Remembering Kenneth H. Bacon, 1944-2009

DAN GLICKMAN, PRESIDENT (starting April 1, 2010)
> Read Dan's Full Bio
> Read Dan's letter to RI supporters
> Read the press release announcing Dan's appointment

Dan Glickman will become President of Refugees International on April 1, 2010. Mr. Glickman has a distinguished history in public service where he has devoted much of his career to fighting hunger and working as a champion for underserved people in the U.S. and around the world. While at RI, he will focus on strengthening the organization’s base of support and providing the strategic vision and leadership to improve RI’s ability to compel the world’s leaders to provide clean water, food, health care and other basic assistance to people uprooted by conflict.

Since 2004, Mr. Glickman has served as Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Prior to joining MPAA, Mr. Glickman served as the Director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government from 2002 to 2004. From 1995 to 2001, Mr. Glickman served as Secretary of Agriculture in the Clinton Administration.  From 1976 to 1994, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Kansas’ 4th Congressional District.  Mr. Glickman received his B.A. in history from the University of Michigan and his J.D. from The George Washington University. He is a member of the Kansas and The District of Columbia Bars.

Mr. Glickman is vice-chair of Friends of the World Food Program, a member of the Genocide Prevention Task Force, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He serves on the board of directors of the American Film Institute, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Hain Celestial Group, Communities in Schools, Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), National 4-H Council, the William Davidson Institute and the Center for U.S. Global Engagement. He is also a member of the Kansas Bioscience Authority and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

JOEL R. CHARNY, ACTING PRESIDENT
Joel R. Charny joined Refugees International in 2000 as Vice President for Policy to oversee the organization’s policy and advocacy program. He was appointed Acting President in August 2009. During his tenure with RI, Mr. Charny has conducted humanitarian assessment missions to Pakistan in the aftermath of 9/11, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Chinese border with North Korea, Indonesia and Sri Lanka after the tsunami, the Central African Republic, and Burma. Prior to joining RI, he worked for four years in Cambodia as Deputy Program Manager with the CARERE project of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). He also spent 16 years with Oxfam America, a relief and development organization based in Boston. In 1989, Mr. Charny became Overseas Director for Oxfam and in 1994 was named the organization’s first Policy Director. He is the author of articles on humanitarian issues in volumes published by Kumerian Press and the Brookings Institution, as well as articles for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Economist, The Asian Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor, Forced Migration Review, Harvard International Review, and Alertnet. Mr. Charny has a Master’s degree in international education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

MICHAEL MCINTYRE, VICE PRESIDENT FOR OPERATIONS
Mike McIntyre joined Refugees International in June 2005 as Director of Operations and became Vice President for Operations in October 2008. In his current capacity he ensures that RI’s systems and structure both support and augment the advocacy of the organization. He oversees Operations, Human Resources, Development, Communications and Finance. Prior to joining RI, Mr. McIntyre spent five years directing programs in Kosovo and the Caucasus region for World Vision. In 1999, he became a Project Coordinator for the World Rehabilitation Fund where he managed socio-economic development programs for landmine survivors in Cambodia, Laos, Lebanon and Bosnia in coordination with UNDP and the Turner Fund. Mr. McIntyre worked at the United Methodist Committee on Relief in Haiti, Georgia and Bosnia between 1995 and 1999. He also directed programs in Armenia from 1992 through 1994 for the AGBU and Save the Children implementing programs in relief and health. In addition to overseas work, he has an extensive background in mental health management and post-graduate education in health and behavioral sciences. Mr. McIntyre has a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Social Work.

SOLOMON DAVID, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
Solomon David joined Refugees International in 1992. For the last 14 years, he has taken charge of the organization’s accounting and the administration of finance functions. In 2004, Mr. David saved RI thousands of dollars when he led the team in refinancing its office building from a high-interest 30-year mortgage to a lower interest 15-year loan. A Certified Public Accountant, Mr. David specializes in management and tax consulting for small businesses and non-profit organizations. Mr. David joined RI with many years of experience as an accountant and comptroller for a publishing house, employment services, and non-profit entities. Mr. David holds a Master’s degree in Commerce with an emphasis in Advanced Cost-Accounting and Management from the University of Poona. He holds undergraduate degrees in Accounting and Economics, and a minor in Religious Philosophy, from Spicer Memorial College in Poona, India.

