Daniela Ligiero

CEO, Together for Girls

Daniela Ligiero is a prominent global leader with over 25 years of experience in advocating for the rights of children, girls, and women. She currently serves as the CEO and President of Together for Girls, a global partnership working to end violence against children and adolescents, particularly sexual violence against girls.1 2

Professional Background

Daniela has held several significant positions throughout her career:

CEO of Together for Girls (July 2016 - Present)
Vice President of Girls and Women's Strategy at the United Nations Foundation (January 2015 - July 2016)
Senior positions at the U.S. Department of State for over five years
Chief of HIV/AIDS & Gender Lead at UNICEF Brazil (2005 - October 2009)

During her time at the U.S. Department of State, Daniela pioneered the integration of gender issues into foreign policy and global health investments, impacting over 70 countries and over $1 billion in funding. She played a key role in developing the first-ever International U.S. Government Strategy to End Gender-Based Violence and the PEPFAR DREAMS program, a significant investment in adolescent girls' health.1 3

Education and Expertise

Dr. Ligiero holds a doctoral degree in counseling psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her areas of expertise include:

Gender-based violence
Violence against children
Child sexual abuse and exploitation
Sexual and reproductive health
Girls' education
Strategy development and bipartisan coalition building
Multi-stakeholder partnership management
Quantitative and qualitative research and data3

Personal Background

Daniela is a Brazilian American who resides in Bethesda, MD, with her husband and two daughters. She is fluent in four languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French. Notably, Daniela is a survivor of childhood sexual violence and has been openly sharing her story for over a decade, using her personal experience to drive her advocacy work.1 4

Additional Initiatives

In addition to her role at Together for Girls, Daniela is also the Co-Founder and Chair of the Global Steering Group for the Brave Movement, a survivor-centered global movement fighting to end childhood sexual violence.1 3

Through her work and personal advocacy, Daniela Ligiero continues to be a powerful voice in the fight against sexual violence, particularly focusing on protecting children and adolescents worldwide.