Our Board

USA for UNHCR is governed by an engaging and cohesive Board of Directors who share a commitment to the goals and objectives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). With an extensive knowledge base and various expertise our Board provides advice on policy, advocacy, fundraising and programming.

All Board members are independent.

Our Advisory Council

The Advisory Council is comprised of influential business leaders and philanthropists who are advising USA for UNHCR on new strategies, tactics and connections for breakthrough solutions and resources to address the global refugee crisis.

Advisory Council Co-Chairs

• Joe Gebbia, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Airbnb
• Jack Leslie, Chairman, Weber Shandwick
• Maureen White, Senior Fellow, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University

The Humanitarian Coalition

The Humanitarian Coalition is comprised of next generation philanthropists and business leaders who are working to further USA for UNHCR’s mission by helping raise funds and awareness. Coalition members from across the U.S. bring a wealth of passion, influence and connections that will help to empower refugees with hope and opportunity.

Humanitarian Coalition Members

• Diana Al-Hadid, Artist 
• Josselin Castillo, Federal Affairs Liaison, Americans for Prosperity
• Anthony LaFauce, Principal, Clyde Group
• Brendan Lind, Co-Founder, Human Agency
• Yuri Namikawa, Principal, Expa
• Theresa Preston-Werner, PhD, Founder and Managing Director, Preston-Werner Ventures
• Eloise Schlafly, Advisor, Moneta Group
• Scott Tranter, CEO, Øptimus
• Beth Turner, Chair of the Humanitarian Coalition, USA for UNHCR Board Member & General Partner, SV Angel
• Liberty Vittert, USA for UNHCR Board Member & Visiting Assistant Professor, Statistics, Harvard University
• Olivia Wang, Founder, Olive VC

Suzanne Ehlers, Executive Director and CEO

Prior to joining USA for UNHCR, Suzanne Ehlers served as CEO of Malala Fund, where she worked closely with co-founders Malala and Ziauddin Yousafzai to create a world where all girls can attain an education. Before joining Malala Fund, Ehlers was President and CEO of PAI, a global advocacy leader in protecting and promoting the reproductive health and rights of women and girls. Ehlers has held numerous board and advisory positions and, early in her career, served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the C.A.R. She holds a bachelor's degree in Government from Cornell University.

LinkedIn

Senior Leadership

• Brian Davis, Chief Financial Officer
• Claire Donohue, Director, Gift in Kind Operations
• Apryl Evans, Chief Human Resources Officer  
• Junia Geisler, Senior Director, Communications 
• Steven Groeninger, Director, Offline Marketing
• David Hall, Director, Pipeline Development
• Meredith Hull, Senior Director, Development Operations
• Seema D. Iyer, PhD, Senior Director, The Hive
• Elizabeth Marks, Director, Board Relations
  
• Ian Rodgers, Senior Director, Innovative Partnerships & Strategy
• Joan Russo, Senior Director, Private Philanthropy
• Jennifer Simon, Senior Director, Advocacy & Community Engagement
• Ravileen Staley, Director, Business Systems
• Lacey Stone, Senior Director, Partnerships
• Seiko Yoshitake, Director, Digital Marketing

The Hive

The Hive is USA for UNHCR’s innovation lab responsible for bringing data science, machine learning and new technologies into the organization’s operations to enhance fundraising for refugees. The Hive identifies and prototypes new solutions to support USA for UNHCR goals by:

• Functioning as the internal analytics backbone that enables USA for UNHCR to apply data science to its programming;
• Providing micro-targeting capabilities and model building expertise for novel means of donor segmentation and messaging; and
• Pursuing high-risk projects that use emerging technologies to provide unique perspectives on the refugee crisis, and reach new audiences with innovative and compelling content.

The Hive was recently honored with the 2019 ANA Genius Awards in the “Data and Analytics Growth” category and featured as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2017 in not-for-profit. The Hive is also supported by a Data Science Volunteer Team, a group of socially conscious technical and nontechnical volunteers as well as the Hive Advisory Committee, a group of data science industry experts.