The Council is a brain trust of distinguished experts and leaders who offer their guidance and support to USIP as we elevate the voices of women peacebuilders. Drawing upon their collective expertise in the fields of gender and peacebuilding, the Council’s core role is to help select the recipient of the annual Women Building Peace Award.

The Women Building Peace Council includes:

Jacqueline Adams
Co-author, "A Blessing: Women of Color Teaming Up to Lead, Empower and Thrive;" President, J Adams: Strategic Communications, LLC

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, MBE
Founder and CEO, International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN)

Gary Barker
President and CEO, Equimundo

Megan Beyer, Co-chair
Director, Art in Embassies Program, U.S. Department of State

Marcia Myers Carlucci, Co-chair
Building Chair, Board of Trustees, National Museum of Women in the Arts

Johnnie Carson
Senior Advisor, U.S. Institute of Peace

Laurie S. Fulton
Former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark

Michelle J. Howard
Admiral (Ret.), United States Navy

Nancy Lindborg, Honorary Chair
President and CEO, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Shaista Mahmood
Philanthropist; Founding Member, U.S. Pakistan Women Council

Anita McBride
Executive-In-Residence, Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies, School of Public Affairs, American University

Dina Powell McCormick
Vice Chairman & President of Global Client Services, BDT & MSD Partners

Michelle Nunn
President and CEO, CARE USA

Maya Soetoro
Associate Specialist, Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, College of Social Sciences, University of Hawaii

Toni Verstandig
Co-Founder and Executive Director, Verstandig Family Foundation