Please click on a name on the left to view a biography of the speaker.
Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro
Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro of Tanzania has been the Deputy Secretary General of the United
Nations since 1 February 2007. She has served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs
in Tanzania. She helped coordinate elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo,
and supported the elections in Zambia and Madagascar. Dr. Migiro obtained a Master
of Laws degree from the University of Dar-es-Salaam and a Doctorate in Law from
the University of Konstanz in Germany.
Katherine Chon
Ms. Katherine Chon is the Co-Founder of Polaris Project, a leading non-profit organization
combating modern-day slavery in the United States and Japan. Sparked by a local
newspaper article describing the enslavement of women in a brothel a few miles from
where she lived, Katherine has spent the last ten years creating innovative solutions
to fight human trafficking. The organization works directly with victims, operates
the national hotline on human trafficking, and has passed landmark legislation across
the country. Katherine received her M.P.A. from Harvard Kennedy School, Sc.B. in
Psychology from Brown University, and completed the Executive Program for Nonprofit
Leaders at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Kenneth D. Johnson
Ken D. Johnson is part of Devconia LLC, an international development and cross cultural
management firm specializing in private sector development and sustainability management
with a focus on Africa. He has worked with several African governments and local
businesses, to promote economic growth and reduce poverty. Mr. Johnson has received
a certificate in business studies from the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry
and the Royal Society of Arts, and is a Baruch College alumnus.
Dr. Daniel F. Persico
Dr. Daniel F. Persico, Vice President, Strategic Marketing and Business Development,
was named such in July 2007. He originally joined KEMET in November 1997, and served
as Director of Tantalum Technology, Vice President of Tantalum Technology, and Vice
President of Organic Process Technology. Prior to his return to KEMET in December
2006, he held the positions of R&D Director at Cabot Corporation and Executive Vice
President and Chief Technology Officer of H.W. Sands Corporation, a manufacturer
and distributor of specialty chemicals. Dr. Persico holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from
the University of Texas and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Boston
College.
Radhika Coomaraswamy
Radhika Coomaraswamy is the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for
Children and Armed Conflict since April 2006. She serves as an independent moral
voice for the rights and protection of boys and girls affected by wars. Ms. Coomaraswamy,
a lawyer by training and formerly the Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Human Rights
Commission, is an internationally known human rights advocate who has done outstanding
work as Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women. Ms. Coomaraswamy has won many
awards from the International Law Award of the American Bar association to the Robert
S. Litvack Award from McGill University for her outstanding achievements. Ms. Coomaraswamy
is a graduate of the United Nations International School in New York, Yale University
(B.A.), Columbia University (J.D) and Harvard University (LLM). She has written
extensively on ethnicity, gender and human rights issues.
Lynn Stratford
Lynn Stratford is the Senior Vice President of Program and Strategic Partnershipsand
oversees the US Fund's work with U.S. based NGOs (non-governmental organizations),
educators, school children, campus groups, and other volunteers.
Lynn is also responsible for helping ensure program coherence between UNICEF and
the U.S. Fund staff in areas related to child survival. These include health care,
nutrition, clean water and sanitation, education and protection.
Previously, Lynn served as Chief of Staff at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, where she
was responsible for working with the Board of Directors and staff across the organization,
managing the organization's strategic planning process, the Management Council and
the U.S. Fund's Annual Meeting.
Ms. Stratford has been with the UNICEF family since 1991. From 2002 until 2007,
she helped create and manage UNICEF's Global Campaign on Children and AIDS. She
has worked with UNICEF in New York and various country offices. Her positions at
the U.S. Fund have included Director of Marketing and Development, Special Assistant
to the President and Assistant Director of Communications.
Ms. Stratford is a graduate of the Catholic University of America with a degree
in International Relations.
Johanna M. Esposito
Johanna M. Esposito has been a Special Agent with the FBI in New York for over 15
years. She currently investigates Civil Rights violations which include matters
involving Human Trafficking and Hate Crimes. Special Agent Esposito has also conducted
extensive investigations into international major theft rings and was an original
member of the FBI's Art Crime Team. Prior to joining the FBI, Special Agent Esposito
was a practicing attorney in downtown Manhattan specializing in Labor and Employment
as well as Entertainment Law.
Helen Benedict
Helen Benedict, professor of journalism at Columbia University, is the author of
six novels and five non-fiction books. Her most recent novel is
Sand Queen, which concerns female soldiers and Iraqi civilians. Helen
Benedict's books, Sand Queen, and
The Lonely Soldier, along with
her articles on the sexual assault of women in the military, inspired a class action
suit against the Pentagon and the award-winning documentary,
The Invisible War. Benedict has testified twice to Congress on behalf
of women soldiers, and has won several awards for her work, including the 2010 Exceptional
Merit in Media Award from the National Women's Political Caucus.
Rachel Lloyd
Rachel Lloyd is the Executive Director and Founder of GEMS and the author of Girls
Like Us (HarperCollins). Girls Educational & Mentoring Services (GEMS)
is the only organization in New York State specifically designed to serve girls
and young women who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and domestic
trafficking. She earned her BA in psychology from Marymount Manhattan College, and
an MA in applied urban anthropology from the City College of New York. She has received
numerous awards, including the prestigious Reebok Human Rights Award. Lloyd is an
Ashoka Fellow and a Prime Mover Fellow, and was a leading advocate for the Safe
Harbor for Exploited Youth Act, which makes New York the first state to protect,
not prosecute, sexually exploited children. She lives in New York City.