Gillian Martin Sorensen
Senior Adviser, United Nations Foundation

As Senior Adviser at the United Nations Foundation, Gillian Martin 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; newspaper editorial writers and television correspondents.

From l997 to 2003, she served as Assistant Secretary-General for External Relations on appointment by Secretary-General Kofi Annan. She was responsible for outreach to civil society including non-governmental organizations around the world. She was the contact point for the Secretary-General in relations between the UN and parliamentarians, the academic world, religious leaders and other groups committed to peace, justice, development and human rights. As a member of the Secretary-General’s inner circle, she had a role in his communications strategy as well as schedule planning. She was also the contact point for certain Host City matters.

Prior to that assignment Mrs. Sorensen served for four years (1993-1996) as Special Adviser for Public Policy to Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali where her duties included directing the UN’s worldwide Fiftieth Anniversary observances in l995. Mrs. Sorensen earlier served for over 12 years (1978-1990) on appointment by Mayor Edward I. Koch as New York City Commissioner for the United Nations and Consular Corps, head of the City’s liaison with the world’s largest diplomatic community.

In the fall of 2002, on leave of absence from the United Nations, she was a Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government (Institute of Politics) at Harvard University.

Mrs. Sorensen is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Women’s Forum and the Women’s Foreign Policy Group. She previously served as a Board Member of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting on appointment by the President of the United States. In addition to her public service, she has been active in politics and was a delegate to three national Presidential conventions.