WASHINGTON, DC, August 4, 2020 — The World Affairs Councils of America, the largest nonpartisan, nonprofit network in the United States dedicated to educating the public on global issues and international relations, today announced the appointment of
Glenn M. Creamer as Chairman of the
WACA Board of Directors. Creamer will serve with
Ambassador Roman Popadiuk, who joined as WACA Board Chairman in 2015. To ensure a smooth transition during the extraordinary challenges of the pandemic, the two will co-chair the Board until November, at which time Creamer will become sole Chairman.
“It has been a great honor to chair the national Board of Directors of WACA,” said Popadiuk. “I am proud of our accomplishments over the past five years in raising the profile of our DC headquarters and the nationwide Council network. We celebrated the centennial of our founding organization in 2018, and WACA this year achieved the strongest financial position in its history. Glenn’s leadership is precisely what WACA needs to sustain the network and advance WACA’s educational mission at a critical time.”
Creamer brings a wealth of international business and philanthropic experience to WACA. As a co-founder and Senior Managing Director of Providence Equity Partners, Creamer helped build a global private equity firm with offices, investments, and investors around the world. After a 31-year career in international private equity, he became a Senior Advisor to Providence Equity in 2019.
Creamer is Chairman of the Catholic Relief Services Foundation, which supports CRS’ activities in 114 countries around the world. He has traveled extensively to developing countries in Africa, Central America, Asia, the Middle East, and the Caribbean during his 15 years of involvement with CRS. Creamer is also a Director of the American Friends of Jamaica, Mustard Seed Communities, and the American Investment Council. He serves as President of the Thomas Becket Foundation at Brown University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Economics in 1984. He is a member of the Board of Dean’s Advisors at the Harvard Business School, where he received a Master of Business Administration in 1988.
"I am honored to join the Board as Chairman of this exceptional organization," said Creamer. "I believe that engaged and globally-knowledgeable citizens are important for our nation to flourish. During this extraordinary time of an international health crisis and rising national and global tensions, the work of the World Affairs Councils of America has never been more important. I am excited to work with Roman and fellow Board members and with CEO Bill Clifford and his dedicated team, together with World Affairs Council affiliates across the nation. I look forward to applying my business and philanthropic experience to advance WACA's important mission during these challenging times.”
“This is a pivotal moment in the history of our organization. I’m deeply grateful to Roman for his vision, dedication, and enthusiasm for growing our national flagship programs and forging a more cohesive Council network,” said Bill Clifford, WACA President and CEO. “I am equally excited about what the future holds under Glenn’s leadership. His strategic acumen and deep experience in the nonprofit and private sectors will be critical for WACA as we scale our digital programs and expand our outreach to diverse, multigenerational communities.”