Ottawa, 8 December 2025—The World Refugee & Migration Council (WRMC) today announced the appointment of Ninette Kelley as its new Chair, a leadership transition that will strengthen the Council’s efforts to advance practical, innovative and rights-based responses to displacement and asylum challenges worldwide.
An internationally respected expert on forced displacement and humanitarian policy, Ms. Kelley brings more than three decades of leadership with the United Nations, government, and civil society. She served as Director of UNHCR’s New York Office representing the organization’s global operations and beneficiaries within the United Nations system. Prior to that, she served as UNHCR Representative in Beirut, Lebanon, where she led one of UNHCR’s most complex operations from 2010 to 2015. Ms. Kelley also has deep expertise in Canadian refugee policy, having served on the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada’s Immigration Appeal Division and Convention Refugee Determination Division. Her published work spans Canadian immigration policy, global forced displacement, citizenship, and refugee protection.
“Ninette Kelley is an exceptional leader whose deep expertise and commitment to displaced people will strengthen the Council at a pivotal time,” said Fen Osler Hampson, President of the World Refugee & Migration Council. “We are delighted to welcome her as Chair and look forward to the vision and energy she brings to this role.”
As Chair, Ms. Kelley will help guide the Council’s strategic direction, engage policymakers and civil society partners, and champion initiatives that promote accountability, expand pathways to protection, and reinforce international cooperation. Her appointment comes as the Council advances major initiatives, including supporting activists in exile, countering digital disinformation, strengthening climate-resilient responses, and advocating for the repurposing of frozen assets to support victims of conflict created by corrupt leaders.
Ninette Kelley as its new Chair, a leadership transition that will strengthen the Council’s efforts to advance practical, innovative and rights-based responses to displacement and asylum challenges worldwide. “WRMC plays a crucial role in shaping practical, principled solutions for refugees and migrants, and I look forward to working with colleagues and partners to drive meaningful impact.”
