Greg Houston
Board Director, Founding Exec. Director
Greg Houston is the President and CEO of International Arts and Artists (IA&A), a 30-year-old global organization dedicated to building bilateral bridges and increasing cross-cultural understanding through exchange, convening, and experiential exhibitions.
Greg has a passion for global education and cultural exchange, which he has pursued throughout his career in various leadership roles. He believes that art and culture are powerful tools for bridging divides and opening minds, especially in times of conflict and crisis. He has witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of art and culture on individuals and communities around the world, from remote villages in Asia and Africa to urban centers in the Middle East and Europe.
In 2018, he was named by the US Department of State to serve as the first Chief Executive Officer of the USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai (the Dubai World’s Fair). Following that appointment, he took a brief pause to help launch the US counterpart of the UK school-building charity United World Schools – an NGO dedicated to building and operating schools in the world’s most remote regions.
Earlier, he served as Global Vice President of External Affairs at the world’s largest peacebuilding NGO, Search for Common Ground, Senior Vice President of Programs and External Affairs at Meridian International Center, and Director of Development and New Initiatives at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars at the Smithsonian Institution. Greg began his career working for Senator John McCain before pivoting to the international sector.
He holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a bachelor’s degree from the honors college of the University of Arizona. In 2012, he was named a Social Entrepreneurship Fellow at Harvard University. He is active on several Boards and advisory councils, as well as in the Washington and Arizona communities where he splits his time.
