Director of the Climate, Water, and Food Security Programme
Laura Birkman serves as the Director of the Climate, Water, and Food Security Programme at HCSS. She oversees impactful initiatives, including the award winning Water, Peace, and Security (WPS) partnership, which develops innovative tools and services to identify and address water-related security risks. Laura is also a member of the International Military Council on Climate and Security (IMCCS).
Since joining HCSS in 2019 as a Senior Strategic Analyst, Laura has focused on non-traditional security challenges, particularly at the intersection of climate and security. Before her time at HCSS, she was a Principal and Senior Consultant at Ecorys Research and Consulting, where she co-founded the Security and Justice unit and led EU-funded projects on civil protection and disaster risk management.
Laura began her career with the Dutch government, addressing international policy issues related to food security, biodiversity, and agri-trade. She represented the Netherlands as a negotiator at the UN Convention on Biodiversity and the FAO and served as an Agricultural Attaché at the Dutch embassies in Russia and Kazakhstan.
Her academic credentials include a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University (2012), an Executive Master in International Relations and Management from the University of Amsterdam (2001), and a Joint MA (Honours) in International Relations and Philosophy from the University of St. Andrews (2000). She is a former NAF-Fulbright Scholar and HSP Huygens Fellow.
Laura also brings experience in not-for-profit leadership. She is a Board Member of the HCSS Global Futures Foundation and currently volunteers as Director of Clubs Europe for the Harvard Alumni Association and as member of the Advisory Committee of the Netherland America Foundation.
