International Center for Research on Women Appoints Ann Warner Interim CEO

Washington, D.C. – Today, the board of directors at the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) — the global leader for advancing gender equity, social inclusion, and shared prosperity through research — appointed Ann Warner as interim CEO, effective October 2, 2023. A global advocate for women and girls with more than 20 years of experience, this is a homecoming for Warner.

For eight years, Warner was ICRW’s Senior Youth and Gender Specialist, spearheading groundbreaking studies such as “More Power to Her: How Empowering Girls can End Child Marriage.”  She understands our mission fully, and her appointment will accelerate ICRW’s efforts to recalibrate power dynamics and foster inclusive ecosystems in Asia and Africa, including the Gender Centers of Excellence. With the deep bench of talent across our globally connected network – including Ravi Verma, Director of ICRW Asia and Evelyne Opondo, Director of ICRW Africa – and the Board’s ongoing support and oversight, ICRW’s vital work will continue stronger than ever.

“For more than four decades, the International Center for Research on Women has set the global agenda for driving transformative change for women and girls,” said Tara Abrahams, Chairwoman of the ICRW Board. “As we turn the page and begin ICRW’s next great chapter, Ann Warner is the right leader to advance our vision.”

Warner said: “It is an honor to be named Interim CEO of this historic institution as we transition into the next phase of our mission. When I first joined ICRW in 2008, I saw an enormous opportunity to change the landscape for women and girls for the better. Today, I’m more confident than ever in our ability today to advance the rights of women and girls worldwide, and especially look forward to collaborating with our regional teams across the Global South.”

Until Warner’s official start date, the organization will be overseen by Chairwoman Abrahams, Director Verma and Director Opondo, in coordination with the Executive Committee. Chairwoman Abrahams will also remain in her role as Head of Impact at The Meteor, a media company that uses the power of storytelling to advance gender equality and racial justice.

Warner was most recently the founding CEO for WREN, a nonprofit network advancing the health, economic well-being, and rights of South Carolina’s women, girls, and their families, for eight years. In that role, she led strategic visioning and planning, employee management, resource mobilizations, and program and policy development and evaluation. At ICRW in Washington D.C., she led research and advocacy initiatives to promote the health and empowerment of women and girls around the world. She has also served as Co-Chair of the US national chapter of Girls Not Brides: Global Partnership to End Child Marriage. Warner has conducted research on violence against women and girls in the West African nation of Liberia in collaboration with the International Rescue Committee, as well as built support for humanitarian relief and development programs around the world through CARE USA. Ann received her BA from Wellesley College, and has a masters from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and the School of Public Health.

Peggy Clark stepped down as ICRW’s CEO effective August 31. ICRW will dedicate the several months to a listening and learning tour with the organization and its employees before commencing a global search to identify a permanent CEO.

###

About ICRW

ICRW is the premier applied research institute focused on women and girls. Our Research and Programs, Advocacy and Policy, and Private Sector teams focus on economic opportunity and security, health and reproductive health, gender norms, and climate action. With offices in Washington, DC, India, Kenya and Uganda, ICRW provides research and analysis to inform programs and policies that promote gender equality and help alleviate poverty. Learn more at https://www.icrw.org/.