Karalyn Monteil

Karalyn Monteil joined the Culture Sector of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2001.

She is currently the Head of UNESCO’s Emergency Operations and Programmes Unit, which coordinates UNESCO’s support for culture emergencies. She also oversees the Heritage Emergency Fund (HEF) and the UNESCO Museum Programme.

Karalyn held previous roles supporting the Diversity of Cultural Expressions through cultural policies and capacity building in the cultural and creative industries. She also worked for the World Heritage program for seven years and the UNESCO Museum Programme for eight years before serving six years as UNESCO’s Regional Advisor for Culture in Eastern Africa based in Nairobi, Kenya.

During a sabbatical leave from UNESCO in 2022-2023, Karalyn led the California non-profit San Francisco Heritage as President and CEO, overseeing advocacy for historic preservation, directing an historic house museum and national heritage site, and managing an artist-in-residency program, art gallery, and performance space.

Karalyn earned a master's degree in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester in the UK.