John Barsa
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John Barsa | |
|---|---|
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| Acting Deputy Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development | |
| In office November 7, 2020 – January 20, 2021 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Bonnie Glick |
| Succeeded by | Paloma Adams-Allen |
| Acting Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development | |
| In office April 13, 2020 – November 6, 2020 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Mark Andrew Green |
| Succeeded by | Gloria Steele (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Lisa Piraneo |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Florida International University (BA) Syracuse University (GrDip) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
John Barsa is an American businessman and consultant who formerly served as the United States Agency for International Development Acting Administrator in 2020. The White House requested that he assume the position of USAID Acting Deputy Administrator on November 7, 2020, which effectively circumvented the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 and would have required that he step down and leave the administrator's post vacant.
The son of a Cuban refugee, Barsa was born and raised in Miami, Florida. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in international affairs from Florida International University and a graduate diploma from the Syracuse University National Security Management Fellows Program at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
Military service
Barsa began his career in public service in the United States Army Reserve. He became an enlisted soldier in the 3rd Battalion of the 11th Special Forces Group, and later the 450th Civil Affairs Battalion.
Legislative branch
Barsa served in the United States House of Representatives on U.S. Representative Lincoln Díaz-Balart's staff in the 1990s. During this period, he assisted Rep. Diaz-Balart with the passage of legislation such as the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act and the Helms-Burton Act. In 2011, as a Republican candidate he campaigned for the Virginia House of Delegates, but lost to incumbent Democrat Scott Surovell.
George W. Bush Administration
During the George W. Bush Administration, Barsa worked at NASA as a Special Assistant for Legislative Affairs. Once the Department of Homeland Security was established in 2002, Barsa was asked to create and lead the DHS Office of Public Liaison.