Chris Bleers
About Chris Bleers
Chris Bleers serves as the Chief of Party at Catholic Relief Services in Abuja, Nigeria, where he has worked since 2020. He has extensive experience in humanitarian program management, having held various leadership roles in organizations such as CARE, Norwegian Refugee Council, and Engineers Without Borders USA.
Work at Catholic Relief Services
Chris Bleers serves as the Chief of Party at Catholic Relief Services since 2020. He is based in Abuja Municipal, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria. In this role, he provides strategic leadership and management oversight for the STaR Project. This project focuses on rural infrastructure rehabilitation, economic revitalization, social cohesion strengthening, and local governance capacity-building in the Lake Chad Region.
Previous Experience in Humanitarian Programs
Before joining Catholic Relief Services, Chris Bleers worked at CARE as the Humanitarian Program Director in Mozambique from 2019 to 2020. He also held various positions at the Norwegian Refugee Council, including Country Director in Myanmar from 2009 to 2015 and Programme Manager for Shelter & School Reconstruction from 2008 to 2009. His experience includes managing large program responses to natural hazards and disasters.
Education and Expertise
Chris Bleers studied at Cornell University, where he earned a Master of Regional Planning (MRP) in International Development from 1996 to 1998. His education complements his extensive experience in project management, operational controls, and developing systems for outcomes measurement. He is skilled in security management and budget development.
Background in Project Management
Chris Bleers has a diverse background in project management across various organizations. He worked as a Team Leader and Lead CDD Specialist at Agriconsulting Roma in Myanmar in 2016. His experience also includes roles at Engineers Without Borders USA as Managing Program Director and at Tetratech Consulting Services Inc as Project Manager. He has a long-term commitment to strengthening post-conflict transitional democracies.
Experience in Crisis-Affected Areas
Throughout his career, Chris Bleers has worked in several crisis-affected regions, including Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Myanmar. His roles have involved managing projects focused on shelter, camp management, and humanitarian assistance. He has collaborated with colleagues to protect vulnerable communities and enhance local governance in post-conflict settings.