Robert R. LaGamma

Robert R. LaGamma, "retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer, served from 1995 to 1997 as director of the U.S. Information Service (USIS) office and Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. Among his activities there, he organized a conference on democracy education in May 1997, called Civitas Africa, that brought together over 100 leaders from 15 African and other countries. From 1993 to 1995, he was director of the Office of African Affairs in USIA's Washington office, which oversees 37 offices in Africa. In that capacity, he launched numerous initiatives to support democratic transitions in Africa, particularly concerning freedom of the press, and organized the first White House Conference on Africa presided over by President Clinton in 1994. Mr. LaGamma held previous posts in Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire, Zambia, Southern Rhodesia, and Italy. While at the Forum, he researched and wrote on "The Growth of Independent Media and Democratization in Selected African Countries.""

• NED Past Fellows