Speakers

Rachel Weston Eschenbacher is the Regional Policy Specialist on Political Participation and Governance for the UN Women Europe and Central Asia Regional Office. She has worked in the field of gender equality and governance for over 15 years to advance opportunities for women to lead within democratic institutions. She is a former elected member of the Vermont House of Representatives where she championed the successful passage of legislation related to marriage equality, gender identity, the national popular vote, human trafficking, green energy, climate change, women in the workforce, and the removal of reproductive toxins from consumer goods. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee she developed and oversaw 2 billion USD in budget revenue annually. Prior to joining UN Women she worked with NDI, UNFPA, OSCE, and civil society organizations and has worked in 14 countries in the ECA region. She holds a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Vermont. She is currently completing a Master of Laws in Constitutional and Human Rights Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science.