Diana Fernholz is a distinguished organizational development and learning specialist with a decade of expertise in international development, specializing in strategic communications and facilitation. As the Team Lead for the Learning in the Program Cycle within USAID’s Program Cycle Mechanism at Environmental Incentives, she excels in managing complex activities and building consensus among diverse client teams. 

Diana began her career as a Fellow for a family foundation in Karnataka, India, before transitioning to roles that enhanced her experience with nonprofits in the Washington D.C. area and contracting positions with USAID. Her tenure at USAID includes significant contributions both in the Africa Bureau and the Bureau for Development, Democracy, and Innovation. 

Diana currently leads the Team on the Program Cycle Mechanism, a significant five-year, $80 million contract awarded by USAID's Bureau of Policy, Learning, and Resource Management (PLR). In this pivotal role, she oversees a team dedicated to enhancing the efficacy of the Program Cycle across USAID by facilitating organizational learning and adaptive management. Her team's efforts are critical in supporting PLR to glean insights from the implementation of the Program Cycle. They accomplish this by actively engaging with several internal Communities of Practice, which fosters a collaborative learning environment within USAID. Additionally, her team conducts thorough assessments that advance understanding of the impacts of various policies, and spearheads outreach initiatives aimed at enhancing the knowledge and motivation necessary for generating and utilizing rigorous evidence more effectively.