Catherine "Cathy" Bertini is an American
public servant
The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
. She is the 2003
World Food Prize
The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world. Conceived by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nor ...
Laureate. She was the
Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Program from 1992 to 2002. She served as the UN
Under-Secretary for Management from 2003 to 2005. Currently she is a distinguished fellow at the
Chicago Council on Global Affairs, the Chair of the Board of the
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a non-profit foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland. GAIN was developed at the UN 2002 Special Session of the General Assembly on Children. GAIN’s actions include improving the consumption ...
(GAIN) and the Chair of the Executive Board of the
Crop Trust
The Crop Trust, officially known as the Global Crop Diversity Trust, is an international nonprofit organization with a secretariat in Bonn, Germany. Its mission is to conserve and make available the world's crop diversity for food security.
Establ ...
.
Background and education
Bertini was born in
Syracuse,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
in 1950. She earned a
bachelor’s degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six y ...
in
political science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
from the State University of New York at Albany. At Albany, Bertini was president of the
College Republicans
College Republicans are college and university students who support the Republican Party of the United States. Many members belong to the organization College Republican National Committee (CRNC), College Republicans United (CRU), or various in ...
and worked full-time in the last gubernatorial campaign of
Nelson A. Rockefeller. For five years after college, she held positions in the Republican Party as a youth director in New York State and for the Republican National Committee, and as a congressional campaign manager for
George Wortley (R- Syracuse). In 1982, she ran for US Congress herself in the 9th District of Illinois.
International career
Executive Director of the World Food Program, United Nations
Bertini was appointed in 1992 by the
Secretary-General of the United Nations
The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
The role of the secretary-g ...
and the Director-General of the
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...
, on the recommendation of President
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...
. In 1997, she was reappointed with the endorsement of President
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
, together with that of the Group of 77 developing countries and the Executive Board of WFP.
As
chief executive officer
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
of the organization, Bertini transformed WFP into the world's largest and most responsive humanitarian organization. She is credited with assisting hundreds of millions of victims of wars and natural disasters throughout
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
,
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
,
Latin America
Latin America or
* french: Amérique Latine, link=no
* ht, Amerik Latin, link=no
* pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...
, the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
, and parts of
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russ ...
and the
former Soviet Union
The post-Soviet states, also known as the former Soviet Union (FSU), the former Soviet Republics and in Russia as the near abroad (russian: links=no, ближнее зарубежье, blizhneye zarubezhye), are the 15 sovereign states that wer ...
. In particular, she was widely praised for her efforts to end famine in
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
; averting starvation in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
by delivering enormous amounts of urgently needed food aid in 2001; ensuring the provision of food supplies during the crises in
Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and He ...
and
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
; and in 2000, averting the mass starvation that threatened 16 million people in the
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
.
Bertini also led efforts to empower poor
women
A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or Adolescence, adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female hum ...
through the use of
food aid
In international relations, aid (also known as international aid, overseas aid, foreign aid, economic aid or foreign assistance) is – from the perspective of governments – a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another.
Ai ...
. In recognition of her leadership at WFP in ending famine and decreasing hunger, she received the
World Food Prize
The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world. Conceived by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nor ...
, known as the "Nobel Prize for Food and Agriculture" in 2003.
Rather than accepting the prize money, she established the Catherine Bertini Trust Fund for Girls' Education that provides grants to local organizations that improve access to training and education for women and girls.
She also chaired the UN System Standing Committee on Nutrition and served as the
Secretary General's envoy twice: for drought in the
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
and for humanitarian needs in
Gaza and the
West Bank
The West Bank ( ar, الضفة الغربية, translit=aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah; he, הגדה המערבית, translit=HaGadah HaMaʽaravit, also referred to by some Israelis as ) is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
.
Under-Secretary General For Management, United Nations
Secretary-General
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan (; 8 April 193818 August 2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. He was the founder ...
appointed Bertini as
Under-Secretary for Management in 2003.
She was responsible for administering the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
’ human, financial and physical resources.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
From 2007 to 2009, she served as a
Senior Fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
in Agricultural Development at the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was l ...
. She contributed to the development of the foundation’s new agricultural framework, seeking to improve the lives of poor farmers, especially
women
A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or Adolescence, adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female hum ...
farmers
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mi ...
