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We are excited to announce that as of February 1, 2022, Hannah Joy Sachs has assumed the position of Humanity in Action’s National Director for the United States. Hannah will be responsible for driving the development of creative programming on current social issues while managing an entrepreneurial office team in New York and beyond. As a key member of Humanity in Action’s international staff, Hannah will also shape the organization’s initiatives together with a team of diverse colleagues across Europe.
Hannah joins the leadership of Humanity in Action at a moment of substantial organizational and programmatic growth. Her intellect, expertise, and competencies will contribute to the Humanity in Action community in a myriad of ways. Aside from steering the management of the organization, Hannah will directly and indirectly support a community of over 2,600 leaders and activists who work at the forefront of pressing social justice challenges on both sides of the Atlantic.
“I first got involved with Humanity in Action as a Fellow, and was immediately taken not just by the organization’s mission but also by its approach. I am continually impressed by how the HIA community engages with critical issues,” Hannah remarked. “But the most meaningful and special part of Humanity in Action for me is the deep relationships formed within the network. I am delighted and honored that Humanity in Action continued to bring me back into the fold in a number of roles, culminating in this one. I cannot wait to continue working with such a dedicated and talented team as well as with our endlessly inspiring Fellows and Senior Fellows.”
Prior to this new role, Hannah served as Humanity in Action’s Communications and Community Manager in 2021 and as the Berlin Fellowship Program Coordinator in 2020. Hannah is also a Humanity in Action Senior Fellow (Berlin Fellowship 2018). Her reflections on her time as a Fellow can be found here. Hannah’s upbringing as a Chinese American adoptee raised in a white Jewish family inspired her to research racial and cultural identity development within the transracial transnational Asian American adoptee community. She first studied Sociology at Davidson College before obtaining an MSc in Migration Studies from the University of Oxford. In addition to her academic pursuits, Hannah is a seasoned experiential educator. Across nearly ten years, Hannah has led thousands of students on immersive educational programs, primarily in Southeast Asia and China. Aside from travel, handicrafts, and rooting for the New York Yankees, Hannah’s other passion is working with horses. When not at her desk, you can find her at the barn or volunteering at Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Center.
“It is with great pleasure that we look forward to working closely with Hannah in this important position. She brings to it a critical set of skills: international and intercultural experience, non-formal education skills, and a great amount of knowledge on human rights issues. We will benefit immensely from her wisdom and her unusual capacity to enhance the work of those she leads,” adds Dr. Judith Goldstein, CEO and Executive Director of Humanity in Action.
For more information about Hannah, you can visit her profile here.