MEGAN FOWLER, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Megan Fowler joined Refugees International in 2004 and is responsible for positioning the organization as the source for solutions to refugee crises worldwide. With nearly ten years of communications experience, Ms. Fowler oversees the organization’s communications department, which strengthens the organization’s profile in the media, ensures a strong online presence through its web site, and produces high quality publications. She has also conducted missions to Burma and the Darfur region of Sudan. Prior to joining RI, Ms. Fowler worked as the Communications Manager for the Breast Cancer Fund, a San Francisco-based nonprofit where she established the foundation of the organization’s first communications department. She also spent three years with the national media team of the Sierra Club, the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization. In 2002, she pursued her interest in international affairs by teaching English in China. Ms. Fowler has an MSc in the Theory and History of International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Bachelor’s degree from University of California, Santa Cruz.

ANDREA LARI, REGIONAL DIRECTOR
Andrea Lari joined Refugees International in 2004 and currently manages the organization’s advocacy work on geographical priority areas. He has conducted missions to countries in the Great Lakes of Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa, in Colombia and the Andean Region. On these missions, he has focused on protection and humanitarian responses to recently displaced people, and the return and reintegration of refugees and internally displaced people. Before joining RI, Mr. Lari was a researcher for Human Rights Watch where he focused on Angola and forced displacement. His career in humanitarian work began when he volunteered with Jesuit Refugee Service in Angola. He then served as their Country Director for Angola from 1998 to 2000 and conducted humanitarian needs assessments in Pakistan and Afghanistan in early 2002. Mr. Lari grew up in Italy and began volunteering for projects assisting refugees in Croatia and Albania early in his career. He has a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Bologna, where he wrote a field-based final thesis entitled, “Human Rights Protection of Guatemalan Refugees in Southern Mexico,” and has completed the International Summer School at the Refugee Studies Program in Oxford. Mr. Lari’s native language is Italian, and he is also fluent in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

ELAINE MARTYN, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Elaine Martyn joined Refugees International as Director of Development in June 2008 charged with designing RI’s fundraising strategy, cultivating donors, and generating major gifts to the organization. With over a decade of experience in communications, policy writing, patient advocacy and health care philanthropy, she is committed to improving the visibility and capacity of mission-driven organizations. For the last five years, Ms. Martyn has lead efforts to build the philanthropic community in the UK, Europe and Asia through both grant-making and fundraising. From 2005-2008, she influenced the strategic vision behind King’s College London’s capital campaign, personally raising over $40 million towards medical research and healthcare projects in the UK, Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri-Lanka and the U.S. From 2003 to 2005, she served as Head of Research Grants and Trusts at the British Medical Association and managed the work of a 20-member Board of Medical Education, crafting policy, undertaking research, and overseeing communications regarding patient rights and medical education. Prior to her time in the UK, Ms. Martyn worked on marketing, communications, and donor stewardship initiatives in the U.S. at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the National Writing Project, and the International Institute.

Ms. Martyn double majored in Medical Studies and English Literature and Communications, and has a Master’s degree in Victorian Literature. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Institute of Fundraising and Women in Development, and serves on the Board of Trustees for London’s St. John’s Youth Centre. Since 1995, Ms. Martyn has been a supporter of women’s rights, immigrant communities, and has been involved with fundraising for orphans in the developing world. She has published on equal opportunities, mentorship, management, and medical education. She holds both American and British citizenship. As a second-generation Sri-Lankan-American, she has a working knowledge of Tamil, and also speaks French.

MICHELLE BROWN, SENIOR ADVOCATE & UNITED NATIONS REPRESENTATIVE
Michelle Brown joined Refugees International in 2000 and currently represents the organization at the United Nations. She has conducted field assessments in the Horn of Africa, West Africa, Latin America and South Asia. On her more than 20 missions in the past six years, Ms. Brown has focused her advocacy on issues such as protection of internally displaced people and refugees, reintegration assistance in post-conflict situations, and children affected by armed conflict. Before joining RI, she worked for three years as an English teacher in Japan. Ms. Brown also worked in South Asia with various women’s health organizations and with women’s micro-enterprise organizations in Cambodia. She has a Master’s degree in International Development Studies from George Washington University.

