NEW YORK — American Jewish World Service (AJWS), the leading global Jewish human rights organization, has elected Jill Minneman to lead its Board of Trustees. A long-time trustee and advocate for social change, Ms. Minneman steps into this leadership role at a critical moment for human rights advocates worldwide.
“Jill becomes our Board Chair at an inflection point for AJWS and for the social justice sector writ large,” said AJWS President and CEO Robert Bank. “The tide of global authoritarianism, newly amplified by steep, politicized cuts to U.S. foreign assistance, makes AJWS’s partnership with frontline activists even more indispensable. By selecting Jill, the Board has found the balance of analytical thinking and empathetic listening the moment demands. In this charged climate for global advocacy, our partners need to know AJWS will stand firm as a source of support, something Jill regards as AJWS’s most essential responsibility.”
Ms. Minneman, who joined AJWS’s Board of Trustees in 2018, aims to harness the Board’s collective vision for the future by addressing present challenges head-on and strengthening AJWS’s distinctive approach to supporting human rights. With a lifelong career in international development, she values AJWS’s grassroots model of intervention—one that she wholeheartedly embraces.
“As a former consultant with the World Bank and USAID, my perspective on international aid has evolved. In the past, I believed that to make meaningful change, you had to be part of big, powerful institutions. After immersing myself in AJWS’s approach and mission, I now deeply value the enormous power of local communities and social movements,” Ms. Minneman said. “The grassroots movements AJWS supports are courageous, wise, and essential and our approach multiplies their impact on their communities and the world. While other organizations struggle with localization, AJWS continues to lead the way.”
The former chair of the Board’s Program Committee, Ms. Minneman has traveled with AJWS to Burma, Guatemala, India, Mexico, and Thailand, experiences that helped enrich her understanding of AJWS’s philosophy that those facing the greatest human rights obstacles are best suited to solve them.
“I always want to tell everyone I meet about AJWS,” Ms. Minneman said. “When I returned from my first visit to Burma, I hosted an event filled with D.C. insiders, people familiar with the machinery of international development. My own slides showed the enormous impact AJWS grantees have on local communities, and how that influence is leveraged nationally and globally. The longer I’m a part of AJWS, the more evidence I have that this model works.”
Ms. Minneman most recently served on AJWS’s Board of Trustees as Secretary and Chair of the Governance Committee. She is also a member of the Executive Committee and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Racial Justice Committee. Previously, she served five years as Chair of the Programs Committee and led the Programs Learning and Governance Task Force.
Ms. Minneman earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Tufts University and a master’s degree in international business and economics at its Fletcher School. She is the immediate past Board President of the Sitar Arts Center, which honored her with its Visionary Award in 2021. She is also a Board member of Or Halev, an organization dedicated to fostering Jewish mindfulness and spirituality through contemplative practice. Ms. Minneman is a leadership coach and a longtime yoga and meditation teacher. She lives with her husband Tom Fulcher and dog in Washington, D.C. and has two adult sons. She enjoys reading, swinging kettlebells, and knitting.
Stepping into the Chair’s role, she remains mindful of the humility required to recognize that AJWS’s partners have long succeeded against the odds.
“On a recent trip to Mexico, I met with Juan Carlos, the son of Maria Herrera Magdaleno, one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People and a long-time AJWS grantee. Working alongside his mother to raise awareness about Mexico’s tens of thousands of “disappeared” citizens, Juan Carlos said, ‘You can change countries, or you can change your country.’ I take my inspiration from him,” said Ms. Minneman. “I’m going to perform like I live in the kind of country I want this to be and I will not be motivated by fear.”
For More Information
If you are a member of the press and wish to obtain information about our work or speak to a member of our global team on deadline, please contact Tanyanika Davis, Director of Media Relations, at tdavis@ajws.org.