2011 Urban Studies Board of Advisors Lunch
Friday, May 6, 2011
The Presidential Dining Room
Lincoln Center Campus
Christopher Williams, speaker
Mr. Christopher Williams is the Director of the New York Office of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat with global headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. He joined the organization in 1995 and has held positions in the areas of research, policy, political affairs, and division director. In his most recent assignment, he served as the founding Representative of the UN-Habitat Washington Office. Mr. Williams has worked closely with the past and present Executive Director to promote affordable housing and sustainable urban development through cooperation with bilateral and multilateral development agencies and international financial institutions. Prior to joining the United Nations, Mr. Williams worked for a number of organizations specializing in housing and community economic development in Africa and the United States. These included Neighborhood Housing Services of New York, Interchange, the Pine Street Inn Homeless Shelter, the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, and the School for International Training. Mr. Williams holds post-graduate degrees in economics, public policy and sociology. He is currently completing a doctoral dissertation on UN relations with local and non-State actors in urban poverty reduction initiatives in East Africa. Mr. Williams will serve as the 2011 Urban Studies Board of Advisors Lunch speaker.
