New York, NY, June 22, 2004 - The Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children announced today that Carolyn Makinson has been selected as the organization's new executive director. Makinson, who is currently director of MIT's Center for International Studies, will assume her position in September.
"Carolyn's particular combination of leadership, vision and experience makes her the right person for the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children," said Kathleen Newland, chair of the Women's Commission board of directors. "Carolyn is a woman renowned for her keen intellect, creative thinking, tenacity in pursuit of an idea, passion for refugee issues, close familiarity with our organization, and personal warmth, among many sterling qualities. I know that she will take the Women's Commission to new heights. It's a tribute to the late Mary Diaz that the organization could attract such a talented women to take the helm."
Before joining MIT, Makinson was a program officer for Population and Forced Migration at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, where she is now a senior advisor. In that role, she was instrumental in the creation of programs to bring reproductive health services to refugees and in generating a stronger focus on the needs of refugee and displaced adolescents - efforts in which the Women's Commission has been an important participant. She has also worked with Macro International as a Country Monitor for Burundi and Kenya, and as a Research Affiliate with the American University in Cairo. Makinson has won numerous academic fellowships and prizes and has published widely. She has a Ph.D. in Sociology from Princeton University.
The Women's Commission is an advocacy organization that works to improve the lives and protect the rights of refugee women and children worldwide. It is an independent affiliate of the International Rescue Committee and was founded in 1989.
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