Ana’s Journey with PFP
USAID Rule of Law Program Regional Hub Attorney in Kutaisi
Ana Shalamberidze is a successful Professional Fellows Program (PFP) 2019 alumna. Her placement organization was the Intermediate Court of Appeals (Hawaii State Judiciary) in Honolulu, Hawaii. She shares the experience she gained through the fellowship under the supervision of the Senior Judge Ms. Justice Liza Ginoza has been life-changing. Ana says that with the help of her supervisor, she extended her future career perspectives and ultimately lead to the successful development of several projects on Judicial Administration and Rule of Law.
Through the fellowship period, Ana was introduced to the American judicial system, jury trial hearings, and the operation of family courts. She also met American judges and judicial personnel.
After returning to Georgia, Ana developed the outbound project and organized discussions with the participation of Supreme Court Justice Sabrina McKenna, Attorney Carmen Di Amore Siah, and judicial assistants of the Supreme Court of Georgia. The project provided capacity-building activities for the judicial staff to familiarize them with the American legal system and court practice.
Nowadays, Ana works in her hometown Kutaisi and participates in enhancing the individual independence and integrity of judges, supporting the legal education of students, and strengthening the local civil society in order to develop democratic values and rule of law governance in the region of Kutaisi.
Ana’s story is a good illustration of how important receiving an international education is for Georgian young mid-career professionals. Young people like Ana immensely help the regional development of Georgia by providing their education and expertise locally.
