Nancy E. Roman became Director of Public Policy, Communications and Private Partnerships of the UN World Food Programme in August 2007. Ms Roman supervises a global staff covering operations in 80 countries. In her capacity of Director of Public Policy Strategy, she helps craft the organization positioning on public policy issues ranging from climate change to biofuel.

As Director of Communications she manages the website, media relations, press office, video/photo and publications Units, celebrities and ambassadors, as well as communications with the private sector. In addition, Ms. Roman supervises the Private Donor Relations Division and chairs the Investment Policy Committee.

Prior to joining WFP, Ms. Roman’s 18-year career in Washington, DC spanned Capitol Hill, journalism, private business and the not-for-profit world. As Vice President and Director of the Washington Program of the Council on Foreign Relations, Ms. Roman oversaw the prestigious meetings program convening Council members with top National and International leaders. She also established the Council’s congressional program in Washington, DC. In this role she sought to better integrate the ideas generated and honed in the think tank with policymakers in Congress and the administration.

Ms. Roman authored “Both Sides of the Aisle: A Call for Bipartisan Foreign Policy” a Council Special Report published Fall 2005 that analyzes the political polarization in Washington and then proposes steps to build bridges between the parties for dialogue in foreign policy.

Prior to joining the Council, Ms. Roman was president of the G7 Group, a strategic consulting firm that advises Wall Street on how political, legislative, central banking and regulatory developments will affect institutional investments. The firm’s more than 120 clients – investment banks, hedge funds and asset management companies, were based in the financial communities of New York, London and Tokyo.

Ms. Roman also spent 10 years as journalist covering politics. Congress, foreign policy and economics. As congressional bureau chief for The Washington Times, she oversaw both the election and legislative coverage of the national newspaper. Her tenure was noted for its fair treatment of Democrats and Republicans alike. She also worked for several years as a political and economic reporter for the Fort Lauderdale News and Sun Sentinel.

Ms. Roman came to Washington in 1988 as press secretary and foreign affairs adviser for Representative Clay Shaw, Jr., a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee.

She holds a Master of Arts degree in International Economics and American Foreign Policy from the John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and French from Baylor University.

Ms. Roman is married to Steven Cohen and has two children, Daniel and Taylor Beth.

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