Stephanie Speck

A self-described ‘stubborn optimist,’ Steph is a senior global leader with over 20 years’ experience shaping strategy, governance, and development outcomes across more than 25 countries. She began her career designing health and education communication initiatives for vulnerable communities before joining Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and AusAID, where she led humanitarian, communication, and public diplomacy programs.

Her early fieldwork after the 2004–2005 Indian Ocean Tsunami earned her Australia’s Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal, and in 2009 she was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International.

Stephanie has advised governments in complex and post-conflict environments, including as Senior Adviser to Heads of State in Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Georgia, Ukraine, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Pakistan. She co-designed major national reform programs—such as Afghanistan’s USD 1 billion National Priority Programs—and helped generate over USD 1.3 billion in investments for Palestine’s first Investment Conference.

An expert in investment and institutional reform, she has established 7 development and climate-related funds, including Afghanistan’s first private-sector investment fund, the Sawaed Fund in the UAE, the Indonesian Climate Change Trust Fund, and the Global Resilience Partnership.

Most recently, Stephanie served as Head of Special Initiatives at the Green Climate Fund, leading its US$2.8 billion investment portfolio in fragile and conflict-affected settings. She is a passionate advocate for climate action, strategic communication, and partnerships that enable sustainable development.