JOANNE KING HERRING
Joanne King Herring is an international socialite, global political activist and former Texas television anchor. She is best known for her improbable fight with the Mujahedeen against the former Soviet Union. Joanne was instrumental in helping U.S. Representative Charlie Wilson persuade the government to train and arm resistance fighters in Afghanistan to fend off Soviet troops, which invaded and then occupied the country.
These events inspired the book
Charlie Wilson’s War. Joanne was portrayed by actress Julia Roberts in the film.
Born in a man’s world at a time when women had limited choices, Joanne blazed a trail and forged new paths for women in Pakistan, Afghanistan and America. Joanne crafted a plan to rebuild Afghanistan one village at a time through food, water and education. She was made roaming Ambassador of Pakistan and received the Quaid-e-Azam award, the highest honor given by the nation of Pakistan.
In 2009, Joanne founded Marshall Plan Charities, which seeks to “complement the ongoing U.S. military effort in Afghanistan by rapidly and effectively redeveloping normal, healthy civilian life village by village.” The organization unites the efforts of various NGO’s concerned with the Afghan people in hopes of providing villages with clean water, food, health care, schools, and jobs.
Joanne was made Dame by the Order of St. Francis and has been knighted by the King of Belgium. She is also the recipient of the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge Award and co-chaired the Special Olympics in New York City with Henry Kissinger. She told her fascinating continuing story in her own words with charm and delight in her extraordinary memoir, Diplomacy and Diamonds: My Wars from the Ballroom to the Battlefield.
Joanne’s global legacy of humanitarian aid is supported with her unmatched ability to fund raise and to gain political support. One of the causes most dear to her heart today is to end human trafficking.
Joanne’s philosophy on life is shared in her words, “My favorite words in the world are, ‘don’t speak of love; show me.’ Just like Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady.”