Nazanin Ash is CEO of Welcome.US, a national initiative to inspire and mobilize Americans to help resettle refugees and newcomers and ensure they thrive. In less than two years, Welcome.US has built the largest and most diverse coalition in support of refugee resettlement ever, featuring 800 leaders and partners from the corporate, philanthropic, arts and civic sectors and hundreds of community organizations. Over 500,000 Americans have already committed to being a bridge to safety for refugees and other newcomers seeking safety as sponsors, demonstrating whole new possibilities for addressing global displacement challenges and healing real or perceived divides around welcoming newcomers. Ms. Ash brings to this role decades of experience in the areas of refugee and migration challenges, humanitarian response, coalition building, and innovative policy development, having served previously as the Vice President of Global Policy and Advocacy at the International Rescue Committee, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the Department of State during the Obama Administration, and as a member of the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning staff. Ms. Ash also served as principal advisor and Chief of Staff to the first Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources and Administrator of USAID, designing strategies and policies for U.S. foreign assistance reform in support of inclusive political and economic development. One of Washingtonian Magazine's "Most Influential People Shaping Policy," she's described as "a crucial liaison among corporations, service organizations, and government . . . to resettle those escaping crises in countries around the world."