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Elisa Massimino

Executive Director

Human Rights Institute | Georgetown University Law Center

Washington, DC, USA

Elisa Massimino

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Elisa Massimino’s Biography

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Elisa Massimino is the Executive Director of the Human Rights Institute at the Georgetown University Law Center. She previously served at the university's Law Center as the Robert F. Drinan Chair of Human Rights. Elisa is a widely recognizable and highly regarded leader in human rights advocacy, and she previously spent 27 years with Human Rights First, serving as President and CEO.

Elisa holds a distinguished career of advocacy for human rights. She has testified before Congress many times, writes frequently for established publications and specialized journals, speaks to audiences around the country, and appears regularly in major media outlets. Elisa, the daughter of a nuclear submarine commander, was instrumental in building a coalition of retired generals and admirals to speak publicly against policies authorizing the torture of prisoners. Ever since 2008, Elisa has consistently named one of the most effective public advocates in the United States by the influential Washington newspaper The Hill.

After leaving Human Rights First, Elisa joined Harvard University’s Kennedy School... Elisa Massimino is the Executive Director of the Human Rights Institute at the Georgetown University Law Center. She previously served at the university's Law Center as the Robert F. Drinan Chair of Human Rights. Elisa is a widely recognizable and highly regarded leader in human rights advocacy, and she previously spent 27 years with Human Rights First, serving as President and CEO.

Elisa holds a distinguished career of advocacy for human rights. She has testified before Congress many times, writes frequently for established publications and specialized journals, speaks to audiences around the country, and appears regularly in major media outlets. Elisa, the daughter of a nuclear submarine commander, was instrumental in building a coalition of retired generals and admirals to speak publicly against policies authorizing the torture of prisoners. Ever since 2008, Elisa has consistently named one of the most effective public advocates in the United States by the influential Washington newspaper The Hill.

After leaving Human Rights First, Elisa joined Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government as a Senior Fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, a post she held until 2019. Prior to her work with Human Rights First, Elisa practised law with Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells). Before joining the legal profession, she was a lecturer in Philosophy. Elisa received a law degree from the University of Michigan, a Master’s in philosophy from Johns Hopkins University, and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Trinity University where she was recently honored as a Distinguished Alumna. She is a Member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the U.S. Supreme Court Bar.

Elisa serves as a Board Member of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the McCain Institute for International Leadership and the Migration Policy Institute. She also serves on the Advisory Councils of Refugees International and National Security Action. moreless

Elisa Massimino’s Newsfeed

Washington Post

All over Ukraine, people are missing, forcing families to become detectives

Elisa Massimino discusses the disturbing spread of 'forced disappearances' in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion.

Georgetown University

Elisa Massimino Appointed to Lead Georgetown Law’s Human Rights Institute

“Today’s human rights challenges demand a unique combination of energy, wisdom, and strategic thinking,” Elisa Massimino said. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to mentor the next generation of human rights advocates at Georgetown and help build the Human Rights Institute into a powerhouse training academy for lawyers who want to change the world.”

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Elisa Massimino’s Background

Human Rights Institute | Georgetown University Law Center

Executive Director

Jul 2021 - Present

Washington, DC, USA

The Human Rights Institute brings together a distinguished list of human rights faculty and experts at the Law Center alongside human rights leaders from around the world to develop solutions for some of the world's most pressing human rights challenges.

Georgetown University Law Center

Robert F. Drinan, S.J., Chair in Human Rights

Jul 2018 - Jul 2021

Washington, DC, USA

The Drinan Chair was established in 2006 in honor of Professor Robert F. Drinan, S.J. Drinan was a professor at Georgetown Law from 1981 until his death in 2007, as well as a priest, scholar, lawyer, politician, activist, ethicist, and one of the nation’s leading advocates for human rights.

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Elisa Massimino’s Gallery

Elisa Massimino conference panel

Elisa Massimino human rights talk

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Elisa Massimino testifying before the Senate

Elisa Massimino McCain Feinstein

Current Board Positions

Migration Policy Institute

Board of Trustees | Treasurer

Washington, DC, USA

Established in 2001, Migration Policy Institute continues to support and promote better immigration policies by offering research opportunities in an effort to solve complex policy problems.

