Polly Byers recently stepped down as the Executive Director of Karuna Center for Peacebuilding and has over 30 years’ experience working within and outside of the U.S. government managing international assistance and peacebuilding programs. Over a career working for the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of State, the Congressional Hunger Committee, international and non-governmental organizations, she has focused on collaborative approaches to increase local ownership of aid and peacebuilding efforts.  Ms. Byers holds an MA from Yale University in International Relations, a BA from Wesleyan University, and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco.