One To World’s Conversations with World Leaders program is a series of face-to-face meetings with CEOs, philanthropists, civic leaders, and other influential New Yorkers. They wish to engage Fulbright students in an exchange of ideas and life stories.

This March, we invite interested Fulbright students to meet Esther Benjamin, CEO and Executive Director of World Education Services of World Education Services.

Esther Benjamin has been a global executive in the public, private, and civil society sectors over 25 years. She has led programs in over 100 countries worldwide. Esther is currently CEO and Executive Director of World Education Services, Inc., a non-profit social enterprise that evaluates and advocates for the recognition of international education qualifications. Esther was SVP for Global Public Affairs at Laureate Education, Inc., the global leader in providing access to high quality, innovative institutions of higher education. She was integrally involved in Laureate becoming the largest certified B Corp in the world, and the first Public Benefit Corporation to IPO on any stock exchange globally. She was previously Laureate’s CEO for Africa Operations and CEO of Monash South Africa, Laureate’s first university in Sub- Saharan Africa, with nearly 4,000 students from every country in Africa.

Esther served in President Obama’s Administration as Associate Director for Global Operations for the Peace Corps. She was a member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service and a Presidential Appointee. She oversaw Peace Corps programs in nearly 80 countries. Following the 2008 elections, she served on the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team. She was Executive Director for Resource Development at the International Partnership for Microbicides, a global biotechnology organization developing products for women in developing countries to protect themselves from HIV. In 1999, President Clinton appointed Esther a White House Fellow. In this capacity, she worked with Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman on international policies and programs. In 1994, Esther was appointed United Nations Humanitarian Affairs Officer, responsible for coordinating humanitarian aid in Somalia. Esther earned master’s degrees from American University in International Affairs and Applied Economics. In 2009, she was awarded American University’s Cyrus Ansary Medal, the highest university honor for public service, as well as the Outstanding Alumna Award by the School of International Service, where she serves on the Board of Advisors. She is a Trustee of North Central College, where she was a College Scholar and earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and English.

Please RSVP below. This is an application-based program. Only students accepted by email may RSVP. DO NOT SIGN UP UNLESS YOU RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM LEA AS YOU WILL NOT BE ADMITTED TO THIS PROGRAM WITHOUT THAT CONFIRMATION EMAIL.