff brought together teams and partners to deliver commitments at the G8 Summit, the UN General Assembly, and the World Economic Forum Annual Meetings, including coordinating the senior team that delivered $6.5 billion in public and private financing for African agriculture. As senior team lead for the Maghreb, with direct responsibility for Tunisia and Morocco, he bridged field teams and Washington policymakers; engaged congressional staff and private and foreign stakeholders; and represented civilian capacity and perspective in national security policy processes. He helped negotiate a five-year, $250 million strategic agreement with the Government of Tunisia and grew the program’s annual operations from $20 million to $80 million. He closed his USAID career as Funds Controller for the Bureau for Middle East Affairs, managing financial planning and execution for a $2.1 billion annual portfolio of U.S. economic support funding across twelve regional offices.

Today Jeff is the founder of Frontier Catalyst, a San Diego firm that helps companies, funders, and civic partners navigate the public institutions that shape their success. He brings to the Center a practitioner’s view of how economic engagement and security strategy reinforce each other.

Jeff holds a B.A. in History and Philosophy, cum laude, from Boston College. He lives in San Diego with his wife and two children and serves as PTA president at Sunset Hills Elementary.