Negar Gerami: Knowledge Retention Interviews

Rome: World Food Programme (WFP), July 2024.

English

WFPAVI-013

In this interview, Negar Gerami discusses her 24-year career with WFP, which began in 2000 in Iran. She started as a national officer tasked with setting up a monitoring system and soon shifted into logistics during the Afghanistan emergency post-9/11, establishing a humanitarian corridor through Iran. Despite having no logistics background, Gerami successfully navigated complex negotiations with the Iranian government, which involved the sensitive transit of US food aid through Iran. Over her career, Gerami held various roles, including Country Director, and Resident Coordinator ad interim. She briefly served as interim Country Director in Türkiye following the devastating 2023 earthquake. Gerami credits her success to clear communication, a focus on people, and a willingness to embrace challenges. She emphasizes the importance of field experience for all staff to understand the impact of their work. Gerami also discusses the challenges of being a young woman in a male-dominated field and advocates for persistence, self-belief, and avoiding self-censorship. She stresses the need for generalists who can adapt to multiple roles, especially in resource-constrained environments, and encourages young professionals to pursue their careers with passion and dedication.

Knowledge Retention Interviews

AVI 013

AV-129595