Melanne Verveer

Ensuring that women’s rights are fully integrated with human rights in the development of U.S. foreign policy.
President Barack Obama appointed Verveer as Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues in April 2009. The President’s decision to create a position of Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues is unprecedented, and reflects the elevated importance of these issues.

In this capacity, Ambassador Verveer coordinates foreign policy issues and activities relating to the political, economic and social advancement of women around the world. Verveer most recently served as Chair and Co-CEO of Vital Voices Global Partnership, an international nonprofit she co-founded. She also served as assistant to the President and chief of staff to the First Lady in the Clinton Administration and was chief assistant to then-First Lady Hillary Clinton in all her wide-ranging international activities to advance women’s rights and further social development, democracy, and peace-building initiatives. She also led the effort to establish the President’s Interagency Council on Women.

Ambassador Verveer has a B.A. and M.A. from Georgetown University. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Women’s Foreign Policy Group, and numerous other organizations.