World Food Program USA Announces New Leadership Team

Press release (Nov. 9, 2011) — World Food Program USA has put into place a new leadership team to help expand upon the organization’s mission to build support in the U.S. to end global hunger. The new team is comprised of: Rick Leach, president and CEO; Heather Hanson, vice president for public policy; Shannon Hiskey, special assistant to the president and CEO; Ann Andrews Morris, vice president for communications and outreach; and Alma Jane Shepard, vice president for development.

“The team we now have in place is bringing World Food Program USA to the next level in the fight against hunger,” said Rick Leach. “Working together, we are educating members of Congress, advocating for sufficient funding, and cultivating U.S. corporate and individual donations to address the immediate needs and underlying causes of hunger.”

In 1997, Leach established WFP USA (formerly Friends of the World Food Program) — a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that seeks to shape U.S. public policy and generate resources to address global hunger — and led the organization until 2004. He returned to lead the organization in 2010.

Heather Hanson joined WFP USA in October 2011 as the organization's vice president for public policy. She has more than 20 years of policy, advocacy, and management experience working primarily with international organizations. She has a PhD in Sociology from the University of California, Davis, where she studied processes of civil society participation in international economic development. Most recently, Heather worked as the director of policy and advocacy for Mercy Corps, an international organization with humanitarian and development field operations in 40 countries.

Shannon Hiskey joined World Food Program USA as special assistant to the president and CEO in July 2011. Shannon provides high-level administrative support to Rick Leach and is the lead for managing relations and coordinating activities with the organization’s board of directors. She also manages the office operations. Prior to WFP USA, she worked at Keel Point Advisors, a wealth management and advisory firm, as marketing and support team supervisor.

Ann Andrews Morris joined WFP USA in January 2011 as the organization’s vice president for communications and outreach. Ann directs the organization’s public relations, online communications, and outreach activities. Ann has more than 20 years of global experience in news media, corporate, and nonprofit communications at organizations including United Way of America, The American Red Cross, ABC News, U.S. News & World Report, and Ogilvy PR.

Alma Jane Shepard, CFRE, joined World Food Program USA as vice president for development in August 2011. She is responsible for directing all fundraising efforts of World Food Program USA. Alma Jane brings more than 30 years of institutional advancement experience and insight in the areas of corporate and foundation giving, capital campaign management, direct marketing, donor research and solicitation, and fundraising team leadership.

“With this team, I am confident that we will make major strides in helping the world’s nearly one billion hungry people,” concludes Leach.