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.

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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

Founded in 2015, The Hive’s mission is to engage with the American public to raise awareness about refugees and design solutions that address their needs through technology and data science. The Hive supports USA for UNHCR's goals by:

• Bringing high-quality data engineering, data analytics and machine learning into the organization’s operations to enhance fundraising for refugees.
• Providing micro-targeting capabilities and model building expertise for effective means of donor segmentation and messaging; and
• Pursuing projects with multi-sector partners to use digital resources to address the needs of refugees, and to reach new audiences with innovative technologies.

The work of The Hive is guided by the Hive Advisory Board (HAB) to provide leadership and strategic support. The HAB is composed of leaders from diverse backgrounds in the corporate sector, government, nonprofit and academia.