George Kronnisanyon Werner, a Liberian American, is a public sector leader and innovator. He is particularly active in education, health, and civil service reform. He served in two cabinet positions in Liberia under the presidency of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

During his tenure in the Government of Liberia (2010-2018), Werner instituted sweeping reforms aimed at creating robust and credible hiring and retention systems for civil servants, including teachers, to ensure the right people were placed in the right positions to do the vital work of Government service delivery, which was essential in a post-conflict environment. He also managed the Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) program, the Senior Executives Service program, and the President’s Young Professional Programs—aimed at rebuilding professional talent for the public service in post-war Liberia.

Werner mobilised philanthropic support to conduct a first-of-its-kind payroll audit which yielded more than USD 1 million in annual savings. These savings were reinvested to hire qualified teachers and increase the salaries of unpaid teachers. Werner, with the support of the World Bank Group, worked with key stakeholders in identifying, organising, storing, and disseminating information about the education sector and the Liberian Civil Service at large. Both Yale and Harvard Universities have documented the reforms that he spearheaded.

Since leaving public service in 2018, he has been sought after by African and Asian leaders for advice and guidance on implementing transformative reform agendas aimed at developing human capital and maximising demographic dividends for long-term economic growth. Most recently, he has advised and coordinated the work of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPPR) mandated by the World Health Assembly. The final report, released in May 2021, was widely lauded for its impact on the global health architecture reform process. Many of the recommendations, including strengthening WHO, intellectual property waivers for manufacturing capacity in developing countries, and the need for a Global Health Threats Council, are being considered or implemented. Werner also advises former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who co-chairs the UN High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism and serves on several international boards.

Werner received a BA in General Education from The Pontifical Urban University, Rome, and a Master’s from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice, Philadelphia, USA.