Alison C. Giffen

Alison Giffen "was until 2007 a Policy Analyst for the Open Society Institute/Policy Center. Her primary responsibilities include advocating for multilateral U.S. foreign policies and facilitating coalition efforts to monitor and advance U.S. support of UN reform initiatives, including the establishment of an effective and credible Human Rights Council.

"Giffen also helps to coordinate Connect US, a community of individuals, initiatives and organizations that promote responsible U.S. global policy and action. Connect US is a joint foundation/NGO initiative supported by a donors’ collaborative - the Connect US Fund. The fund supports effective collaboration and helps organizations working in the foreign policy arena to become better policy advocates.

"Prior to joining the Open Society Institute, Giffen served as the Project Director of a groundbreaking study on ex-combatants in Sierra Leone supported by the Earth Institute, Columbia University. Giffen managed the survey of over 1,000 ex-combatants on the ground in Sierra Leone, examining the incentives for joining criminal rebel structures and the disincentives for demobilization. Before that, Giffen worked as a consultant to Oxfam GB’s Sierra Leone office, with Columbia University’s Human Rights Advocates Training Program, and was the Founding Director of the U.S. Office on Colombia, which helps to coordinate an international coalition of groups promoting peace and human rights in Colombia.

"Giffen received her M.A. in International Affairs from the School for International and Public Affairs at Columbia University in 2003. Her graduate studies focused on human rights. Giffen graduated magna cum laude from Occidental College in 1997 with a B.A. in Diplomacy and World Affairs." [1]