Senior International Development Leader and Attorney
Ms. Anne Simmons-Benton is a senior international development leader and attorney with more than 30 years of experience in government, private sector, and academia. She has worked in more than 32 countries, managing and leading complex, critical federal government priorities, including the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Integrated Framework for Least Developed Countries, the Presidential Initiative on Trade Capacity Building, including negotiations on the Central American Free Trade Agreement, the US Contribution to the Stability Pact in the Balkans, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Regional Investment Initiative under Gore Chernomyrdin in Russia. She brings a strong passion and enthusiasm for advancing equity for women, and promoting social justice and the rule of law around the world.
Anne was elected Chair of the UNA-NCA Board of Directors in 2024. She is Chair of the Women20 (W20) USA 2026 and Co-Head of the US Delegation to the W20, an official engagement group of the G20, the Deputy Chair for the Society for International Development – US and a Principal at Deep Water Point and Associates.
Anne earned her BS in foreign service from the Georgetown University Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service and her JD from Antioch School of Law (DC). She holds a Change Management Advanced Practitioner (CMAP) Certificate from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including a USAID Certificate of Appreciation, Superior Group Award, and Meritorious Unit Citation Award. She is also a licensed attorney. Anne and her husband, Jonathan Benton, have three adult children and four grandchildren.
Vision Statement
As Chair for a second term, I look forward to working closely with the Board of Directors to strengthen UNA-NCA, enhance the sustainability of the organization and to fulfill the goals laid out in our charter.
In a time of geopolitical uncertainty, the leadership of the U.S. at the United Nations is very important and the programs that UNA-NCA delivers supports understanding of the critical role that the U.S. plays.
