Ambassador Carol Rodley Joins Inclusive Security’s Resolution to Act Initiative
Inclusive Security is thrilled to welcome Ambassador Carol Rodley to its leadership team as Director of Resolution to Act. Ambassador Rodley has more than 30 years of experience as an American diplomat. Most recently, she served as Dean of the School of Leadership and Management at the State Department’s Foreign Service Institute and was the US Ambassador to Cambodia from 2008 to 2011.
“Ambassador Rodley brings a rare but ideal combination of experience and energy,” said Inclusive Security Director Jacqueline O’Neill. “From reforming security forces in Afghanistan to shaping the discourse on human rights in Cambodia to engaging the private sector in global development, Ambassador Rodley has a remarkable record of accomplishments working with governments and civil society. Her leadership positions Resolution to Act to spark meaningful, lasting impact on peace and security around the world.”
As Ambassador to Cambodia, Rodley championed private sector involvement as a key to development. She promoted foreign investment in Cambodia by reducing corruption, advocated strongly for the US Government to remove Cambodia from its Marxist-Leninist country list, and eliminated barriers for small and medium enterprises to obtain financing. “I saw the private sector as a key component to more prosperous futures for Cambodians,” she said.
Ambassador Rodley also played an important role in shaping the human rights dialogue in Cambodia, combatting human trafficking through a program that reduced illegal sex tourism. She also advocated for the establishment and upkeep of the Cambodia Tribunal, which, said Rodley, “is helping Cambodians come to terms with this tragic episode in their history after waiting decades for justice for the Khmer Rouge genocide.”
Prior to her service in Cambodia, Ambassador Rodley was Counselor for Political-Military Affairs in Afghanistan, where she led efforts to reform and modernize the Afghan National Security forces, liaised between the US military and civilian reconstruction organizations, and reformed detainee policy. She was previously Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research; Executive Assistant to the Bosnia Coordinator during preparation for the Dayton negotiations and the initial implementation phase of the accords; and Deputy Director of the Secretariat Staff. She held additional overseas posts in Pakistan, Germany, South Africa, and the Dominican Republic.
Ambassador Rodley is the recipient of the State Department’s Human Rights and Democracy Award, the American Foreign Service Association’s Christian Herter Award for creative dissent, the James Clement Dunn Award for leadership, and a Presidential Performance award. She speaks Khmer, German, and Spanish.
About Resolution to Act
Resolution to Act provides support and expertise to countries creating and implementing high-impact National Action Plans for Women, Peace, and Security. The initiative’s comprehensive approach to fulfilling the vision of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 ensures that partner countries’ National Action Plans are created inclusively, under realistic timelines, and with mechanisms for public accountability and funding. Resolution to Act works in partnership with a number of organizations, including UN Women; US Department of State; Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Government of Finland; Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security; Cordaid; UN Development Programme; Club de Madrid; and University of Nairobi.
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