Jordan Ryan served for over twenty years with the United Nations, reaching the level of Assistant
Secretary-General / Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery at
the UN Development Programme (UNDP). After retirement from the UN in 2015, he joined The Carter Center
as Vice President for Peace Programs. He is currently an independent consultant focusing on leadership and
effectiveness of the UN in crisis settings.
The passing of U.S. President Jimmy Carter marks a moment to reflect on the life of a remarkable individual and the style of leadership he embodied—one defined not by the pursuit of power or profit, but by an unwavering commitment to human dignity, peace, and justice. I had the privilege of knowing President Carter first…
