JALALUDDIN KASAAT is a communications expert with nearly ten years of experience in the field. He has helped build communication capacity at numerous national and international organizations like DAI’s USAID funded programs, the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNDP’s National Area-Based Development Program (NABDP), Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development.

Excellence in establishing communication departments from the scratch, developing communication strategies and strategic communication plans, managing public - media relations, designing and executing awareness and outreach campaigns, conceiving websites and directing audio and visual outreach material and designing and delivering communications capacity development programs render Jalal's field-specific capacity unique and unparalleled.

Most recently Jalal served at the World Bank, and developed communications strategy for an ARTF-funded public administration reform initiative, Capacity Building for Results (CBR) project, structured communications components, trained communication staff and developed several key communications materials for the project. Subsequently, he served at the World Bank Group’s External Relations from March 2013 to July 2014 as Communications Officer.

Currently, he serves as National Communications Officer with UNDP Afghanistan and, in a year, he has be able to redefine the program’s perception among the Afghan civil society, media and the general public as the Afghan government’s key development partner.

Jalal, a Fulbright Scholar, holds a Master’s Degree in Integrated Marketing Communication from Emerson College, another Master’s Degree in Sustainable Rural Development from the University of Hyderabad in India, an executive MBA in health/project management from Preston University in Islamabad, Pakistan and an undergraduate degree in clinical medicine from Nangarhar University.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I work with UNDP in Afghanistan and travel frequently between Afghanistan and the US. I spend my vacations in the US, usually socializing with friends in the east and west coast.

Interests

Reading, watching movies, discussing marketing and brands, etc.

• movies
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• agriculture
• communications
• medicine
• public administration

Countries I’ve Visited

India, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Afghanistan, United States