FAO in North America

Meet the Team: Thomas Pesek, Senior Liaison Officer

06/04/2021

Tom Pesek has 20 years of experience in international development with extensive expertise in sustainable agriculture, food and nutrition security, as well as rural development. Over the past two decades, Tom has worked at UN Headquarters in New York and for all three of the Rome-based Agencies of the United Nations: the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); the World Food Programme (WFP); and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Since 2017, he has served as Senior Liaison Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Liaison Office for North America in Washington, DC where he helps represent the Organization and supports the development and implementation of FAO policies and programs through strategic partnerships with governments and other key stakeholders throughout North America.

Before joining FAO, Tom worked for the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for more than 12 years, representing the Fund and managing its relationships with Member States and other partners in North America, as well as in Latin America and the Caribbean.  

Prior to joining IFAD, Tom served as Program Officer at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General at UN Headquarters in New York, where he evaluated and finalized proposals for projects funded by the United Nations Development Account. Previously, Tom also worked as a Liaison Officer for the World Food Programme (WFP) at UN Headquarters in New York, where he coordinated on global emergencies with UN development and humanitarian agencies, as well as UN Member States and NGOs, and issued situation reports to WFP leadership worldwide. 

Tom was born and raised in New York City. He is the proud father of Aidan and Isabella, and husband of Michelle. In his free time, he enjoys playing ice hockey, playing guitar, cooking and reading.