Tooryalai Wesa ("Toor"), an Afghan-Canadian based in Coquitlam, BC, received a PdD in Adult Education from the University of British Columbia (2002) and a M.Sc. in Agricultural Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1977. His recent field experience includes serving as the South Region Director with Development Alternatives International's USAID-funded local governance and community development project in insecure and underserviced areas in southern Afghanistan. In this work in Kandahar, Uruzgan, Zabul, Helmand and Farah he successfully implemented a number of rural development initiatives that strengthened local governance (Provincial Development Councils) and improved economic conditions in the region. Previous work included supporting area universities, upgrading Government of Afghanistan budgeting processes, rebuilding Afghan agricultural markets and designing a training of trainers program for farmers in California. He has extensive experience in capacity development, agricultural extension and strengthening education systems. He is fluent in Pashto, Dari, Farsi, and English, and speaks German and Arabic.