Rajiv Shah, left, and Alfonso Lenhardt

U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Rajiv Shah, who announced in December that he would resign, left the job Wednesday, and Alfonso Lenhardt, his deputy, is serving as the acting administrator.

Lenhart served as the U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania from 2009 to 2013.

From 2004 to 2009, he was the president and CEO of the nonprofit National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC).

He was the senior vice president of government relations for The Shaw Group from 2003 to 2004.

In 2001, Lenhardt was appointed the 36th sergeant at arms and doorkeeper of the Senate and became the first African American to serve as an officer of the Congress.

He served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Council on Foundations from 1997 to 2001.

With more than 30 years of service in the U.S. Army, Lenhardt retired in 1997 as major general.

He received a bachelor of science from the University of Nebraska, a master of public administration from Central Michigan University, a master of science from Wichita State University, and did post-graduate studies at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and the University of Michigan School of Business.

He is also a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy.

Last Thursday Shah delivered his final speech as administrator at an event hosted by the American Enterprise Institute and the Center for American Progress. A video of the speech is posted online. (See link.)

Devex, an international development website, has published an extensive analysis of Shah's tenure at USAID.

Shah has not announced his future plans.

▪ USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah reflects on a half-decade of development leadership (Video)
▪ Devex — Rajiv Shah’s USAID legacy