Lisa D’Annunzio

Interim Co-CEO

she/her | Based in the USA | Joined in 2016

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Lisa’s path to Asylum Access is driven by her commitment to challenging power and injustice, and her dedication to ensuring that people forced to leave their home countries can find safety and rebuild their lives.

Lisa currently serves as Interim Co-CEO with her colleague Rouba Anka. In addition to focusing on overall organizational strategy and the advancement of Asylum Access’ mission, Lisa oversees global fundraising and communications strategies as their Chief Development Officer.

Lisa has over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Her primary focus has been on advancing human rights, and this passion led her to pursue a legal education early in her career. Lisa received her Juris Doctorate from the University of San Francisco School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts, in Music (Vocal Performance concentration), from Pomona College.

After law school, Lisa moved to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to learn about refugee law and explore how she could use her skills and background to contribute to the refugee rights movement as an ally. She is a proud alumna of the Volunteer Legal Advocate program at Asylum Access Tanzania (now Dignity Kwanza), where she worked with forcibly displaced clients to obtain legal documentation and co-founded a refugee women’s empowerment group.

Lisa’s legal skills and theater and musical performance background have helped make her an effective communicator and partnership-builder in the field of human rights. Lisa believes everyone can contribute to the movement to shift power and advocate for the rights of forcibly displaced communities. She would love for you to contact her if you would like to get involved.

Lisa is currently based in Oakland, California, USA. In her free time, she loves being with friends and exploring the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. Lisa is also passionate about travel and is planning many adventures with her son, Dean.