Kathleen Cravero-Kristofferson was appointed President of Oak Foundation in February 2009. In this capacity, she supports the Trustees of Oak Foundation to address issues of global, social and environmental concern, particularly those that have a major impact on the lives of the disadvantaged. She also provides leadership and guidance to Oak staff in each of the six substantive programmes of the Foundation, including the Environment, Child Abuse, Housing & Homelessness, International Human Rights, Issues Affecting Women and Learning Differences.
Before coming to Oak, Dr Cravero worked for over two decades on a range of international development issues, from newly emerging democracies to conflict and emergencies. Dr Cravero worked in various posts of increasing responsibility with UNAIDS, UNICEF, UNDP and WHO. Her two last assignments with the United Nations included Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery with the United Nations Development Programme (Feb 2005 – Jan 2009) and Deputy Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (from March 2000 to March 2005).
Earlier in her career, Dr Cravero served as UN Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Burundi (1998-2000); UNICEF Representative in Uganda (1994-1998); External Relations Officer of the World Health Organisation Global Programme on AIDS (1992-1994); UNICEF Senior Health Advisor (1988-1992); and UNICEF Programme Coordinator in Chad (1985-1988).
Dr Cravero holds a PhD in Political Science (Fordham University), and a Masters in Public Health (Columbia University).