Farah Pandith

Farah Pandith was appointed the first-ever Special Representative to Muslim Communities in June 2009 by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Until January 31, 2014 she served for more than a decade in public service as a political appointee in both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations. Under the leadership of Secretary John Kerry, the Office of the Special Representative is responsible for executing a vision for engagement with Muslims around the world based on a people-to-people and organizational level. In the years since her swearing in, Special Representative Pandith has traveled to more than 80 countries and launched youth-focused initiatives including Generation Change, Viral Peace, the Transatlantic Leadership Network, and Hours Against Hate (a campaign that was a partner with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.) She is also a key architect of the Women in Public Service Project. In January 2013 she was awarded the Secretary's Distinguished Honor Award for "exceptionally outstanding service to the agencies of the US Government resulting in achievements of marked national or international significance." She reported directly to the Secretary of State. Special Representative Pandith received a Master’s degree from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. She received an A.B. in Government and Psychology from Smith College, where she was president of the student body. She has served as a Trustee of Smith College and Milton Academy, and is currently a member of the Board of Overseers of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and the Smith College President’s Council. She was born in Srinagar, Kashmir, India, and raised in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.