Founder / Executive Director

Ann has advocated for refugees for more than 20 years both in the U.S. and in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the U.K. She has held several roles in the field of refugee resettlement in both the UN system and for non-governmental organizations. She has dedicated her life to highlighting the power and promise of refugees. She has a B.A. from the University of San Francisco and a Masters of Social Work (M.S.W.) from the University of Washington.

Zainab Alhassani

Board Member

Zainab and her family fled from Iraq to a refugee camp in Saudi Arabia. Her first-generation experience in the United States and in university gives her insight and experience to take back to other refugee students to help them through their struggles. She received her B.A. in English Language and Literature from the University of Washington and volunteers her time to translate for refugees in her community. Zainab was most recently an Undergraduate Program Coordinator at the University of Washington’s College of Education. 

Mohamed Ahmed

Board Member

Mohamed is a Muslim feminist who advocates for women’s rights with some of the most resistant and patriarchal cultures in the world. Currently based in Kenya, Mohamed is a proud human-rights activist who has spent the last decade fighting gender-based violence through educational empowerment programming. Mohamed is currently completing an honors B.A. degree in the field of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies at York University in Toronto.

Board Member

Kimberly is a passionate inquiry-based teaching researcher and practitioner with over thirty years of experience in education. She has lived and worked in the United States, Ecuador, Greece, and Argentina as an elementary and middle teacher, a high school and elementary school principal, a Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and a program Director at Teach for All.

 A graduate of Stanford University’s Education Administration & Policy program, she is the author of Experience Inquiry, founder of Inquiry Partners, adjunct professor at the University of Washington, Ethics Bowl adjudicator, and former Chair of the International Baccalaureate Americas Regional Board.

Tsewone Melaku

Board Member

Tsewone is a Master of Education candidate at the University of Washington Seattle studying Educational Policy, Organizations & Leadership. Born in the US to Ethiopian refugees, she grew up seeing and experiencing the barriers that many immigrant families face when trying to create a sustainable future. She is passionate about supporting historically excluded communities in receiving a quality education that provides young people with access and opportunities to pursue their dreams. She has experience in management consulting and a background in human centered design. 

Anne Riley, J.D.

Board Member

Ann has 20+ years of experience working with non-profit organizations to reach their fundraising goals. An original founder of the law practice Advocates for Justice, Anne remains committed to fighting for social justice everywhere. Anne is the Development Director for the Lighthouse for the Blind in Seattle, Washington. Anne received her B.A. from Holy Cross College and her J.D. from Seattle University.

Kimberly L. Mitchell, M.A.