President and CEO, World Food Program USA
Barron Segar is the President and CEO of World Food Program USA, the nonprofit charged with inspiring and mobilizing people in the United States to support the mission of the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) to feed the world’s hungriest people. He has more than 20 years of experience growing philanthropic and cause marketing platforms for organizations spanning global humanitarian aid, public broadcasting and finance. Under his leadership, World Food Program USA quadrupled its revenue in less than three years and earned an “Exceptional” four-star rating from Charity Navigator for its financial health, accountability and transparency. In 2021, The NonProfit Times recognized Barron on its Power & Influence Top 50 list for leadership centered on innovation, broad sector influence and developing replicable organizational models.
A leading voice on global food security, Barron has been featured in media outlets including MSNBC, Forbes, The Hill, The Guardian and The Chronicle of Philanthropy and at events hosted by the World Affairs Councils of America, Alliance Bernstein, Liberty Mutual, The Global Philanthropy Forum, among others. He has also led visits to field operations in Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and the Polish border of Ukraine to shine a light on the lifesaving work of the U.N. World Food Programme.
Prior to World Food Program USA, Barron served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer at UNICEF USA, with organization-wide responsibility for strategy, budget, and critical operational priorities. He led the strategic direction of the Development Division, raising $500 million in annual revenue. Previously, Barron served as the Director of Development for Georgia Public Broadcasting, where he and his team were nationally recognized for record breaking fundraising performance. Barron also has experience in the private sector working in financial services.
Barron is a founding and current Board Member at the Elton John AIDS Foundation and serves on the Advisory Board for Open Hand Atlanta. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Hampden-Sydney College.