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 winner of the annual Women Building Peace Award.

The Women Building Peace Council includes:

Jacqueline Adams
J Adams: Strategic Communications, LLC

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, MBE
CEO/Founder, 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 at National Museum of Women in the Arts

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

Abigail E. Disney
Filmmaker, Philanthropist and Activist

Laurie S. Fulton
U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark (2009-2013)

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

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

Shaista Mahmood
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
Global Head, Sustainability and Inclusive Growth, and Global Head, Sovereign Business, Goldman Sachs

Pat Mitchell
Founder and CEO, Pat Mitchell Media

Michelle Nunn
President and CEO, CARE USA

Maya Soetoro
Associate Specialist and Graduate Chair, 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

Melanne Verveer
Executive Director, Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security