Women's Refugee Commission names Dr. Xanthe Scharff as president and CEO

The Women’s Refugee Commission has appointed Dr. Xanthe Scharff to lead the organization as global displacement rises and humanitarian funding faces sharp cuts. Scharff, a humanitarian leader and newsroom founder, will guide the group’s advocacy, partnerships and strategic planning. Why it matters: - The Women’s Refugee Commission is changing leadership at a moment when displacement is at record levels and humanitarian systems are facing funding cuts and disruption. - The organization says Scharff will help position WRC to protect the rights and safety of displaced women, children, youth and other overlooked groups. - The appointment matters because WRC has long shaped humanitarian policy on gender equality, disability rights and sexual and reproductive healthcare. What happened: - The Women’s Refugee Commission announced June 15, 2026, that Dr. Xanthe Scharff will become president and chief executive officer. - Scharff succeeds Sarah Costa, who led WRC from 2010 to 2026. - WRC Board Co-Chair Alex Arriaga and Co-Chair Ivonne Dersch both praised Scharff’s background and fit with the organization’s mission. The details: - Scharff most recently served as managing director for external affairs and editor-at-large at The Freedom Fund, where she led development and communications. - At The Freedom Fund, Scharff strengthened fundraising and helped elevate the voices of hundreds of frontline anti-slavery organizations across Asia, Africa and Latin America. - Scharff co-founded and led The Fuller Project, an award-winning global newsroom focused on women. - Earlier, Scharff served as associate director of the Center for Universal Education at The Brookings Institution. - Scharff also founded Advancing Girls’ Education in Africa, a U.S. and Malawian nonprofit that now reaches millions of girls through radio programming and education initiatives. - Scharff has raised more than $200 million for social impact organizations and influenced billions of dollars in development and philanthropic capital. - WRC said Scharff brings more than two decades of experience across humanitarian action, gender equity, philanthropy and storytelling. - WRC said its 35-year history includes research, advocacy and partnerships that improved conditions for displaced women, children and other vulnerable groups since its founding in 1989. - WRC has also led national and regional advocacy to protect migrant women and children in the United States. - Over the past year, WRC launched a tool to track the number and treatment of pregnant and nursing women in ICE detention. - WRC also collected evidence on new forms of family separation, including cases where parents are deported without an opportunity to reunify with their children. Between the lines: - Scharff’s background spans journalism, fundraising and advocacy, which suggests WRC wants a leader who can both shape policy and attract resources. - The board’s emphasis on storytelling points to a strategy that pairs research and advocacy with public attention and coalition-building. - Scharff’s remarks signal continuity on WRC’s core mission, but with added focus on new partnerships and technologies as humanitarian needs evolve. What’s next: - Scharff will lead WRC’s global team, strategic planning, advocacy and partnerships. - WRC said it will keep advancing policies that protect displaced people while highlighting the resilience and innovation of refugee women. - The organization expects to work with new partners as humanitarian aid faces continued disruption. The bottom line: - WRC is betting that Scharff’s mix of humanitarian, media and fundraising experience will help the organization stay influential as displacement rises and aid systems strain.