Bruce Kay
Potomac,MD
Summary
Investigative journalist and former U.S. diplomat who has served in Latin America, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, with expertise in program design and management, data analysis and visualization, and crisis management. Proven ability to lead diverse teams, lead impactful projects, and enhance stakeholder engagement.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Investigator
InSight Crime
Washington, DC
08.2025 - Current
- Investigate and research transnational organized crime and citizen security across Latin America and the Caribbean. Support cross-disciplinary projects that combine field-based reporting with analysis and visualization to inform debate and institutional responses. Analyze data, draft reports and other analytical content using visualization tools. Monitor developments in organized crime using AI tools.
United States Foreign Service Officer
US Goverment
Worldwide
07.2001 - 08.2025
- Served as a diplomat and foreign service officer in the area of democracy, human rights and governance assistance in Albania, Iraq, Peru, Cambodia, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Colombia and Paraguay. Received Meritorious Honors from the United States Department of States for outstanding contributions to promoting free and fair elections in several countries.
Digital Development Executive
USAID
Washington, DC
09.2024 - 07.2025
- Developed digital strategies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of international development programs, leveraging AI, geospatial analytics, and data visualization. Led initiatives to strengthen data protection for private sector partners in Southeast Asia and Central America, helping them guard against cyber threats. Proven track record of integrating emerging technologies into business operations to enhance decision-making, manage risk, and increase financial transparency.
Senior Security and Operations Intelligence Office
USAID
Washington, DC
08.2023 - 08.2024
- Provided executive-level risk intelligence and crisis management support, advising senior leadership on global operational threats and risk mitigation. Implemented a digital registration and emergency response system that enabled overseas diplomatic staff to send emergency alerts along with their GPS locations using smartphones, which protected dozens of employees in distress. Demonstrated expertise in cyber security, enterprise risk management, and crisis response.
Director, Democracy and Governance Office
USAID El Salvador, Central America, Mexico
San Salvador, El Salvador
08.2021 - 07.2023
- Led the design and execution of a $6M plan to create cross-border anti-corruption network civil society organizations, journalists, media outlets, and business associations across El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Managed high-profile election integrity and civic engagement programs, demonstrating expertise in stakeholder engagement, crisis management, and navigating legal and regulatory challenges to organizations and companies in restricted civic spaces.
Manager, International Schools & Hospitals Abroad
USAID
Washington, DC
09.2020 - 08.2021
- Managed a $28 million portfolio of construction and renovation projects in Africa, Eastern Europe, South Asia, and Central America, overseeing 24 successful initiatives in hospitals, university buildings, private secondary schools, and libraries. Led complex public-private partnerships, coordinating with diverse stakeholders to ensure project funding and compliance with environmental, safety, and health standards. Pioneered a virtual site visit system during COVID, using smartphones, enabling remote project monitoring and compliance verification.
Director, Democracy & Governance Office, Cambodia
USAID Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
08.2018 - 09.2020
- Spearheaded a $18 Million initiatives aimed at enhancing government accountability and entrepreneurship in Cambodia. I managed a multinational team of U.S. Foreign Service officers and Cambodian professionals. Additionally, I expanded essential support for human rights defenders who were facing political repression.
Senior Anticorruption Advisor
USAID
Washington, DC
08.2017 - 08.2018
- Led high-stakes $6.4 Million anti-corruption portfolio, including collaborations with the Open Government Partnership and the Making All Voices Count Grand Challenge for Development. Designed and executed large-scale programs to enhance transparency, accountability, and governance. Trained and mentored officers in analyzing corruption, equipping them with tools to assess risks, design effective responses, and implement reforms.
Director, Governance & Rule of Law
USAID Democracy, Human Rights and Governance
Washington, DC
02.2015 - 08.2017
- Designed anticorruption, governance and justice. Designed programs in 15 countries, with a total value of $75 Million. Managed Making All Voices Count: Grand Challenge for Development, a $45 million partnership to develop civic tech to increase government responsiveness and was nominated for a national award for technological innovation.
Director, Democracy & Governance Office, Peru
USAID Peru
Lima, Peru
02.2014 - 01.2015
- Helped Peru become one the first Latin American countries to engage with the OECD through a country program and become an OECD accession candidate in 2022. Designed and managed a project that increased accountability and reduced corruption in public infrastructure procurements.