. She led the first gender initiatives at the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was ...
.
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Catherine Bertini is a Distinguished Fellow at the
Chicago Council on Global Affairs. She helped create and co-chaired the Council's Global Agriculture Development Initiative (GADI) from 2008 to 2013. GADI has been an influential voice in US government circles advocating for new priorities for support for poor farmers within
international development
International development or global development is a broad concept denoting the idea that societies and countries have differing levels of economic or human development on an international scale. It is the basis for international classifications ...
programs. She also chaired the Council's two Girls in Rural Economies projects, one in 2011 and one in 2018 and co-chaired the Council's domestic Agriculture Task Force in 2007 and 2012.
The Rockefeller Foundation
From 2017 to 2019 Catherine served as a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow. Bertini worked on a fellowship project titled "Leadership in Response to a Changing World" which reviewed the international institutions and programs that could help advance humanitarian relief, development, and pandemic response. She published a report titled "Leading Change in United Nations Organizations", which gives guidance to incoming senior management in the United Nations and advice on leading transformational change.
Domestic career
During the President
George H.W. Bush
George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; p ...
administration, Catherine Bertini served as Acting Assistant Secretary of the Family Support Administration in the
United States Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the U.S. federal government created to protect the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is ...
, and as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Food and Consumer Services at the
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the United States federal executive departments, federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, ...
.
During the
Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
administration, Bertini was the Director of the Office of Family Assistance at DHHS. She was responsible for regulations that strengthened education and training support for the poorest American women in support of the
Family Support Act
The Family Support Act of 1988 () was a federal law that amended Title IV of the Social Security Act to revise the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program to emphasize work, child support and family benefits, as well as on withholdi ...
of 1988.
Board for International Food and Agricultural Development
President George W. Bush appointed and President Barack Obama reappointed her to the
, where she advised USAID for nine years (2006-2015) on agriculture and higher education issues pertinent to food insecurity in developing countries.
Accountability Review Board
In 2012, Catherine Bertini was named to serve on the State Department's five-member Accountability Review Board that examined the facts and circumstances of the attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
State and Local Government
Earlier in her career, Bertini was appointed by
Illinois Governor James R. Thompson
James Robert Thompson Jr. (May 8, 1936 – August 14, 2020), also known as Big Jim Thompson, was an American attorney and politician who served as the 37th governor of Illinois from 1977 to 1991. A moderate Republican who sometimes took more ...
as a member of the Illinois Human Rights Commission, and as a member of the Illinois State Scholarship Commission.
Academic career
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs (Maxwell School) is the professional public policy school of Syracuse University, a private research university in Syracuse, New York. The school is organized in 11 academic departments and 13 ...
In 2005, Bertini joined the faculty of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at
Syracuse University
Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
. She taught graduate courses in Managing Change in the United Nations, Girl's Education, International Organizations, Executive Leadership, Food Security, and Post-Conflict Reconstruction. She served for one year as Chair of the International Relations Department and one year as the Vice-Chair of the Public Administration and International Affairs Department. She taught at the
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs (Maxwell School) is the professional public policy school of Syracuse University, a private research university in Syracuse, New York. The school is organized in 11 academic departments and 13 ...
for twelve years and in 2018 was named
professor emeritus
''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...
.
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
In 2002, she taught for one semester as Policy Maker in Residence at the
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
.
Institute of Politics at the
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in public policy, public ...
In 1986, she taught for one semester as a Fellow at the Institute of Politics at the
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in public policy, public ...
at
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
.
Private sector career
Before joining the
federal government
A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...
, she served for ten years in public affairs positions at the Container Corporation of America in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
, where she ran its public affairs department, its foundation, and where she created its political action committee.
Recent awards
Bertini is the 2003 World Food Prize Laureate and, in 2007, was awarded the Gene White Lifetime Achievement Award for Child Nutrition. She has also been named a Champion of the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit. Concern Worldwide U.S. presented her its Brigid Award in 2010. She is also the recipient of the 2011
Borlaug CAST Communication Award. In 2013, she received the Women Extraordinaire Award from the International Women Associates. Twelve universities in four countries have awarded her honorary degrees.
