Andy is a Research Professor Emeritus at Tufts University, USA. His career includes 17 years working in areas affected by conflict, drought, and complex emergencies in the Horn of Africa. He has led more than 50 evaluations of livestock, food security, agriculture, and human nutrition programs in humanitarian and development contexts. His programs included technical and coordination support to donors, governments, inter-governmental agencies, and UN agencies. His work on long-term trend analysis in pastoralist areas and commercialization processes helped to shape the policies of the African Union, IGAD, COMESA, and USAID. In 2005 Andy initiated and designed the LEGS project and he chaired the LEGS Steering Group from 2005 to 2015 and thereafter was a member of the LEGS Advisory Group. In 2019 he set up the SEADS project and chaired the SEADS Steering Group until early 2026. He currently chairs the joint LEGS-SEADS Technical Advisory Group.

Andy holds a PhD in epidemiology from the University of Edinburgh and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, UK.