George Ward

Biography provided by participant

George Ward joined World Vision as Senior Vice President for International Programs in June 2005. Previously, he had been Vice President and Director of the Professional Training Program at the United States Institute of Peace, a federally funded non-governmental institution focused on the peaceful settlement of violent international conflicts. In 2005, he served concurrently as executive director of a Congressionally-mandated task force on reform of the United Nations. In 2003, he was coordinator for humanitarian assistance in Iraq. Ward was a U.S. Foreign Service Officer from 1969 until 1999. In addition to several assignments in the field of European security and political-military affairs, he served as deputy chief of mission in Germany, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for international organizations, and U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Namibia. In the latter capacity, he managed a successful humanitarian de-mining program and initiated a campaign against gender violence. He was an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1965-1969. He holds a masters degree from Harvard University.