Mary Njeri is an accomplished humanitarian and program management professional with over 17 years of experience leading transformative initiatives in disaster response, food security, and education. Currently serving as Global School Meals Director at World Vision International, Mary spearheads global strategies to expand access to nutritious school meals, mobilise civil society, and influence policy reforms through platforms like the School Meals Coalition. Her leadership ensures millions of children in fragile contexts receive life-changing nutrition and education opportunities.

Previously, Mary directed World Vision’s Global Hunger Response, the organisation’s largest-ever emergency initiative, reaching over 30 million people across 28 countries during the peak of the global hunger crisis. She also led a USD 25 million refugee response program in Uganda, managing a team of 290 staff and delivering integrated interventions in livelihoods, child protection, and WASH.

Mary is recognised for her ability to drive resource mobilisation, having raised over USD 15 million for resilience and child protection projects through strategic donor engagement and advocacy. She is passionate about linking humanitarian response with long-term development, championing home-grown school feeding models that empower smallholder farmers and strengthen local economies.

Her thought leadership is evident in global forums and publications, including contributions to the School Meals Coalition and the Nutrition Dialogues, where she amplifies the voices of vulnerable children and advocates for systemic solutions to hunger and malnutrition. Mary’s personal story—growing up in Kenya without school meals—fuels her commitment to ensuring every child has access to nutritious food and quality education.

Awards & Credentials:

• Abruzzo Humanitarian Leadership Medal (Deakin University, 2020)
• Graduate Certificate in Humanitarian Leadership – Deakin University
• Master’s in Organisational Leadership – Africa International University