Samantha Power

Samantha Power is an Irish‑American journalist, diplomat, author and government official whose career has spanned more than three decades of conflict reporting, academic scholarship, and high‑level policy work. Born in London on September 21, 1970, she grew up in Dublin before moving with her family to the United States, where she earned a history degree at Yale and a law degree at Harvard. Her early work as a war correspondent during the Yugoslav Wars in the mid‑1990s established her reputation for fearless reporting, and she later turned that experience into scholarly insight, writing the Pulitzer‑winning book “A Problem from Hell” that examined U.S. responses to genocide and helped popularize the “responsibility to protect” doctrine. Power’s transition from journalism to public service began with a fellowship for Senator Barack Obama, followed by senior roles on the National Security Council where she helped shape U.S. policy on human rights, Syria, Libya and the Atrocities Prevention Board.

As the 28th U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations from 2013 to 2017, Power championed UN reform, women's rights, LGBTQ+ protections, and decisive action against mass atrocities, famously urging intervention in Libya to halt civilian killings. In 2021 she became the 19th Administrator of USAID, overseeing a massive humanitarian effort during the COVID‑19 pandemic and navigating complex geopolitical challenges such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and debates over aid to Gaza. Beyond government, she holds academic positions at Harvard Law and Kennedy Schools, serves on numerous nonprofit boards, and continues to write and lecture on global security, human rights, and the ethics of intervention. Her career reflects a persistent belief that America must confront genocide and that proactive diplomacy can reshape a chaotic world.