Senior Conflict Advisor
USAID Colombia
Bogota, Colombia
11.2013 - 02.2014
- Advised USAID Colombia mission on how to promote conflict mitigation, reconciliation and peacebuilding in countries with a high degree of state fragility or vulnerability to new conflicts. Designed a $14 Million local governance project that supported the Colombian peace process in 2014.
Director, Democracy & Governance Office Iraq
USAID Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq
08.2012 - 11.2013
- Directed $37 Million democratization and rule of law programming following withdrawal of U.S. forces in 2011, including assistance to 2013 Iraqi and Kurdistan elections. Stood up a successful parallel vote tabulation (PVT) in Iraqi Kurdistan elections. Supervised 13 staff members managing access to justice and community development initiatives.
Director, Threshold Program
Millennium Challenge Corporation
Washington, DC
11.2009 - 03.2012
- Managed $200 million portfolio of anti-corruption programs in Albania, Peru, Guyana, Paraguay, Albania, Indonesia, Philippines, Moldova, Ukraine and Kyrgyz Republic. Successful reforms included overhauling systems to improve immunization (Peru), customs (Moldova, Philippines), internal audit (Paraguay), procurement (Indonesia), business registration (Albania).
Director, Democracy & Governance Office, Albania
USAID Albania
Tirana, Albania
09.2004 - 11.2009
- Stood up local elections observations and parallel vote tabulation (PVT) efforts in two elections. Oversaw a $10 Million local governance, rule of law and anti-corruption portfolio. Led award-winning Millennium Challenge Corporation 'threshold program' and received commendations for e-procurement, tax administration and business registration systems
Democracy and Governance Officer Washington
USAID
Washington, DC
07.2001 - 09.2004
- Designed democracy programs in Croatia, Georgia, Guatemala, Peru, Paraguay, on temporary assignments. Led democracy and governance assessments, conflict diagnostics and other analyses, designed impact assessment method for democracy programs.
Open Source Intelligence Analyst (Contractor)t
Central Intelligence Agency
Vienna, VA
06.1997 - 05.2001
- Consultant data scientist and analyst for a Virginia-based company on a research contract with the CIA Directorate of Analysis. Developed forecast models using open-source intelligence (OSINT) data for conflict risk and early warning systems, employing advanced statistical techniques and geospatial data.
International Development Analyst
RTI International. RTI
Durham, NC
10.1995 - 06.1997
- Conducted data analytics and visualizations for multiple U.S. government project deliverable reports, including USAID-funded economic growth and democratic development initiatives in Eastern Europe and Latin America.
Education
Ph.D. - Political Science
University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC12-1996
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI05-1985
Skills
- Data analysis
- Report writing
- Crime investigation
- Data visualization
- AI utilization
- Governance frameworks
- Project management
- Policy analysis
- Program evaluation
- Crisis management
- Program design
- Stakeholder engagement
- Work Planning and Prioritization
- People management
Languages
English
Native/ Bilingual
Spanish
Full Professional
Timeline
Associate Investigator
InSight Crime
08.2025 - Current
Digital Development Executive
USAID
09.2024 - 07.2025
Senior Security and Operations Intelligence Office
USAID
08.2023 - 08.2024
Director, Democracy and Governance Office
USAID El Salvador, Central America, Mexico
08.2021 - 07.2023
Manager, International Schools & Hospitals Abroad
USAID
09.2020 - 08.2021
Director, Democracy & Governance Office, Cambodia
USAID Cambodia
08.2018 - 09.2020
Senior Anticorruption Advisor
USAID
08.2017 - 08.2018
Director, Governance & Rule of Law
USAID Democracy, Human Rights and Governance
02.2015 - 08.2017
Director, Democracy & Governance Office, Peru
USAID Peru
02.2014 - 01.2015
Senior Conflict Advisor
USAID Colombia
11.2013 - 02.2014
Director, Democracy & Governance Office Iraq
USAID Iraq
08.2012 - 11.2013
Director, Threshold Program
Millennium Challenge Corporation
11.2009 - 03.2012
Director, Democracy & Governance Office, Albania
USAID Albania
09.2004 - 11.2009
United States Foreign Service Officer
US Goverment
07.2001 - 08.2025
Democracy and Governance Officer Washington
USAID
07.2001 - 09.2004
Open Source Intelligence Analyst (Contractor)t
Central Intelligence Agency
06.1997 - 05.2001
International Development Analyst
RTI International. RTI
10.1995 - 06.1997
Ph.D. - Political Science
University of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
Bachelor of Arts - Political Science
University of Michigan