Dr. Steven Sinding Joins Abt Associates Board of Directors

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Abt Associates has announced that Dr. Steven Sinding has joined the Abt Associates Board of Directors. Dr. Sinding is a recognized expert on international population matters who, until his retirement in 2006, served as Director-General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).

Abt Associates CEO, Wendell Knox, welcomed Dr. Sinding saying, "Steve brings significant international expertise, knowledge and relationships to our organization. He will greatly contribute to our international reach as well as the governance and strategic guidance provided by our Board of Directors. We are delighted he has chosen to join our Board."

Dr. Sinding is credited with rejuvenating and revitalizing IPPF, a major international, non-governmental organization with member associations in 150 countries and programs in 183 countries focusing on sexual and reproductive health. Prior to joining IPPF in 2002, he held a variety of positions related to population, health and nutrition.

"I am truly delighted to be joining the Board of Abt Associates, a firm whose work I have long admired. I hope to be able to help the company expand both the scale and the client base of its international work," said Sinding.

Following a 20-year career at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Dr. Sinding served as Population Advisor to the World Bank, Director of Population Sciences for the Rockefeller Foundation and Professor of Population and Family Health at Columbia University. He has written extensively on international population matters and is frequently called upon to speak to both academic and general audiences. Since joining IPPF, he has become a public spokesperson on population and reproductive health issues.

Dr. Sinding is a graduate of Oberlin College and holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Abt Associates, a private, employee-owned company, applies scientific research and technical assistance expertise to a wide range of social, economic and technological policy issues; international development; clinical trials and registries; and complex business problems. Founded in 1965, Abt Associates provides services to U.S. federal, state and local governments; foreign governments; international organizations; foundations; and business and industry. Its staff of over 1,000 is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Bethesda, Maryland; Chicago, Illinois; and in Africa, Asia, Central Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.