Vital Voices
About Vital Voices
Vital Voices Global Partnership believes in the transformative value of women's participation in society. We invest in emerging women leaders - pioneers of economic development, political participation, and human rights in their countries - and we help them build the capabilities, connections, and credibility they need to unlock their potential as catalysts of global progress. To fulfill our mission, we build leadership capacity, facilitate strategic partnerships, recognize women leading change and enhance their credibility, and foster global connections among women. Our Global Leadership Network of women has become the vital voices of our time.
Since 2000, Vital Voices Global Partnership has been at the forefront of anti-trafficking efforts worldwide, working to build women's capacity to fight trafficking in their own countries and raise awareness about this horrific human rights violation. In the United States, members of the Vital Voices leadership team have been credited with taking this issue out of the shadows, and putting it on the world stage. They were responsible for leading the government's response to trafficking, including helping to enact the landmark anti-trafficking laws, Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 and 2005. These respectively provided new amendments to the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act which enhance prevention efforts, give greater protections for victims of trafficking and increase prosecutions in cases of trafficking. Members of Vital Voices have led the effort to assist victims all over the world, from creating public awareness campaigns warning women and girls of the dangers of traffickers to bringing embassies, government officials, NGOs and others together to help regions address trafficking.
Staff Information
Melanne Verveer, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board--Melanne is Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Vital Voices Global Partnership. She has more than 25 years of nonprofit and public service experience. Ms. Verveer served as Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady in the Clinton Administration. As a member of the White House senior staff, she advised the President and implemented a wide range of substantive policies, budget priorities and communications strategies. She was the First Lady's chief assistant in her extensive international activities, took a lead in establishing the President's Interagency Council on Women and was instrumental in creating the Vital Voices Democracy Initiative. Previously, she was Executive Vice President of People for the American Way where she played a key role in the passage of several landmark civil rights billls. She was Director for urban policy at the US Catholic Conference, Field Manager for Common Cause and worked in both the US House and Senate as Legislative Director and Special Assistant, respectively. She was a founding member of the Coalition on Human Needs and has been active on the boareds of various nonprofit organziatons.
Wenchi Yu Perkins, New York Office Representative and the Human Rights Program Director--Wenchi is the New York Office Representative and the Human Rights Program Director. She represents Vital Voices to liaise with the United Nations and is responsible for expanding Vital Voices' network and building private-public partnerships in the Greater New York area. In addition, Ms. Perkins manages and develops Vital Voices' human rights programs, including the hallmark anti-trafficking program. She has testified before the US Congress and has been quoted in major internatioanl media outlets on women's rights issues. Prior to joining Vital Voices, Ms. Perkins has worked with an immigrant rights organization and trained law enforcement in the Midwest. Ms. Perkins has also been involved in labor rights and corporate social responsibility work in East Asia through reseach and policy advocacy. She was a foreign policy assistant at the Taiwanese Parliament and worked for Taiwan's Consulate in Chicago, Illinois. Ms. Perkins has published articles in the Asian Wall Street Journal and the United Nations Chronicle.
Board of Directors
- Melanne Verveer (Former Assistant to the President of the United States and Chief of Staff to the First Lady)
- Donna McLarty
- Mary Yerrick (Primetime Solutions, Inc)
- Elizabeth Frawley Bagley (Former U.S. Ambassador to Portugal)
- Betty Bumpers (Every Child By Two)
- Paul Charron (Liz Claiborne, Inc.)
- Tia Cudahy (Attorney)
- Susan Davis (Susan Davis International)
- Deborah Dingell (General Motors Foundation)
- Sonnie Dockser (Dockser Family Foundation)
- Samia Farouki (HAIFinance Corporation)
- Sally Field (Actress and Activist)
- Carly Fiorina (Former CEO, Hewlett-Packard)
- Nancy Folger (Former Chairman of White House Endowment Fund)
- Baroness Mary Goudie (Member of the House of Lords, United Kingdom)
- Bobbie Greene McCarthy (Save America's Treasures)
- Dr. David Hamburg (Carnegie Corporation of New York)
- Dr. Jill Iscol (IF Hummingbird Foundation)
- Kate James (The Americas, Standard Chartered Bank)
- Craig Johnstone (jSolutions)
