The current Executive Director (CEO) of UNICEF is Ms. Catherine M. Russell.
Ms. Russell was appointed as the Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, on February 1, 2022. She brings extensive experience in public service and international affairs to the role.
Prior to her appointment at UNICEF, Ms. Russell served as Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel under the Biden-Harris Administration. She has a distinguished career focusing on various policy and operational roles, including serving as the United States Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues in the Obama Administration.
Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy (magna cum laude) from Boston College and a Juris Doctor degree from the George Washington University Law School.
