Chief Operating Officer, AfriAsia Group
Email: jacien@afriasiagroup.com
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and historian of Africa whose work spans the continent's cultural, military, colonial, and contemporary political history. Jacien is Assistant Director of the Center for African Studies at The Ohio State University, Chair of the Association of African Studies Programs, and President of the Liberian Studies Association. Earlier in his career he served as finance manager of a U.S. government contractor performing intellectual work for the U.S. Department of State. At AfriAsia Group he leads day-to-day operations and delivery for clients across the US, Africa, and East Asia.
Scholar, Operator, Veteran
Jacien has traveled to seventeen countries and lived in six. He is fluent in French and familiar with Italian, German, and Spanish. That cross-cultural fluency, combined with military service and hands-on financial and program management, anchors how AfriAsia Group delivers.
Chair of the Association of African Studies Programs (U.S.) since 2024 and President of the Liberian Studies Association since 2024, after serving as Vice Chair and Vice President.
Ran the financial operations of Quality Support Inc., a small-business U.S. government contractor doing intellectual work for the U.S. Department of State, including payroll for about 100 employees and dozens of consultants.
Honorably discharged after active service, bringing operational discipline and a firsthand understanding of military institutions to AfriAsia Group's work.
Career
Leads day-to-day operations, translating the firm's strategic advisory work into disciplined delivery for clients across the US, Africa, and East Asia, and building the internal systems that let the firm scale.
Implements the Center's academic programs and initiatives, supports grant writing, reviews monthly financial statements, and reports to the Vice Provost for International Affairs. Leads outreach to Ohio State's Africanist scholars and student organizations, to other African Studies programs in Ohio, and to the African community in Columbus, and serves as liaison to Columbus City Hall.
Subject-matter expert briefer to diplomats and United Nations officials.
Research Associate on a European Research Council-funded project on foreign concessionary companies in Liberia and Sierra Leone (2022-2023); Historian and in-country expert for a documentary on Firestone in Liberia, and Teaching Fellow for "African History through the Lens of Economics" at the Wheeler Institute (2022); Research Assistant on the Ethnic Power Relations dataset (2019-2021); and Visiting Scholar at Indiana University's African Studies Program (2019-2021).
Researched press freedom in Africa, documented abuses against journalists, and built networks of academics and civil-society supporters of press freedom.
Managed all internal financial procedures and accounting practices for a successful small-business government contractor that performed intellectual work for the U.S. Department of State (then based in Landover, Maryland; now in Alexandria, Virginia). Managed the general ledger, ran payroll, 1099s, and tax documents for about 100 employees and dozens of consultants, assisted the Chief Financial Officer with quarterly and financial statements, implemented ADP Workforce Now company-wide, and trained and supervised junior staff.
Served on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps, an experience that informs his engagement with defense, security, and military-affiliated institutions in his academic and advisory work.
Jacien Carr (center, navy suit) with U.S. Army personnel at The Ohio State University.
Scholarship & Service
Jacien's research centers on West Africa and on the colonial, military, and political history of the region, including traditional religions and culture. His dissertation examines the Poro, Bundu, and Sande power associations of Liberia and Sierra Leone, and his master's thesis analyzed the role of the Poro society in the First Liberian Civil War.
He reviews manuscripts for the British Journal for Military History, the Journal of African Military History, the Journal of Internal Displacement, and H-Net, and has presented at the African Studies Association, the Society for Military History, the European Conference on African Studies, and the Liberian Studies Association.
Selected Work
Areas of Expertise
Languages: fluent in French; familiar with Italian, German, and Spanish.
Background: dual Liberian and U.S. citizen; has lived in six countries.
Education
Jacien is enthusiastic about teaching and telling Africa's history while promoting harmony and understanding between people of diverse ethnic and national backgrounds.From Jacien's professional summary
For partnership, operations, or university-practice inquiries, reach our team directly.
Contact AfriAsia Group