Alison Giffen serves as Director of Strategy and Growth at The KonTerra Group. She draws on her decades-long experience working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and at the U.S. State Department to identify and meet the needs of KonTerra’s clients.

Alison joined The KonTerra Group following 25 years of work in the human rights and humanitarian field where she focused on advocating for the protection of civilians and strengthening UN peacekeeping operations. During that time, Alison worked for a number of NGOs operating in some of the world’s most complex conflicts and witnessed how a lack of staff care and organizational resilience caused harm to colleagues, local partners, and vulnerable communities. Alison joined KonTerra in March 2022 to help address this need, initially serving as KonTerra’s Program Manager for USAID’s Global Executive Leadership Initiative.

Prior to joining KonTerra, Alison served in senior management at the Center for Civilians in Conflict and the Stimson Center; served as the US State Department’s Senior Advisor for UN Peacekeeping; and worked for Oxfam GB in Sudan and at the Open Society Institute. Alison has worked in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Sudan.

Alison earned a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Bachelor’s degree in diplomacy and world affairs from Occidental College. She lives in Bellingham, Washington State and enjoys finding new locations to walk, hike, and camp with family and friends in the Pacific NorthWest.