DAWN CALABIA, SENIOR ADVISER
Dawn Calabia joined Refugees International in 2004. She follows legislative developments for the organization, works to increase our impact in Congress, and provides special assistance on our statelessness and Burma advocacy. Ms. Calabia has 20 years of experience with foreign policy analysis, human rights issues and public advocacy. She has handled governmental and non-governmental relations in the U.S. and the Caribbean for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and served as the Director of Refugee Policy and International Affairs for the U.S. Catholic Conference Migration office, one of the country’s oldest service organizations for refugees and asylum seekers. Ms. Calabia also served on Capitol Hill for eleven years as a staff consultant to the House International Relations Committee and as the senior legislative staffer to Representative Stephen J. Solarz (D-NY). One of the founders of the Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children, housed at the International Rescue Committee, Ms. Calabia has led numerous fact-finding missions to Central America, Southeast Asia, South Asia and Africa. In December of 1996, she was honored at the White House for her human rights work with refugee women and children. She received a Master of Social Work degree from Fordham University and her Bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University in New York.

ELIZABETH CAMPBELL, SENIOR ADVOCATE
Elizabeth Campbell joined Refugees International in November 2009 as a Senior Advocate and leads the work on Iraq. Previously she was director of Refugee Council USA for three years. In this capacity, she led the policy and advocacy work of the nongovernmental organization (NGO) coalition that focuses on refugee protection and resettlement. She has worked with UNHCR’s Protection Unit in Nairobi, Kenya as well as with two different NGOs in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya providing education and other assistance. For two years Elizabeth worked with a local NGO in Jerusalem conducting research and writing about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. She also worked with a local NGO in Dheisheh Refugee Camp in Bethlehem on Palestinian refugee issues. She received her Ph.D. from Binghamton University –State University of New York in Sociology. Her dissertation, “Refugee Protection Challenges in the Era of Globalization: the Case of Nairobi,” focused on urban refugee protection, livelihoods, and possibilities for local integration. Elizabeth has published her findings in the Journal of Refugee Studies, Refugee Survey Quarterly, and for the Global Commission on International Migration as well as other edited book collections. Elizabeth is an adjunct faculty member at Georgetown Law School and James Madison University.

RON CAPPS, PEACEKEEPING PROGRAM MANAGER
Ron Capps joined Refugees International in January 2009. He directs RI’s peacekeeping program and the Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping. A retired Foreign Service Officer, Mr. Capps served most recently in the Department of State as deputy director in the Office for Analysis of Africa and previously in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Kosovo, Rwanda, Iraq and Sudan. He also served for 25 years in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserve, with overseas tours in Germany, Korea, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Mauritania, Chad and Afghanistan; he represented the U.S. on the African Union’s Cease Fire Commission in Darfur. Mr. Capps has lectured at the Foreign Service Institute, the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, the NATO School and The Henry L. Stimson Center. He has received numerous awards including two Department of State Superior Honor Awards, and two Bronze Star Medals. In 2007, the American Foreign Service Association presented him with the William R. Rivkin award for his creative dissent of U.S. policy in Darfur. Mr. Capps holds a Master’s Degree from the Johns Hopkins University and did further graduate work at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.

PATRICK DUPLAT, SENIOR ADVOCATE
Patrick Duplat joined Refugees International in September 2007. He has conducted field research on displacement crises in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Horn of Africa. Mr. Duplat previously worked with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) in Indonesia during the 2004 tsunami, Somalia, and Chad, where he worked with refugees from Darfur. Prior to working with MSF, he spent three years in China working in investor relations. Patrick has a Bachelor’s degree from McGill University in Commerce and a Master’s degree in Global Politics from the London School of Economics. Patrick is a dual French and Canadian citizen, and is fluent in French.

