About Us
At Capacity Building International we have a simple goal…to help build more resilient and stable communities through the use of emergency and crisis management. We do this by leveraging strong, diverse, international partnerships and our deep expertise in international capacity building to increase client capability. We support US bilateral and security assistance programs, and large international program partners, to build capacity in the fields of emergency management, disaster response, governance, and institutional capacity building.
MORE ABOUT
Our Team
We support international programs through our team and network of international experts. At CBI we have a collective 60+ years of international experience with major international organizations, on international projects, including post-conflict and operational areas. Our goal is to not only enable, empower, and build more resilient communities so that we can increase stability, but to also contribute to better policy, programs, and delivery of international assistance. We support our clients with direct Subject Matter Expertise (SME) support through advising, coaching, and delivery of in country programs.
We also have an educational and advocacy approach. We deliver online training in partnership with a NATO Center of Excellence (COE), and we’ve developed The Career Guide system to help professionals, veterans, and higher education institutions contribute to international organizations.
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Kyle King
Founder and Managing Director of Capacity Building International. Kyle King has spent 28 years in the emergency services and international security field with 8 of those years being with NATO. Certified in the US Department of Defense as a Chief Fire Officer, he helped design and build the first international DoD Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program for international students, and also served as the first Civil Emergency Advisor to support NATO Operations. Among his other accomplishments, he worked to contribute to the development of NATO’s Security Force Assistance program and wrote NATO’s capacity building education and training program for Kosovo. Locations, where he has worked in missions, includes Bosnia, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Ukraine. Mr. King holds a Master's in Diplomacy and Terrorism Studies as well as a BS/BA in Public Administration as well as numerous certifications from the US Department of Defense, NATO, and other institutions.
ACADEMIC DIRECTOR
Dr. Erik Benson
Before joining CBI, he most recently served as a professor of history for 15 years at Cornerstone University (USA). He taught a wide variety of courses in American, European, and world history, as well as contemporary global affairs. His fields of study include the aviation history, American diplomatic history, modern American history, and 20th Century Europe. Throughout his career, he has been involved in international education in various forms; for example, he taught at the American University in Kosovo for a semester in 2015.
In addition to his content field, he is an active scholar in the field of pedagogy. He has published one monograph, numerous journal articles, and several book reviews, and has presented at a variety of conferences. He is currently chair of the board for the Economic and Business History Society.
INTERNATIONAL ADVISOR AND INSTRUCTOR
Dr. Manlio Silvestri
Doctor Manlio Silvestri left his military career after 30 years with the rank of Brigadier General, and then served at NATO Headquarters within the International Civilian Staff of the Operations Division for the past 15 years. During his military career he served as Commander of Italian Mountain Troops units across the Alps. His posts abroad included: Staff Planning Officer in UK, following the British Army Command and Staff College; Deputy Commander of the New Zealand Brigade during INTERFET operations in Indonesia; and NATO Liaison Officer at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, from 2001-2004.
During his civilian international experience at NATO Headquarters, he dealt with strategic political aspects of NATO Operations and Missions in the Balkans (KFOR) addressing the training assistance to Kosovo Security Forces; in Afghanistan (ISAF-RSM), specifically on the capacity building for the Afghan National Security Forces, including the normalisation of the Afghan aviation sector; and in Africa, facilitating NATO support to AU during its operations in South Sudan.