New Leaders Will Run Agency’s Afghanistan Operations, Lessons Learned Program, and Audits and Inspections Directorate
ARLINGTON, Va. – John F. Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, today announced that veteran Foreign Service Officer Thomas Niblock will join the agency as its Kabul-based Assistant Inspector General for Forward Operations, Scott Worden, formerly of USAID, will head SIGAR’s new Lessons Learned Program, and Gabriele Tonsil has been promoted to Assistant Inspector General for Audits and Inspections.
Mr. Niblock has extensive international experience, and was commissioned as a Foreign Service Officer in January 1983. He most recently served as Foreign Policy Advisor to General Frank Grass, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In his new role at SIGAR, he will serve as the agency's senior representative in Afghanistan, responsible for operations, logistics and interactions with other agencies. He will be replacing Dave Schwendiman who is leaving SIGAR to be the new Lead Prosecutor for the European Union Special Investigative Task Force.
Mr. Worden has broad development experience and an expertise in governance and rule of law initiatives. He joins SIGAR from USAID where he served as the Acting Director of Policy and as a Senior Policy Advisor for the Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs. As the head of the Lessons Learned Program, Mr. Worden will lead a comprehensive analysis of the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan from 2001 onwards to identify best practices and lessons to help address systemic issues facing U.S. reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.
Ms. Tonsil joined SIGAR in 2010, most recently serving as the Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Audits and Inspections in Crystal City. She spent her first two years conducting work in SIGAR’s office at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. During her time with SIGAR, she has led work covering the Department of Defense’s, the Department of State’s, and USAID’s reconstruction efforts. In her new role, Ms. Tonsil will lead the agency’s team of auditors, program analysts, and engineers in Crystal City and Kabul. Prior to SIGAR, Ms. Tonsil worked for three years with the Government Accountability Office, primarily on security-related issues.
“I’m delighted to welcome Gabby, Tom and Scott to SIGAR’s senior leadership team,” Sopko said. “They all bring impeccable credentials and a wealth of experience to the table. I look forward to them leading these key SIGAR operations as we enter this critical transition phase of reconstruction and continue to work tirelessly to safeguard U.S. tax dollars.”