Key Officers
Officer in Charge (USAID) Joseph Taggart
Joe Taggart is the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) office located in the U.S. Embassy in Podgorica, Montenegro. As the Officer in Charge, Mr. Taggart is the senior USAID official in Montenegro and chief representative and spokesperson for the USAID Regional Mission Director in Belgrade with other USG agencies, international donors, GOM counterparts, USAID implementing partners, and the public for USAID in Montenegro, as well as providing oversight of all USAID program activities in Montenegro. Mr. Taggart assumed his duties in May 2005.
Prior to his arrival in Montenegro, from 2001 – 2005 Mr. Taggart served in the USAID/Caucasus/Mission as a Senior Democracy and Governance Officer, where he contributed to the development of democracy and governance assistance programs in Georgia including the period leading up to and after Georgia’s “Rose Revolution” in 2003. Joe also worked for NDI in the Caucasus as an advisor and trainer for democratic political parties and members of parliament from 1997 – 2000.
From 1995-1997 and 2000-2001, Mr. Taggart worked with Secretary of Agriculture, Dan Glickman, in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), as a liaison between USDA and state, local, and Native American governments in USDA’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and with USDA’s Rural Utilities Service. From 1993 -1995 Mr. Taggart worked with Congressman Dan Glickman 4th district Kansas, as a senior district aid and constituent liaison officer on issues of Agriculture, Education, Labor/Business, State/Local Government issues, State Department, and Immigration issues.
Mr. Taggart has served as a locally elected official in the state of Kansas as a member of the board of Education for Bluestem Unified School District # 205, as well as having worked for several NGOs and advocacy groups in Kansas on Education, Labor, and Agricultural issues.
Mr. Taggart is married to Ketevan Rukhadze-Taggart, a linguist and author of several publications on comparative ancient mythology. They have a son Nicolas age six.