Caroline Descombris has been leading Forest Whitaker’s non-profit organization, the Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI), since its creation in 2012. She has worked alongside Forest Whitaker on the
creation of the NGO, the conception of programs, and the development on the ground. Under her leadership, the Youth Peacemaker Network, WPDI's flagship program, has expanded to nine countries: South Sudan, Uganda, Mexico, South Africa, Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, France, and the United States. She also leads WPDI's
fundraising efforts and liaises with its partners and donors.
Ms. Descombris acts as Liaison Officer and Strategic Adviser to Forest Whitaker in his various capacities at the UN, including as UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, Chair of the International Institute for Peace (UNESCO Category 2 Institute), member of the Sustainable Development Goals Advocacy Group, and Advocate for Children Affected by War.
Before joining WPDI, Ms. Descombris had worked for more than ten years within the UN system, first as Membership Liaison Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean, and later as Executive Officer of UNESCO's Bureau of Strategic Planning. She holds a five-year university degree in International and Legal Affairs from the Paris Institut Supérieur du Commerce.