Abigail Tierney

Experience

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  Saint Louis University Office of International Services

  May 2016 - May 2017

  International Ambassador Coordinator

  Facilitated communication and event planning between the office and ambassadors by organizing logistics of each event and coordinating with SLU international ambassadors. Aided international students in adapting to American culture and college through the organization of holiday events, a one-week orientation, and other social events.

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  Peace Corps

  Sept 2017 - Sept 2019

  Business Advisor in Agriculture Systems

  • Managed dozens of projects relating to environment, education, leadership, business strategy, and human rights by meeting with community members to understand goals, creating a strategy and timeline, planning training and activities, delegating tasks, managing scarce resources, utilizing advanced Spanish skills, resolving conflicts, evaluating project performance, and coordinating with in-country agencies for support.

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  USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)

  Mar 2020 - Jul 2024

  Develops work plans to resolve international agricultural product/commodity issues by analyzing trends using databases and historical information to prevent market disruptions, proposing solutions to management, requesting updates from stakeholders, drafting briefing papers and work plans, collaborating with U.S. industry members, and researching technical issues to strengthen understanding and provide recommendations, resulting in the maintenance and gain of market access to markets totaling over $100 million. Develops and delivers reports and presentations to high level USDA officials, including the Secretary and Under Secretary of Agriculture, on complex and nuanced trade issues so that they can effectively engage with foreign counterparts by tailoring the content to meet the needs of the audience, following FAS templates, researching international standard setting body guidance, drafting clear and comprehensive briefing documents, requesting input from competent authorities, extracting and synthesizing data from multiple sources, and making recommendations that influence global trade. Show less Developed, reviewed, and provided input into work plans, budgets, project/team charters for 11 Cochran Fellowship Programs (CFP), which included a variety of agricultural products and commodities, totaling $950,000 for over 100 Fellows and FAS Post staff, which strengthened and enhanced trade linkages between eligible countries and agricultural interests in the U.S., by drafting statements of work, analyzing international commodity markets, reviewing notice of funding opportunities, evaluating trends to prevent market disruptions through programming, evaluating nine proposals, creating and amending 11 cost-reimbursable agreements, negotiating terms and conditions, maintaining positive relationships with 11 Posts, providing logistical and technical support to colleagues and implementing partners, conducting 120 Fellow interviews, drafting proposal review summaries, monitoring and evaluating programs, collecting data, issuing and validating 100 DS-2019s, and drafting 20 highlights following the FAS Writing Style Guide. Show less

  • International Trade Specialist

    Jun 2023 - Jul 2024

  • International Program Specialist

    Mar 2020 - Jun 2023
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  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

  Apr 2021 - Jun 2021

  Case Manager

  • Advocated with limited resources for hundreds of unaccompanied minors, primarily from the Northern Triangle, as they arrived at the Emergency Intake Site by reunifying 60 minors with U.S. sponsors; drafting and translating reports, requests for transfer, and release requests; providing verbal and written updates to management and a database; recommending improvements to systems and processes to management; and prioritizing tasks in a fast-paced environment.

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  US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

  Jun 2024 - now

  International Environmental Program Specialist