Geneva, Switzerland - Ms Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, Executive Director of UNITAR and UN Assistant Secretary-General, has built a distinguished career in sustainable development and international cooperation, guided by a deep commitment to people, equality, justice, and peace. In the fourth episode of the Learning with Leaders podcast , listeners are invited to meet UNITAR's Executive Director and hear her reflections on the journey that has shaped her leadership.
Access to opportunity should be given to everyone.
She affirms a belief that has guided her throughout her career at the United Nations.
Her career in public service began when she became the first Legal Adviser to the Embassy of Jamaica in Washington, D.C. Leaving private practice to serve her country was a pivotal step that opened the door to international roles, including Trade Policy Advisor at the Organization of American States, where she worked to integrate smaller economies into the global economy. Her growing interest in sustainability and human rights later led her to pursue executive leadership and public policy studies, strengthening her expertise in governance, poverty reduction, and sustainable development.
A strong advocate for women in leadership, Ms Gyles-McDonnough recalls being surrounded by women of strength from her early years in Jamaica. She recognises the challenges women face in navigating professional pathways but highlights their resilience, adaptability, and clarity in leadership. "This too shall pass; act with clarity ", continues to shape her approach. Her guiding mantra:
I believe in the power of women… we are formidable.
Looking back on her experience leading the Grenada Recovery Programme after Hurricane Ivan in 2004, she emphasises the urgency of climate literacy, resilience, and disaster risk reduction. She highlights the importance of countries understanding their risk portfolios, investing in early warning systems, and governance that facilitates swift and empathetic responses to crises to build back better and strengthen resilience. For her, empathy and the capacity to meet people where they are remain fundamental to effective action.
Ms Gyles-McDonnough has also served at the highest levels of the UN system, supporting the Secretary-General and Deputy Secretary-General in advancing the UN's sustainable development agenda and reforming the UN development system to better accompany countries on their development journeys. She sees the UN as a unique and vital space where nations come together to share visions, dialogue, and collectively pursue human rights, sustainable development, and peace. She believes the United Nations is more crucial than ever in today's multipolar world.
Today, as Executive Director of UNITAR, she views her role as a continuation of her people-centred mission. She describes UNITAR as "a gem of a place" with a profound mandate: equipping diplomats, public officials, and institutions with the tools and skills they need to achieve national goals. By strengthening individuals, institutions, and systems, she argues, UNITAR, in turn, strengthens nations. Looking ahead, she is eager to expand the Institute's impact globally, ensuring that sustainable development is advanced not only through policies but through people.