National Security Action

Advisory Council

2019 - Present

Washington, DC, USA

National Security Action brings together and mobilizes an unparalleled network of former senior officials, policy experts, academics, and civil society leaders dedicated to a progressive vision of American global leadership.

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Previous Board Positions

Foreign Policy For America

Board Member

Jan 2019 - Jun 2019

Washington, DC, USA

Foreign Policy for America seeks to build a diverse and active network of Americans who are committed to defending diplomacy and standing up for principled American engagement in the world.

Warren Wilson College

Board of Trustees

May 2016 - May 2019

Asheville, NC, USA

Warren Wilson College is a liberal arts college grounded in social responsibility, with strong beliefs in community and the dignity of work.

Philanthropy

RFK / Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights

Board of Directors

2008 - Present

New York, NY, USA

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, founded in 1968, is led by human rights activist and lawyer Kerry Kennedy and advocates for a more just and peaceful world. Working alongside local activists to ensure lasting positive change in governments and corporations, the RFK team includes leading attorneys, advocates, entrepreneurs and writers united by a commitment to social justice.

Refugees International

Advisory Council

2019 - Present

Washington, DC, USA

Refugees International is an independent organization that support the advancement of policies regarding the assistance and protection for displaced people in crises.

Media

Elisa Massimino Testifying on Human Trafficking

Senate Testimony

Feb 2017

Washington, DC, USA

Elisa Massimino testifies before a Senate Committee on the dangers faced by refugees from human traffickers, stating "Anyone who seeks to deprive traffickers of their ability to prey on vulnerable people cannot in good conscience slam the door on refugees."

Elisa Massimino on Leadership

2015

Washington, DC, USA

Elisa Massimino, Robert F. Drinan, S.J., Chair in Human Rights at Georgetown University Law Center and Fmr. President & CEO of Human Rights First, shares her insights on leadership and advice for the next generation of leaders.

Publications

It's Official: In Egypt, You Can Get 15 Years in Jail for a Tweet

Co-author

Aug 2020

Washington, DC, USA

Elisa Massimino and Neil Hicks discuss what the recent developments in Egypt mean for the nation's human rights fight, stating, "Last week, the government crossed a dangerous new threshold in its crackdown on peaceful dissent."

"Leveraging the State Department’s Human Rights Reports To Inform U.S. Foreign Policy"

Co-author

Mar 2020

Washington, DC, USA

Elisa Massimino and co-author Alexandra Schmitt discuss the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices report released last week by the US State Department. The annual report an important guide for US foreign policy. Massimino and Schmitt analyze the stark disconnect this year’s report shows between human rights situations on the ground and the current administration’s policies around the world.

Memberships

Council on Foreign Relations

Member

Washington, DC, USA

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, non-partisan membership organization, think tank and publisher, composed of more than fifty full-time and adjunct fellows, who cover the major regions & significant issues shaping today's international agenda.

Academic Appointments

Center for American Progress

Senior Fellow, Human Rights

Jan 2020 - Present

Washington, DC, USA

The Center for American Progress seeks to improve the lives of all Americans by promoting new and progressive ideas.

Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, Harvard Kennedy School

Senior Fellow

2018 - 2019

Cambridge, MA, USA

Since its establishment in 1999, the Carr Center has developed a unique focus of expertise on the most dangerous and intractable human rights challenges of the new century, including genocide, mass atrocity, state failure, and the ethics and politics of military intervention.

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Speaking Engagements

2022 Samuel Dash Conference on Human Rights: The Role of Lawyers in a Democracy in Crisis

Moderator

Apr 2022

Washington, DC, USA

Elisa Massimino and Diann Rust-Tierney led an audience discussion on the parallels between what the United States underwent as a country during the downfall of the Nixon administration and the January 6th insurrection, as well as their impacts on the public perception of democracy.

Roads Not Taken: Reflections on the 9/11 Anniversary

Featured Speaker

Sep 2021

Elisa Massimino joins a panel of speakers to reflect on the events of 9/11 and how the human rights organizations responded in the time after the attack.

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Bar Admissions

Supreme Court of the United States

Washington, DC, USA

The Supreme Court is the highest tribunal in the United States for all cases arising under the Constitution and laws of the United States.

Elisa Massimino’s Education

University of Michigan Law School

Juris Doctor

Johns Hopkins University

MA in Philosophy, cum laude

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