Andrea Koppel, Former CNN Correspondent, to Speak at Walden University Academic Residency

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Andrea Koppel, an award-winning, internationally recognized journalist and, more recently, advocate on behalf of humanitarian issues, will speak to more than 600 doctoral students at Walden University's academic residency on Wednesday, Jan. 18, in Miami. As plenary speaker, Koppel will discuss how she made the transition from globe-trotting journalist to globe-trotting humanitarian. She will also share insights into how nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and companies are harnessing digital technology to do impact investing in some of the world's poorest or most underserved communities. 

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Currently the vice president of global engagement and policy at the global NGO Mercy Corps, Koppel leads policy on and advocacy of issues that most affect Mercy Corps' programs and beneficiaries. Prior to joining Mercy Corps, Koppel served as the director of international communications for the American Red Cross. In that role, she led the organization's communications strategy for the Haiti Assistance Program following the devastating 2010 earthquake in that country.

Before entering the nonprofit world, Koppel worked as a journalist for more than 20 years, the last 14 of them as a CNN correspondent and bureau chief. She joined the network in 1993 as CNN's Tokyo correspondent and was quickly promoted to Beijing bureau chief and correspondent. As the network's State Department correspondent for eight years, she traveled with three secretaries of state and covered the 9/11 attacks; the on-again, off-again Arab-Israeli peace talks; North Korea's nuclear brinksmanship; and genocide in Darfur, among countless other news stories. In October 2000, she was among a small group of journalists invited to accompany Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on her historic visit to North Korea. In December 2003, she was the first to secure an exclusive interview with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, during which he announced that his country would end its weapons program.

Koppel has earned numerous accolades for her work including an Emmy for a documentary titled Haiti and the Coup, a Peabody Award for contributing to CNN's coverage of Hurricane Katrina and a DuPont Award for contributing to CNN's coverage of the 2004 South Asian tsunami. In 1996, Koppel won the prestigious Gracie Award for her documentary Daughters of the Revolution, which focused on Chinese women in the wake of China's Communist revolution.

Academic residencies at Walden, an accredited online university, support students' academic and professional goals by connecting them with faculty mentors and diverse groups of peers to encourage the vibrant exchange of ideas and perspectives. During residencies, students from select doctoral and master's programs have the opportunity to conceptualize and develop research initiatives that contribute to positive social change.

Walden's plenary sessions are an integral part of the residencies and are led by speakers from around the world who share their experiences and viewpoints with the hope of inspiring debate and lively conversation. These sessions are intended to provide Walden students and faculty and staff members with the opportunity to hear perspectives on a variety of topics that are meaningful and relevant to their lives as scholars and practitioners.

Visit www.WaldenU.edu/perspectives for an archive of past Walden speakers.

About Walden University
For more than 40 years, Walden University has supported working professionals in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and their communities. Today, more than 48,500 students from all 50 states and more than 140 countries are pursuing their bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees online at Walden. The university provides students with an engaging educational experience that connects them with expert faculty and peers around the world. Walden is the flagship online university in the Laureate International Universities network—a global network of more than 55 campus-based and online universities in 28 countries.

Walden offers more than 65 degree programs with more than 330 specializations and concentrations. Areas of study include health sciences, counseling, human services, management, psychology, education, public health, nursing, public administration and information technology. For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.

SOURCE Walden University