Louise Oliver

As Distinguished Research Professor at IWP, Ambassador Oliver serves as a resource for students and faculty on a variety of topics, particularly multilateral diplomacy. She also organizes and hosts presentations by American and foreign ambassadors on the critical role of the ambassador in conducting public diplomacy.

From 2004 to 2009, Ambassador Oliver served as the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). As the first U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO in twenty years, Ambassador Oliver led the U.S. re-engagement with the Paris-based organization. Her leadership at UNESCO was particularly valuable in areas such as global literacy, particularly for women and girls, clean water, and freedom of expression, which included training journalists and promoting freedom of the press.

Prior to her appointment at UNESCO, Ambassador Oliver worked with a variety of non-profit organizations. In addition to serving as the Chairman of the Philanthropy Roundtable and of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, Ambassador Oliver served on the boards of six educational institutions, including the American University in Bulgaria. She also worked at the U.S. Department of Education in the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, and served as a Commissioner on the National Commission on Children.