Marianna Balampama

Marianna Balampama is a distinguished international development leader in the Africa Region. She is a Tanzanian expert with over 20 years of experience in organizational leadership, domestic resource mobilization, stakeholder engagement and coordination, strategic management, public-private partnerships and the development aid landscape. Throughout her career, Marianna has made significant contributions to various organizations and initiatives. Marianna brings core competencies in the regional and global donor landscape (USAID, World Bank, European Union, the United Nations) and donor engagement strategies, financial inclusion of the informal sector, large community development programs, trust fund establishment and corporate governance. 

Marianna serves as Deputy Regional Director Africa at Pact, overseeing an annual portfolio of over $100 million. She formerly served as Country Director for Pact Tanzania – which was largest USAID funding recipient in Tanzania with a budget of $40 million annually and a team of 200 staff. Previously, she worked at the Embassy of Switzerland in Tanzania, successfully coordinating multilateral development dialogue for development assistance to Tanzania. 

Marianna holds a master's degree in International Health from University if Basel, Switzerland, master’s in Business Administration from Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute, and a bachelor's degree (Hons.) in Sociology. She is certified in diplomatic leadership and international relations. She is also a certified Board Director and is serving on several organizational boards including CRDB Bank Foundation. Marianna is a highly sought mentor and speaker in leadership, personal development and organizational strategy. In recognition of her strategic leadership and commitment to driving positive change across Africa, Marianna was recognized with a Top Women in Management Africa award in 2022. Marianna devotes her private time to supporting the growth of grassroots NGOs, mentoring young professionals and volunteering in animal welfare.