Rebecca Besant

Regional Director, East Africa

Rebecca Besant has served as Search for Common Ground's Regional Director for East Africa since 2012. In this role, she oversees Search’s programming in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

She first joined Search in 2001 as West Africa Program Associate. She has moved through a number of roles at Search including West Africa Program Manager and Africa Program Manager, as well as Director, Great Lakes. Prior to Search, Rebecca worked as Development Coordinator at the environmental nonprofit Trout Unlimited as well as a lightweight women’s rowing coach at Georgetown University.

Rebecca has been involved in the expansion of Search’s Africa portfolio, participating in the assessments and strategic development that have led to its programs in Nigeria, Madagascar, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. She has also overseen several regional projects, including phases two and three of Radio for Peacebuilding Africa and the Africa-wide Strategic Capacity-building in Peacebuilding program supported by the Swedish Government.

Originally from a small town near Buffalo, New York, Rebecca holds a BSFS from Georgetown University. She speaks English, French, and Thai.