The RISK Award Jury

The jury who makes the final RISK Award decision consists of a board of internationally renowned experts in the field of disaster risk reduction representing a variety of backgrounds (developing countries and developed countries, gender-balanced, politicians, scientists and practitioners). They stand for a fair, objective and targeted decision process.

Paola Albrito has served in the United Nations in various capacities and duty stations since 1999 and is currently the Director of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. She holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations and Political Science from the University of Turin, Italy and is a member of the International Institute of Strategic Studies (London, United Kingdom). She has widely published internationally on disaster risk reduction and governance issues, and is an Editorial Advisor at the Crisis Response Journal (London, United Kingdom). She speaks Italian, French, English and some Russian..

Renate Bleich is the chair of the Munich Re Foundation. The foundation addresses major global challenges including environmental and climate change as well as disaster prevention. Previously, she was responsible for further developing Munich Re’s sustainability strategy and putting the Group’s activities in a wider context, e.g. the SDG’s. One particular focus of her work is on climate change. Renate holds a Master’s degree in economic geography from LMU Munich.

Michael Havbro Faber is Professor at the Department of the Built Environment at Aalborg University, Denmark. From 2000-2011, he was a tenured professor at ETH, Zurich, Switzerland. His research interests are directed on governance and management of risks, resilience and sustainability. Present engagements include the Joint Committee on Structural Safety, the WEF; Global Expert Network on Risk and Resilience, the Global Risk Forum in Davos, the GLOBE Consensus on sustainability in the built environment and the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences (ATV).

Nuraini Rahma Hanifa works with the Research Center for Geological Disaster, Research Organization of Earth Sciences and Maritime, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), previously known as the Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI). She holds a bachelor and master from the Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) Indonesia, and received her Doctor of Science from Nagoya University, Japan. She has been an appointed young scientist representative in the Asia Pacific Science, Technology and Academia Advisory Group (AP-STAG) of UNDRR and received the 2021 WIN DRR Leadership Award.

Benjamin S. Karmorh is a scientist and administrator with an international and local reputation who has played key roles in enabling Liberia uphold its responsibilities and commitments to the United Nations Climate Change Regulatory Frameworks, including his management and leadership for the preparation of national climate change communications and reports to international bodies. He has to his credit more than 10 years of successful work experience with the EPA.

As of 1 August 2020, Xiaomeng Shen assumed the role of UNU Vice-Rector in Europe (UNU-ViE) and Director of the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS). As the UNU Vice-Rector in Europe, Prof. Shen facilitates collaboration between UNU and stakeholders in and outside of the United Nations. As the Director of UNU-EHS, Prof. Shen is the chief academic and administrative officer of the Institute and oversees its direction, organization and programmes.