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School of Diplomacy and International Relations

Board of Overseers: Gillian Sorensen

Senior Advisor, United Nations Foundation

Ms. Gillian Sorensen was most recently Senior Advisor to the United Nations Foundation. Ms. Sorensen is a national advocate on matters related to the United Nations and the United States-United Nations relationship, addressing audiences as diverse as Rotary International and the Air Force Academy; university students; staff and members of Congress; journalists and leaders of civil society. She served as assistant secretary-general for external relations on appointment by Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Prior to that, Ms. Sorensen served as special advisor for public policy. She led the coordination of the UN50 Summit at which 180 presidents and prime ministers participated. Ms. Sorensen earlier served as New York City Commissioner for the United Nations and Consular Corps. Ms. Sorensen is a graduate of Smith College and studied at the Sorbonne. She was a Teaching Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She has been active in politics and was a delegate to three national presidential conventions.

Education:

  • Smith College
  • Sorbonne