Demetria Arvanitis
Chief Executive Officer at DevWorks International
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  • Demetria Arvanitis is the Executive Director of DevWorks International. A visionary and innovative development leader, Ms. Arvanitis brings more than 25 years of international development experience. She leads DevWorks’ strategic development and global programs, expanding on its historical strengths in agriculture, water and sanitation, governance, and natural resource management. Ms. Arvanitis has built high-performing teams that deliver on development outcomes through strategic decision-making, mentoring, and leadership development.

    Ms. Arvanitis joined SNV USA in 2015 as Vice President of Business Development and Programs and was appointed Executive Director in 2016. Since then, she has led the development of the team, systems, and tools that have enabled the consistent growth of the organization. Most recently, she led the strategy and rebranding of SNV USA to DevWorks International.

    Before joining DevWorks, Ms. Arvanitis worked at Winrock International in numerous roles, beginning as the Country Director for Russia in 1997 where she oversaw programs and led its Farmer-to-Farmer program. She later served as the Director of Volunteer Technical Assistance, leading implementation of all Winrock volunteer technical assistance activities and expanding programs in agriculture and civil society development. She then served as the Senior Director of New Business Development, where she developed new capture management and support processes. Previously, Ms. Arvanitis was an education and health Program Specialist for the USAID Representative for Afghanistan (based in Pakistan) and the Democracy Office of USAID/Russia, where she supported exchanges and training in governance, agriculture, economic growth, and health.

    Throughout her career, Ms. Arvanitis’ work has been characterized by a strong commitment to close collaboration with local partners, building strong teams at both home and field offices, and above all, dedication to ensuring lasting, sustainable impact. Ms. Arvanitis holds a master’s degree in International Management from the School of International Training and a BS in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Society for International Development, Washington Chapter.