ANNA ELIAS, FINANCE ASSOCIATE
Anna Elias joined Refugees International in January 2007. As RI’s Finance Associate, Ms. Elias assists the Comptroller with day-to-day accounting functions including bank reconciliations, accounts payable, grant tracking, and processing travel reports and payroll. Ms. Elias most recently worked as the Accounting Clerk at Westerman, Hattori, Daniels & Adrian in Washington, DC, where her primary responsibilities included handling the accounts payable and petty cash for the firm. Her other duties included reconciling bank statements, assisting with budget planning and analysis, and preparing monthly financial statements. She has also performed general accounting duties with several other law firms. Ms. Elias has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Mary Washington and also holds an Associate’s degree in Business Administration from Northern Virginia College. She is pursuing a Master's degree program in International Finance and a certification as a public accountant at the University of Mary Washington.

SARA FUSCO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS
Sara Fusco joined Refugees International in December 2005. She led the redesign of the RI Web site and continues to manage site content, development and design. In addition, Ms. Fusco coordinates RI's online outreach and online fundraising efforts, and manages the production of all film and video work by the organization. Prior to her role in the communications department, she served as the assistant director of development at RI, coordinating events and volunteers. She worked closely with the development committee and board members to help direct the growing number of events important to building RI’s base of support. Before coming to RI, Ms. Fusco was the deputy director of development at the National Legal Aid & Defender Association, where she worked on cultivating individual and corporate donors, developing marketing materials, and directing the organization’s special events planning. She has also worked for Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY) and on Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s (D-NY) first senate campaign. Ms. Fusco has a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh, and is currently pursing her Master's Degree in Media Studies at The New School in New York City.

ROSA MARIA GUERRERO, OFFICE MANAGER
Rosa Guerrero joined Refugees International in 2000. She serves as executive assistant to the president and president emeritus, and manages the daily functioning of the office.

MIRSADA HOFFMAN, INDIVIDUAL GIVING OFFICER
Mirsada Hoffmann joined Refugees International in February of 2010.  As the Individual Giving Officer, she is responsible for building relationships with the individuals who support the work of RI.  Prior to joining RI, she worked as the Manager of Donor Relations for the SEED Foundation and as a fundraiser for the U.S. Association for International Migration (USAIM).  Being the child of a Bosnian refugee, she is very passionate about the issues that RI focuses on.  On a volunteer basis, she is very involved in the Washington, DC community, as a member of the Junior League of Washington and the University Club Community Affairs Committee.  Ms. Hoffmann received a Bachelor’s degree from Stonehill College and a Master’s degree from Sarah Lawrence College.

LIMNYUY KONGLIM, ADVOCACY ASSOCIATE
Limnyuy Konglim joined Refugees International in March 2008. She is responsible for providing logistical and program support to the Advocates and other RI travelers while they are in the field. Her core work experience is as a customer relations and development specialist at the Center for Teaching Excellence at American University. She has held short-term positions and internships for the Mengo Youth Development Institute (Kampala, Uganda), Leadership Initiatives, and Voices for Global Change. Ms. Konglim is of Cameroonian descent and grew up in the United States. She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Communications from Syracuse University and will soon complete a Master’s degree in International Affairs at American University with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. She has conversational competence in Spanish and is studying French.

MAUREEN LYNCH, SENIOR ADVOCATE ON STATELESS INITIATIVES
Maureen Lynch joined Refugees International in 1999. She has conducted assessment missions to more than 20 countries including Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Cote d’Ivoire, Ingushetia, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Syria, and Zimbabwe. Ms. Lynch advances awareness and action on behalf of the more than 11 million stateless persons worldwide.

CAMILLA OLSON, ADVOCATE
Camilla Olson joined Refugees International in August 2006 as Advocacy Associate and was promoted to the position of Advocate in March 2008. Ms. Olson has conducted field assessments with the organization to Bangladesh, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malaysia, Sudan, Thailand and Uganda, and has carried out advocacy strategies focused on issues related to humanitarian assistance and the protection of refugees and internally displaced people. Before joining RI, she was the Field Relations Manager for InterExchange Au Pair USA, a nonprofit cultural exchange program. Ms. Olson also has experience working on refugee resettlement programs with the International Organization for Migration in Geneva and the International Rescue Committee. Ms. Olson holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University and a Bachelor’s degree in French from Rutgers University. She is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Sweden, and is fluent in Swedish.

