Staff

Silbi Stainton
President & Executive Director

Silbi Kelly Stainton is a graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy where she earned a Master’s degree in Law and Diplomacy focusing on International Security Studies and International Negotiation and Conflict Management. Her areas of focus include counter-terrorism, Middle Eastern studies, and Southwest Asia. She cross-enrolled at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government where she studied non-state threats to international security and leadership. Her thesis, which began prior to 9/11, focused on the U.S. management of the war on terror. She also holds a B.A. from the University of Colorado where she majored in International Affairs and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude in 1998, also focusing on counter-terrorism.

Her work background includes recent volunteer work and fellowship with the Aspen Institute, a position in business development for Bechtel Corporation, and several other involvements in local, charitable causes. Ms. Stainton is mother to two small children.

Jodi Fischer
Program Director

Jodi has been working with MDF since February of 2009 and is a graduate of the Joseph Korbel School of International Studies from the University of Denver where she earned a Masters degree in International Development. Her areas of focus included global health, youth livelihood, and economic development. Her masters studies included a three month child labor reduction project in Bolivia and an independent study within microfinance. She has worked and lived in the Middle East, South America, and Southeast Asia.

Jodi’s background includes work in the public and private education sector, and extensive experience with nonprofits, foundations, government contractors and USAID on international and community development issues. Jodi is a former teacher, volunteer of Aspen Institute, and also a mom.


Jane Harris
Program Coordinator Intern

Jane joined the Marshal Direct Fund team in July, 2011. She is an International Affairs Major with a Political Science minor at the University of Colorado Boulder, and it is her interest in global development and human security, particularly regarding women’s health and education, that drew her to the Marshall Direct Fund. Her work at the university focuses on social justice and the role of global institutions, both large and small, in shaping policy in the international arena.

Jane’s interest in policy led her to a position as a policy assistant at the Colorado State House of Representatives, where she gained experience in how policy is formed at a local level.  She has a working knowledge of French, and her intellectual curiosity continually drives her to seek knowledge of other cultures. Jane is committed to the tenet that education and health-care are the foundations for long-lasting and sustainable development. She is looking forward to her first visit to Pakistan.

Sabohi Ali
Country Director, Pakistan

Sabohi has a masters degree in Mass Communication and a post graduate degree from Commonwealth Youth Program. She is a certified trainer of British Council in Active Citizenship and possesses over ten years of experience in the development sector both nationally and internationally. Sabohi has experience with project management, training of trainers, human resource management and specializes in children rights, youth development, active citizenship, volunteer management, education, and HIV/AIDS. One of her interviews can be found here.

Liaqet Ali
Interim Director & Program Manager in Pakistan

Liaqet Ali has been working with MDF since April 2009. He is in charge of operations at one of the MDF schools, recruits staff, heads admissions, works closely with teachers, helps staff with their work plans, and meets with parents. Liaqet has a degree in Journalism and possesses extensive project management experience having conducted PM training at Syscomp and as Marketing Executive at the Center for Advanced Studies in Engineering. He has traveled extensively in Pakistan. He is proficient in English, Urdu, and Punjabi languages.

Ms. Rubina Dewan
Director Vocational Training and Market Linkages, Pakistan

Ms. Dewan has 10 years of experience in the development sector with a focus in women’s empowerment via economic growth. She has worked for value chain analysis/assessment in major subsectors of Pakistan including Bangles, Milk, Embroidery and Seedlings. Ruby has extensive experience in business development services and value chain development through small business start up. She has facilitated women Sales Agents in market survey & research at nationally and internationally. Ruby works closely with key partners and local communities in order to engage them with market linkages.