Kenneth M. Kauffman

Kenneth Mark Kauffman, of Arlington, Va., passed away peacefully in his sleep on April 23, 2024, with family by his side. Kenneth was born March 24, 1930, in Sacramento, Calif., where he was raised. After earning his BA in Philosophy/Economics from UC Berkeley, Kenneth earned his MA and PhD in Economics from Harvard University. There he met his future wife, Pepita. She had four children; she and Kenneth had four more children together. With her advanced education, interest in world cultures, language aptitude and talent for engaging with people, Pepita was a tremendous asset to Kenneth as the family moved around the world throughout Kenneth’s career. Kenneth devoted himself to supporting the family and was a loving father to the children. He enjoyed reading to them, teaching them board and card games, and just spending time with them. He deserves a special award for patience while driving the family station wagon during many long vacation trips with the children. While studying at Harvard, Kenneth was an instructor at Wellesley College and later taught at Harvard. In 1961, President Kennedy appointed Harvard Professor J. K. Galbraith to serve as ambassador to India. He also created the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to lead the US government’s international development and humanitarian efforts. Ambassador Galbraith invited Kenneth to join his team as chief economist of the USAID Mission in New Delhi. Kenneth turned down a teaching offer from Williams College and accepted Ambassador Galbraith’s offer – a decision that shaped the rest of his career and life, resulting in wonderful experiences for the whole family while living in and visiting many countries around the world. Kenneth served in India for five years. He then worked as a senior research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York for a year while also under contract for continued work with the USAID Mission to India. He rejoined USAID and was assistant director/deputy director of the Mission to Turkey for six years. This was followed by a three-year appointment as deputy director of the Indonesia Mission. Kenneth’s next post was Washington, DC, as deputy assistant administrator of the office that supported the US representative to the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and as liaison with the United Nations, the World Bank, the US Treasury and more. Kenneth also completed the US State Department’s Senior Seminar program. The Senior Seminar is the most advanced professional development program available to career foreign policy and national security officials. Subsequently, he was sent to Paris for four years as US representative to the OECD/DAC, a top-level Mission director and an appointed career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor. Kenneth returned to Washington as associate assistant administrator in charge of USAID’s economic development staff, then was seconded to the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research as director of economic analysis staff. Following his retirement, he was honored with the USAID Administrator’s Award for Distinguished Career Service in recognition of superb technical, policy, and managerial performance for more than three decades of dedicated public service providing economic analysis and assisting policy formulation in USAID and the State Department. Kenneth and Pepita continued to travel extensively, both internationally and within the US. Well into later life, Kenneth took classes, played golf, belonged to an investment club, and devoted much time to his photography and computer hobbies. Kenneth was preceded in death by his parents, Mark and Irma Kauffman, as well as his wife, Pepita; his daughter, Suzette Fulton, his stepson, Gregor Kudarauskas; and his half-brothers Raymond and Norman Kauffman. Survivors include his brother, Stephen Kauffman (Janelle); his children, Laura Williams (Ted); Kenneth Y.M. Kauffman (Cameron); and Hilary Shughart (Bill); his stepchildren, Aleida Inglis, Lisa Forrence (Earl), and Mark Kudarauskas; his son-in-law William Fulton, his stepdaughter-in-law Margaret Kudarauskas; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He will remain forever in our hearts.