Hon. Henrietta Fore

Chairman & CEO, Holsman International; Former Executive Director, UNICEF; Former Administrator, USAID

Bio Current as of January 25, 2024

Hon. Henrietta H. Fore has been a recognized leader in the United Nations, business, corporate boards, nonprofit organizations and the United States Government. From 2018 to 2022, Ms. Fore served as Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), working in 192 countries and territories to save children’s lives, to defend their rights, and to help them fulfil their potential. UNICEF is a $7 billion agency with a staff of over 20,000 in health, education, nutrition, water, sanitation and protection programs.

Since stepping down from UNICEF on January 31, 2022, Ms. Fore has joined the Corporate Boards of Imperative Care, a biotechnology company focused on strokes; EQT Future Fund, an impact driven private capital fund; Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) for global health crises; and has returned to the boards of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and her private companies in steel building materials, agriculture and international innovative products and services.

Ms. Fore has prior corporate board service on Essilor International SA (EN Paris: EI), Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM), General Mills (NYSE: GIS), TheravanceBiopharma Inc. (NASDAQ: TBPH), The Dexter Corporation (NYSE) and HSB Group (NYSE). 

During her career, Ms. Fore has worked with leaders and policy makers across the world. From 2007 to 2009, Ms. Fore served as the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and Director of United States Foreign Assistance, holding the equivalent rank as Deputy Secretary of State. Ms. Fore was the first woman to serve in these roles. She was responsible for managing $39.5 billion of U.S. foreign assistance annually, including support to peoples and countries recovering from disaster, and building their futures economically, politically and socially. She served on the Boards of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Millennium Challenge Corporation. Ms. Fore received the Distinguished Service Award in 2009, the highest award the Secretary of State can bestow.

From 2005 to 2007, Ms. Fore served as Under Secretary of State for Management, the Chief Operating Officer for the Department of State. She was responsible forthe people, resources, facilities, technology and security of the Department and was the Secretary’s principal advisor on management issues. She oversaw a management budget of $3.6 billion, 7,200 employees, 30,000 contractors and 267 embassies and posts in 172 countries.

Ms. Fore served as the 37th Director of the United States Mint in the Department of Treasury from 2001 to 2005. She managed the world’s largest manufacturer of coins, medals, and coin products. The United States Mint produced 13 billion coins in 2004 for the nation’s trade, as well as gold, silver and platinum bullion coins, commemorative coins and medals for investors and collectors. She was elected President of the International Mint Directors. Ms. Fore received the Alexander Hamilton Award in 2005, the Department of Treasury’s highest honor.

Ms. Fore served as Chair of the Middle East Investment Initiative, Global Co-Chair of Asia Society, Co-Chair of WomenCorporateDirectors, Co-Chair of Generation Unlimited GLC, Chair of End Violence Campaign, Chair of Scale Up Nutrition Lead Group, and Chief Executives Board of the United Nations Secretary General. She was a Trustee of the Aspen Institute and served on the Boards of the Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, Center for Global Development, and Initiative for Global Development. She is a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy, American Leadership for a WaterSecure World Campaign Cabinet, Chief Executives Organization, Committee of 200, Council on Foreign Relations, Economic Club of New York, International Women’s Forum, Wellesley College Business Leadership Council, WomenCorporateDirectors, and Young Presidents’ Organization / World Presidents’ Organization.

Ms. Fore has a Bachelor of Arts in History from Wellesley College and a Master of Science in Public Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. In 2022, Ms. Fore received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun from the Emperor of Japan, the highest award for foreign nationals. Also in 2022, she received the American Committees on Foreign Relations Distinguished Service Award for the Advancement of Public Discourse on Foreign Policy. In 2020, she received Rotary International’s Rotary Award of Honor and U.S. Global Leadership Coalition’s Leadership Award. In 2013, she received CRDF Global’s George Brown Award for International Scientific Cooperation. She has also studied International Politics at Oxford University and Corporate Boards at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Ms. Fore is married. She is a sailor, and collector of antique Holsman Automobiles, as well as a lemon and avocado rancher in Santa Barbara, CA.