Valerie Newsom Guarnieri has been WFP Assistant Executive Director since January 2018. In this role, she leads cutting-edge program and policy development towards ending hunger, spear heading WFP efforts to ensure protection and inclusion, expand school meals and nutrition programs, empower women, build resilient food systems and support cash transfers and social protection. Previously, she also provided oversight for emergency and supply chain functions, ensuring delivery of essential food assistance to the most vulnerable, food insecure people around the world. Prior to this appointment, she served as WFP Regional Director for East and Central Africa providing supervision, strategic guidance and support for some of WFP’s largest and most complex country operations, as WFP’s global Program Director, and in a variety of country office, regional and headquarter positions since August 2000. Before WFP, she worked in the U.S. Government, at the National Security Council and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), as part of dedicated, inter-disciplinary teams to save lives and help create conditions for sustainable peace, with particular focus in Africa.