Natasha de Marcken serves as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Center for Education. She oversees the Center in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)'s Bureau for Inclusive Growth, Partnerships, and Innovation. Ms. de Marcken is also the Acting Senior Coordinator of U.S. International Basic Education Assistance across U.S. government agencies and departments.
A member of USAID’s Senior Foreign Service, Ms. de Marcken most recently served as the Director of USAID’s Office of Southern African Affairs in the Africa Bureau. Previously, as Deputy Mission Director, she managed USAID/Southern Africa’s regional development and humanitarian assistance programs and platform of operational support to fifteen countries in the Southern Africa region. With over 20 years of professional experience in the field of international education, Ms. de Marcken served as the Director of USAID’s Office of Education from 2012-2015, leading the Agency’s strategic direction, budget planning, and results reporting for USAID’s global Education Strategy including basic and higher education programs in over forty countries. She has led USAID education offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, Uganda, Mali, and Guinea. Before joining USAID, Ms. de Marcken was a Peace Corps Volunteer teacher trainer in Madagascar and a high school teacher in the United States.
Ms. de Marcken is a graduate of Princeton University and received her Master’s degree in Education Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota.