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

Anne-Marie Grey, Executive Director and CEO

Anne-Marie brings more than 30 years of fundraising and marketing experience – both in the United States and internationally – to USA for UNHCR. Appointed in September 2014 to lead the organization and enhance its programs and resources, Anne-Marie is committed to mobilizing efforts in support of the 68.5 million men, women and children that have been forced to flee their homes around the world.

Prior to joining USA for UNHCR, Anne-Marie worked with UNHCR, Save the Children, UNICEF and Share our Strength in a variety of leadership fundraising and marketing positions. Before returning to the United States, Anne-Marie lived in Australia, where she led marketing and development programs for the National Museum of Australia and held several roles at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.

Senior Leadership

• Steve Alexander, Senior Director, Direct Response
• Rami Azzam, Director, Digital Marketing
• Yelena Bakaleva, Chief Financial Officer
• Lily Biswas, Director, Database Administration 
• Apryl Evans, Senior Director, Human Resources  
• Junia Geisler, Director, Communications 
• Rita Ko,  Director of the Hive
• Elizabeth Marks, Director, Community Fundraising
• Katie McNally, Director Donor Services and Gift Processing
• Ned McNeal, Director, Major Gifts & Planned Giving 
• Jennifer Patterson, Deputy Executive Director, External Affairs
• Elizabeth (Bette) Scott, Director, Program & Strategic Initiatives 
• Nick Slijepcevic, Director, Partnerships Account Management
• Melanie West, Director, Individual Giving 

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 featured as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2017 in the not-for-profit category. The Hive is also supported by a Data Science Volunteer Team, a group of socially conscious technical and nontechnical volunteers as well as the Data Advisory Board, a group of data science industry experts.