Gillian Sorensen

A powerful woman with a unique vantage point on major international issues, Gillian Sorensen has achieved a distinguished career in the UN, spanning the administrations of Kofi Annan, under whom she served as Assistant Secretary-General for External Affairs, and Boutros Boutros-Ghali, for whom she served as Special Advisor for Public Policy. In the course of her service, she was responsible for 4,000 NGOs, she responded to other UN issues relating to the world at large, and she served as an emissary for the Secretary-General.

As a persuasive advocate for the UN, Sorensen is now a senior advisor to the UN Foundation. With a clear view of the big picture, she continues to address the world’s most pressing problems as she works to broaden UN support through advocacy, education, and public outreach.

With a rare insider perspective, she explores the issues that populate headlines such as foreign policy, humanitarian relief, global public health, human rights, and regions of conflict. She inspires and mobilizes individuals, communities, and organizations with her frank and proactive message about the importance of the UN and its many accomplishments.

Stepping beyond her influential role as an international civil servant, she engages and elevates discussions around the UN, the US, and the roles they serve in the world.