VANESSA PARRA, PRESS & INFORMATION OFFICER
Vanessa Parra began her work with Refugees International in late May 2007 as Press & Information Officer. Since joining RI, she has conducted a mission to assess the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Sudan. Ms. Parra has a range of experience in communications, media outreach, online outreach (including blogs), political campaigns and international issues. While working towards her undergraduate degree, she started her career at the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida as their Communications Assistant, where she pitched local media, maintained the media database and wrote and distributed press releases. In late 2006, Ms. Parra had a short contract with Mammen Pritchard/Democratic GAIN, where she updated their website on a daily basis, maintained regular email contact with a list of 20,000, and coordinated various direct mail projects. At Mammen Pritchard, she wrote direct mail pieces for crucial races during the 2006 Congressional electoral cycle. Most recently, she worked as a Program Officer at the Center for a Free Cuba, where she helped write and place op-eds, organized events with key officials, and implemented various humanitarian aid projects funded by USAID. She also spent one year in Russia and Azerbaijan through a State Department Exchange Program. Ms. Parra received a Bachelor’s degree from Florida International University in Political Science and minored in English, History and International Relations. Ms. Parra has native fluency in Spanish, English and French.

MATT PENNINGTON, PEACEKEEPING ASSOCIATE
Matt Pennington joined Refugees International in September 2009. As Peacekeeping Associate, Mr. Pennington is responsible for managing the day-to-day workings of the Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping (PEP), tracking and analyzing policy proposals related to peacekeeping reform, and developing advocacy initiatives to improve international peacekeeping. Prior to joining RI, Mr. Pennington served as a legislative assistant for Congressman Dennis Cardoza (D-CA). His responsibilities included advising Congressman Cardoza on foreign affairs, human rights, forced migration, transportation, labor, corrections, and appropriations policies. Previously, Mr. Pennington worked for the Brookings Institution, and held internships with the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension; the U.S. District Court, 9th Circuit, in Oakland, CA; and the California State Lieutenant Governor’s office in Sacramento, California. He is also a refugee resettlement volunteer with the International Rescue Committee in Silver Spring, MD. Matt holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley.

RENATA RENDÓN, CONGRESSIONAL ADVOCATE
Renata Rendón joined Refugees International in July 2009 as the Congressional Advocate. Before joining RI, she was employed at Amnesty International USA for more than three years, where she directed government advocacy on Latin America and the Caribbean, and sexual violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women. Prior to her work with Amnesty, Ms. Rendón provided international human rights accompaniment to a displaced community in Colombia through the Fellowship of Reconciliation. A massacre of eight community members by Colombian military and paramilitary forces during her tenure prompted her to devote herself to U.S. government advocacy work. Ms. Rendón has a Bachelor’s degree in Women’s Studies from the University of California in Santa Cruz and a joint Master’s degree in Latin American/Caribbean Studies and Journalism from New York University. She is fluent in Spanish.

JENNIFER SMITH, ADVOCATE
Jennifer Smith joined Refugees International as an Advocate in July 2009. Prior to joining RI, she worked with International Alert in the United Kingdom. At International Alert, her primary responsibility was to conduct field research in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to assess the effectiveness of aid programs. Ms. Smith began her career in peacekeeping and conflict resolution by working with DRC’s UN peacekeeping force, MONUC. She then spent 18 months in New York with the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations. She also served as a policy analyst for the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development in the UK, concentrating on international conflict and advocacy in conjunction with the Catholic Church in Africa. Ms. Smith has a Master’s degree from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado in International Affairs and Economics. She is fluent in French.

