Rita Columbia serves as the UNFPA Chief of the Seoul Representation Office starting from October 2023. 

She brings a plethora of experience pertaining to the UNFPA’s mandate, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH), gender-based violence (GBV), family planning, and youth empowerment. 

Rita is a medical doctor and public administrator with over 16 years’ worth of experience in intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), at both the regional and HQ levels. 

Prior to her appointment as SRO Chief, Rita served as the UN Resident Coordinator (RC) in Saudi Arabia throughout 2023. Her previous appointments in the UNFPA include Representative of the Iraq and Moldova/Albania offices, SRH/family planning advisor, and regional SRH advisor to Türkiye. She has also worked as an SRH specialist and program director for the International Youth Foundation. 

In her new role as UNFPA SRO Chief, Rita seeks to bolster cooperation with the Republic of Korea government, civil society, and private sector. Furthermore, she is looking to empower Korean youths’ participation in SRH and gender-related matters through engagement with academia. 

Rita holds a master’s degree in Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management from New York University, a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from KIMEP, and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) from Almaty State Medical Institute.