Office at the United Nations, New York

The desire to make the world a better place is something within us all. And while many often find small ways to help others from time to time, not everyone makes it their day-to-day job. But Dr. Charles MacCormack does. The longtime Easton resident is the chief executive officer and president of Save the Children. The organization is one of the world's leading independent nonprofit humanitarian organizations, with programs that serve children and families in the United States and more than 50 other countries.

MacCormack, who has held his post at the Westport-based group since 1993, said while there are always challenges facing the world's children, the global economic crisis will only serve to worsen the poor and at times dire living conditions millions of them now face on a daily basis. "Obviously, we've never seen anything likes this," he said, "and it's going to have a big impact on children and families."

Prior to taking his position at Save the Children, MacCormack, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, was the president of the nonprofit international educational group World Learning (formerly the Experiment in International Living) from 1977 to 1992. And before that the former Fulbright Fellow served as the assistant to the dean of the International Fellows Program at Columbia University.

MacCormack was also one of those selected to sit on the Founding Committee of the United Nations University, and he served as a member of the United States Delegation to the 1997 World Food Summit and the 2002 General Assembly Special Session on Children.