Lisa Bender
Education Specialist, UNICEF
Lisa Bender

Lisa Bender, an Education Specialist with UNICEF, has a background in humanitarian response, post-crisis transition and social programming for children and youth. At UNICEF’s global headquarters, she provides technical and policy advice in the education sector with a focus on complex emergencies and fragile states.  

Prior to UNICEF, Lisa worked with other UN agencies and international NGOs in direct programming, needs assessments, and evaluations in countries such as Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Bangladesh. She has contributed to the Education for All Global Monitoring Report, publications for the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s Education Cluster, and she authored the Education Chapter of the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment Guidance. Lisa served in the Peace Corps and began her professional career as a social worker and teacher. She holds a Master’s degree from Vanderbilt University's top-ranked Peabody College of Education.