Secretary-General Appoints Maria Calivis of Italy Deputy Executive Director (Programmes) Ad Interim, United Nations Children’s Fund

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Maria Calivis of Italy as Deputy Executive Director (Programmes) ad interim of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Prior to retiring from service, Ms. Calivis held several leadership positions in UNICEF, including Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa (2011‑2015), and for Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (2004-2009).  She was also Director and Chief of Staff (2009‑2011), Director of Change Management, and Representative in India and Tunisia.

Ms. Calivis brings a wealth of experience in leading UNICEF country programmes, coordinating and shaping the Fund’s response in humanitarian crises, organizational management, as well as being a facilitator in providing a greater focus to the organizational mandate on child equity.

The holder of a Master of Science in Social Policy and Development from the London School of Economics in the United Kingdom, Ms. Calivis also has a Master of Arts in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University in the United States, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the American University in Cairo, Egypt.