William Brands

USAID Mission Director

William Brands was sworn in as the Mission Director for South Sudan in August 2012.  Since August 2008, William Brands was the Mission Director of USAID/Honduras.  In recognition of his efforts in promoting development in Honduras, Mr. Brands was awarded the 'Medulla de Oro' by the President of the Government of Honduras.  Prior to Honduras, he served as USAID's Deputy Mission Director in the Dominican Republic from 2005 to 2008.

Mr. Brands was the Supervisory General Development Officer at USAID's Latin American and Caribbean Bureau in Washington from 2002 to 2005, where he was actively involved in the successful negotiation of the Central American and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement.

Mr. Brands has served overseas as the Supervisory General Development Officer at USAID/South Africa from 1999 to 2002, as the General Development Officer at USAID/Uganda from 1995 to 1999, and as the Project Development Officer at USAID/Malawi from 1990 to 1995.  He was also Program Director for Africa/Middle East for ACDI/VOCA from 1980 to 1990.

Mr. Brands is a graduate of Knox College in Illinois with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations, and holds a Master's degree in International Law from Tulane University in Louisiana.  He is a lifelong White Sox fan.  He and his wife Laurie have two sons, John and Charles.