Nazanin Ash

Nazanin Ash is a policy leader, humanitarian advocate, and the founding CEO of Welcome.US, a national initiative focused on uniting and mobilizing Americans to welcome newcomers seeking safety in the United States. With extensive experience in foreign policy, politics, human rights, refugee and migration issues, humanitarian response, coalition building, and policy innovation, Ash is recognized for her work in refugee resettlement and immigration reform.

Ash's public service career spans multiple presidential administrations and institutions. She was appointed as a White House Fellow, where she contributed to the launch of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), an initiative addressing global health and humanitarian needs. She later served as deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the Department of State, leading the Middle East Partnership Initiative and advancing political and economic reform in the region. Ash also served on the secretary of state's policy planning staff, developing strategies to enhance U.S. government aid effectiveness and approaches to development. Her roles have included serving as chief of staff to the Administrator of USAID and as the first director of U.S. Foreign Assistance. Prior to her leadership at Welcome.US, Ash was vice president of global policy and advocacy at the International Rescue Committee, supporting humanitarian relief and refugee resettlement in the United States and abroad.

As CEO of Welcome.US, Ash has overseen the organization's efforts to resettle refugees across all 50 states, developing a scalable model for community engagement in immigration and refugee support. The organization has mobilized a national network of volunteers and fostered partnerships with major corporations to expand capacity for welcoming newcomers. Under Ash's leadership, Welcome.US has increased national capacity for refugee resettlement and empowered Americans to serve as sponsors for refugee newcomers.

Ash has been recognized by Washingtonian Magazine as one of the 500 most influential people in Washington, DC, and has spoken at industry forums such as Accenture's Women's Leadership Forum. She has appeared on the Masters of Scale "Rapid Response" podcast, discussing innovations in private and civic sector collaboration for refugee resettlement. Her work has been highlighted as a bridge among corporations, service organizations, and government.

Ash holds an MPP from Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a BA from Bryn Mawr College. She was a visiting policy fellow at the Center for Global Development, focusing on aid effectiveness and reform in the Middle East. Her career encompasses humanitarian work, government service, and nonprofit leadership, contributing to ongoing conversations on immigration, refugee policy, and humanitarian response.