Professional affiliations
*Global Food Banking Network, Member
*
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a non-profit foundation based in Geneva, Switzerland. GAIN was developed at the UN 2002 Special Session of the General Assembly on Children. GAIN’s actions include improving the consumption ...
, Chair of Board
*Lugar Center, Affiliated Expert
*
Center for Strategic & International Studies, Senior Non-Resident Advisor
*Stuart Family Foundation, Board Member
*Scowcroft Institute, Bush School, Texas A&M University, Member of Advisory Board
*COMPACT 2025 Leadership Council of the International Food Policy Research Institute, Member
*
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank
A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, mi ...
, Member
*
National Academy of Public Administration, Fellow
*Global Child Nutrition Foundation, Honorary Advisor
*
International Union of Food Science and Technology
The International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) ( ) is the global scientific organization and voice for food science and technology representing more than 300,000 food scientists, engineers and technologists through its work in m ...
, Fellow
Honorary degrees
*Doctor of Science,
McGill University
McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...
, Montreal, Canada
*Doctor of Humane Letters,
State University of New York
The State University of New York (SUNY, , ) is a system of public colleges and universities in the State of New York. It is one of the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States. Led by c ...
, Cortland, New York
*Doctorate,
Slovak Agricultural University, Nitra, Slovak Republic
*Doctor of Science,
Pine Manor College
Pine Manor College (PMC) was a private college in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1911 and was historically a women's college until 2014. It currently serves fewer than 400 students, many of whom live on the 40-acre campus. Origin ...
, Boston, Massachusetts
*Doctor of Humane Letters,
American University of Rome, Italy
*Doctor of Public Service,
John Cabot University
John Cabot University (JCU) is a private American-style university in Rome, Italy. It was founded in 1972 and it offers undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and study abroad programs to English-speaking students. The university has more tha ...
, Rome Italy
*Doctor of Humane Letters,
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago (Loyola or LUC) is a private Jesuit research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola is one of the largest Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Cathol ...
, Illinois
*Doctor of Humane Letters,
Dakota Wesleyan University
Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) is a private Methodist university in Mitchell, South Dakota. It was founded in 1885 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The student body averages slightly fewer than 800 students. The campus of th ...
, Mitchell, South Dakota
*Doctor of Humane Letters,
University of South Carolina, Spartanburg, SC
*Doctor of Humane Letters,
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York. The college was founded in 1819 as the Baptist Education Society of the State of New York and operated under that name until 1823, when it was renamed Hamilton Theologi ...
, Hamilton, New York
*Doctor of Humane Letters,
University of Delaware
The University of Delaware (colloquially UD or Delaware) is a public land-grant research university located in Newark, Delaware. UD is the largest university in Delaware. It offers three associate's programs, 148 bachelor's programs, 121 mas ...
, Newark, Delaware
*Doctor of Humane Letters, Bryant University, Rhode Island
Selected past board service
*Board of International Food and Agricultural Development,
USAID
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 bi ...
Presidential Appointee, Washington D.C.
*UN Women Audit Advisory Committee, Member
*Hilton Foundation Humanitarian Prize, Juror
*
United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition, Chair
*United Nations, Chief Executives’ Board Member and Chair, Management Committee, NY
*United Nations International School Board of Trustees, Chair, NY
*
World Food Security’s High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition, Member, Rome, Italy
*
Tupperware Brands
Tupperware Brands Corporation, formerly Tupperware Corporation, is an American multinational company that produces home product lines that includes kitchen gadgets, preparation, storage containers, and serving products for the kitchen and home. ...
, Member
*Henri Dunant Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, Board Member, Geneva, Switzerland
*Commodity Credit Corporation, Presidential Appointee, Washington D.C.
*Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Board Member, Chicago, IL
*
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
CGIAR (formerly the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) is a global partnership that unites international organizations engaged in research about food security. CGIAR research aims to reduce rural poverty, increase food ...
(CGIAR), System Management Board Member
References
External links
Biography on Maxwell School WebsiteChicago Council on Global Affairs BiographyWFP Biography
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bertini, Catherine
1950 births
Executive Directors of the World Food Programme
Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Living people
Syracuse University faculty
University at Albany, SUNY alumni
American officials of the United Nations
Agriculture and food award winners