Eskinder Negash, Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Washington, DC

Eskinder Negash is the Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), within the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ORR provides people in need, including refugees, asylees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, victims of human trafficking, unaccompanied alien children, and survivors of torture with critical resources to assist them in becoming integrated members of American society. Mr. Negash brings nearly 30 years of experience working on behalf of refugees and immigrants, and managing non-profit social service agencies. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Negash served as the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Committee on Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), a non-governmental, non-profit international organization dedicated to addressing the needs and rights of persons in forced or voluntary migration worldwide.

Before joining USCRI, Mr. Negash served as Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the International Institute of Los Angeles for 15 years. Mr. Negash served as a board member with several non-profit organizations, including two years as chair of the Joint Voluntary Agencies Committee of California, chair of the California State Refugee Advisory Council, board member of Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), and chair of the Finance Committee.