The RISK Award Jury

The jury who makes the final RISK Award decision consists of a board of internationally renowned experts in the field of disaster risk reduction representing a variety of backgrounds (developing countries and developed countries, gender-balanced, politicians, scientists and practitioners). They stand for a fair, objective and targeted decision process.

Paola Albrito has served in the United Nations System since 1999. Ms. Albrito joined the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) in 2004 for the Second UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction. She also acted as Representative to the European Institutions and directed activities to support disaster resilience and partnership building actions within the region’s 55 countries. In her subsequent role as Chief of UNDRR’s Intergovernmental Processes, Interagency Cooperation and Partnership Branch (from 2019), Ms. Albrito coordinated interagency efforts in supporting the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and partnership building initiatives related to risk informed investments and actions. She was appointed as UNDRR Director on 1 October 2022.

Renate Bleich is the chair of the Munich Re Foundation. The foundation addresses major global challenges including environmental and climate change as well as disaster prevention. Previously, she was responsible for further developing Munich Re’s sustainability strategy and putting the Group’s activities in a wider context, e.g. the SDG’s. One particular focus of her work is on climate change. Renate holds a Master’s degree in economic geography from LMU Munich.

Susan Cutter is a Carolina Distinguished Professor of Geography at the University of South Carolina where she co-directs the Hazards Vulnerability and Resilience Institute. She received her BA from California State University, Hayward and her MA and Ph.D. (1976) from the University of Chicago. Her primary research interests are in disaster vulnerability/resilience science — what makes people and the places where they live vulnerable to extreme events and how vulnerability and resilience are measured. She is an elected member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and an elected foreign member of The Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters.

Michael Havbro Faber is Professor at the Department of the Built Environment at Aalborg University, Denmark. From 2000-2011, he was a tenured professor at ETH, Zurich, Switzerland. His research interests are directed on governance and management of risks, resilience and sustainability. Present engagements include the Joint Committee on Structural Safety, the WEF; Global Expert Network on Risk and Resilience, the Global Risk Forum in Davos, the GLOBE Consensus on sustainability in the built environment and the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences (ATV).

Nuraini Rahma Hanifa works with the Research Center for Geological Disaster, Research Organization of Earth Sciences and Maritime, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), previously known as the Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI). She holds a bachelor and master from the Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) Indonesia, and received her Doctor of Science from Nagoya University, Japan. She has been an appointed young scientist representative in the Asia Pacific Science, Technology and Academia Advisory Group (AP-STAG) of UNDRR and received the 2021 WIN DRR Leadership Award.

Benjamin S. Karmorh is a scientist and administrator with an international and local reputation who has played key roles in enabling Liberia uphold its responsibilities and commitments to the United Nations Climate Change Regulatory Frameworks, including his management and leadership for the preparation of national climate change communications and reports to international bodies. He has to his credit more than 10 years of successful work experience with the EPA.

Nathanial (Nate) Matthews is Director of Programs at the Global Resilience Partnership and a member of the Secretariat of the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance. He has over 16 years’ experience in resilience, disaster risk reduction, adaptation and mitigation spanning 30 countries. He holds a PhD in Geography, has published two books and authored over 55 scientific publications and reports. He holds a number of external positions including as a Senior Visiting Fellow at King’s College London, an Obama Foundation Mentor and an IPBES Lead Author.

As of 1 August 2020, Xiaomeng Shen assumed the role of UNU Vice-Rector in Europe (UNU-ViE) and Director of the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS). As the UNU Vice-Rector in Europe, Prof. Shen facilitates collaboration between UNU and stakeholders in and outside of the United Nations. As the Director of UNU-EHS, Prof. Shen is the chief academic and administrative officer of the Institute and oversees its direction, organization and programmes.

The RISK Award Jury

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