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Title: International and local perspectives on water and food: How geography shaped the professional trajectories of an accountant and an economist

Speakers: 

• Mark Giordano, Ph.D. '02
  Professor of Geography and Vice Dean for Undergraduate Affairs, Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University
• Meredith Giordano, Ph.D. '02
  Former Deputy Director, Office of Global Operations, Peace Corps

Talk summary: Since leaving Oregon State University more than 20 years ago, Mark and Meredith Giordano have worked on water and agricultural issues at institutions ranging from international research organizations to the U.S. government and academia. The Giordanos have examined multi-scale resource challenges in Asia and Africa, with much of their professional lives based outside of the U.S. Meredith and Mark will join us to reflect on how their study of geography at Oregon State shaped their career trajectories and influenced their approach to research, practice and life in general.

Speaker bios: Mark Giordano’s research focuses on the international political dimensions of water, agriculture and the environment. As part of his interest in the role of art in global affairs, he sits on the boards of The Kentler International Drawing Space, Brooklyn and the Mokuhanga Project Space, Walla Walla and advises the National Museum of Asian Art. Prior to Georgetown, Mark held multiple roles at the Sri Lanka based International Water Management Institute, and was the winner of the Stockholm Water Prize, known as the “Nobel Prize for Water.” In an earlier career, he was an agricultural trade economist and a combine mechanic. 

Meredith Giordano served as Deputy Director of the Office of Global Operations for the Peace Corps from 2018 to 2024. In that role, Meredith provided leadership and coordination of operations across OGO offices; guided the review and formulation of policies involving overseas operations; and facilitated short- and long-term strategic planning and priority setting for the Office of Global Operations. Prior to joining the Peace Corps, Meredith held leadership roles at the Sri Lanka-based International Water Management Institute (IWMI) after having served as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Agency for International Development and as an auditor for Arthur Anderson & Co.