ELLIE STAMATOPOULOS, EVENTS MANAGER
Ellie Stamatopoulos joined Refugees International in December 2008. As Events Manager, she works closely with the development committee and other board members to help direct the growing number of events important to building RI’s base of support, including the annual gala in Washington, DC, each May and donor circles across the United States. Prior to joining RI, she managed events and conferences on several continents for Worldwide ERC, a trade association for expatriates, for six years. On a volunteer basis, she helped to plan several Washington, DC, fundraisers to support the Afghan Health and Social Assistance Organization, New Orleans Kid Camera Project, and the 2008 Breakthrough Summit at The National Cathedral. She is active in numerous local organizations, including serving as Chair of the International Network of the Women’s Information Network (WIN) in 2008; the Public Leadership Education Network (PLEN); Americans for Informed Democracy (AID); and Dining for Women. Ms. Stamatopoulos received a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Business Management from Elms College in western Massachusetts and is fluent in Greek.

MELANIE TEFF, SENIOR ADVOCATE, WOMEN'S RIGHTS
Melanie Teff began her work as an Advocate with Refugees International in July 2007. Since joining RI, she has conducted missions to Liberia to assess the humanitarian needs of Liberian returnees, to northern Uganda to assess the needs of internally-displaced people and returnees, to the Dominican Republic focusing on statelessness of people of Haitian origin, to northern Iraq and Syria focusing on the situation of displaced Iraqi women, and three missions to Sudan, focusing on humanitarian action in Darfur and on the situation of returnees to southern Sudan. Ms. Teff’s international experience includes two years in the Solomon Islands with VSO working as legal advisor to a local nongovernmental organization combating domestic violence and child abuse. She then spent three years as a human rights advocacy trainer in the Dominican Republic, where her focus was on statelessness among the Haitian migrant and refugee communities. Ms. Teff later established and coordinated the international advocacy and policy office for Jesuit Refugee Service in Rome, where she worked between 2003 and 2006. This position involved frequent travel to overseas offices of Jesuit Refugee Service and representing the agency’s advocacy positions in Geneva to UNHCR. She has also co-coordinated the International Coalition on the Detention of Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Migrants since 2005. Prior to getting involved with international work, she spent eight years as a lawyer in England with a focus on child rights, child abuse, and legal cases involving family law. Ms. Teff has a Master of Laws degree in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex. She is a British citizen and is fluent in Spanish.

TERESA WEATHINGTON, DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE
Teresa Weathington joined Refugees International in October 2006. She is responsible for building relationships with private foundations to increase grant support for RI’s work and serves as RI’s primary foundation liaison. Ms. Weathington coordinates and contributes to grant proposal writing and reporting. She has conducted a mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to assess the United Nations peacekeeping force with RI. Prior to joining RI, she coordinated grant requests and reports, and provided database maintenance at Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind. She also helped to implement CLB’s nationwide direct mail campaign and established its grants management systems. Ms. Weathington also previously provided project support at Chemonics International, interned in the Humanitarian Policy & Practice Unit at InterAction, and completed conflict mediation courses at the International Institute for Mediation and Conflict Resolution Symposium in The Hague. Ms. Weathington received a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Yale University and a Master’s degree in International Affairs from George Washington University, with extensive coursework in conflict resolution and humanitarian assistance.

ERIN A. WEIR, SENIOR PEACEKEEPING ADVOCATE
Erin Weir joined Refugees International in January 2007. Ms. Weir’s work bridges the gap between RI’s humanitarian assessment work and the security centered analysis of peacekeeping and civilian protection. She has conducted several field missions in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad and Somalia to assess the civilian protection efforts of United Nations, African Union, and European Union peacekeeping operations. Ms. Weir conducts ongoing advocacy in support of RI’s joint peacekeeping and humanitarian policy recommendations. Before joining RI, she worked as a Research Associate with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center in Accra, Ghana. In this capacity, Ms. Weir conducted field research in Liberia and organized regional conferences of West African military officers and civil society representatives. She has also published pieces on the effect of UN ‘integrated missions’ on the delivery of humanitarian aid as well as strategic forced migration. Ms. Weir has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Queen’s University in Canada and a Master’s degree in International and European Politics from the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, where her thesis focused on the politicization and militarization of refugee camps in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide. She is a Canadian citizen and is fluent in French.