2015 Iowa Hunger Summit

Norman Borlaug Day Proclamation
     Governor Terry E. Branstad

Presentation of Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award
     Presented to the Rev. Russell Melby

Keynote Presentation: Beyond Seeds, Soil, and Tractors: Empowering a Food Secure World
     Mr. Raymond Offenheiser, President, Oxfam America

The Iowa Hunger Luncheon keynote address will be delivered by Raymond Offenheiser, President of Oxfam America. Under the leadership of Mr. Offenheiser since 1996, Oxfam America is a pioneer organization in building systemic solutions that address the root causes of poverty around the world, and raising awareness of the connections between hunger at home and abroad. Mr. Offenheiser will share Oxfam America's experiences facilitating home-grown, community-driven solutions that fight hunger by empowering small-scale farmers with special emphasis on women and girls.

Luncheon to feature meals provided by Outreach, Inc. 

About Mr. Raymond Offenheiser:

Raymond C. Offenheiser is President of Oxfam America, a non-profit international development and relief agency and the U.S. affiliate of the Oxfam International confederation.  Oxfam works to end global poverty through saving lives, strengthening communities and campaigning for change. Since Ray joined Boston-based Oxfam America in 1995, the organization has grown more than sevenfold and become a leading voice in the US on a broad array of public policy issues from international development, to human rights and foreign policy.

Prior to Oxfam, Ray represented the Ford Foundation in Bangladesh and the Andean and Southern Cone regions of South America. He has also directed programs for the Inter-American Foundation in both Brazil and Colombia and worked for Save the Children Federation in Mexico. At the 2012 G Meeting, he was appointed by the Obama administration to represent civil society interests on the Leadership Council of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in Africa.

Ray serves and has served on numerous boards and advisory bodies for a diverse array of both national and international institutions including the World Economic Forum, the Clinton Global Initiative, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Aspen Institute, the World Agricultural Forum, the Gates Foundation, Harvard Business School, the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, Cornell University, Interaction and the Kellogg Center at the University of Notre Dame. He was a co-founder and board member of the ONE Campaign, the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network and the Food Policy Action Network and served as honorary President of Wetlands International. Ray holds a master’s degree in development sociology from Cornell University and earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame.