Josh DeWald, Vice President of Performance and Quality leads the Program Performance and Quality (PaQ) set of functions for Mercy Corps. In this role he oversees teams stewarding the design and application of practices, processes, and systems supporting consistently high performance for all programs, while providing specific support to strategically important programs and portfolios. PaQ functions include program management standards, resources, learning pathways, and quality assurance; program and portfolio leadership continuity; monitoring, evaluation, and learning; accountability to participants; infrastructure; and specialized support to a sub-set of the agency’s largest and highest opportunity programs.

Josh’s humanitarian and development career began with the Peace Corps in Kyrgyzstan. He first worked with Mercy Corps in Kosovo and Montenegro in 1999-2000. He later rejoined Mercy Corps between 2003 and 2014, working as a Program Manager, Country Director, and Regional Director in East Africa and South, Central, and Southeast Asia. He is now thrilled to be back with Mercy Corps for a third time. Josh has also worked as a Senior Director – Food Security & Livelihoods and Senior Director – Program Development & Quality for Save the Children; as a Division Director (Asia) for an international agricultural research center; and as an agricultural economics researcher.

Josh is passionate about the role of program delivery in bridging strategy and results. He is committed to working with colleagues to help implementing organizations deliver effective, efficient, and equitable programming alongside partners and participants, measure results, and continuously improve.