Making an impact

Adjoa Andoh

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Adjoa Andoh is a three-time NAACP-nominated screen actor, director, writer, and producer known internationally for her role in Netflix’s Bridgerton. Particularly passionate about the environment & refugees, Adjoa consistently uses her voice to draw attention to NGOs like Fairtrade, Tree Aid and the International Rescue Committee. In 2022, Adjoa narrated the IRC’s video announcing a UKAID match campaign to raise donations for malnourished children in Nigeria. In 2024, Adjoa spent time with IRC clients and staff in Trieste and Milan, Italy and Gdynia, Poland.

Aisha Tyler

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Emmy award-winning actor, director, writer, comedian and entrepreneur Aisha Tyler began her ambassadorship with the International Rescue Committee in 2020—a time when refugees and displaced people across the world were impacted greatly by the COVID-19 crisis. Bolstered by her respected resume in the humanitarian space, Aisha has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to support IRC clients working to survive, recover and rebuild their futures. In her own words, Aisha supports the IRC because of our “unflagging work improving the security, safety and quality of life for refugees around the globe. They are effective, they are committed and they are compassionate.” 

Andrew Zimmern

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Andrew Zimmern is an Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning chef, writer, TV personality and humanitarian. As the creator, executive producer and host of programs such as Magnolia Network’s Family Dinner, and Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods, Chef Zimmern has devoted his life to exploring and promoting cultural acceptance, tolerance and understanding through food. In partnership with the IRC, Andrew continues to stand up for the world’s most vulnerable people, especially in the areas of nutrition and food insecurity.

Belly

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Belly, the Palestinian-born Canadian singer, songwriter and record producer, moved to Ontario, Canada, at the age of 7 with his family to escape violence and poverty. Currently signed to Jay-Z’s record label Roc Nation and The Weeknd’s label XO, Belly has worked on countless hits and is a frequent collaborator of artists including The Weeknd and Beyoncé. Belly’s work has been recognized at the Academy Awards, the Grammys and the iHeartRadio Music Awards. Belly’s work with the IRC has included a concert tour t-shirt initiative and raising money to support children and refugee families around the world.

Christine Shevchenko

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Internationally-recognized ballerina Christine Shevchenko moved to Philadelphia as a refugee from Ukraine at age 6. Not knowing any English and feeling uncomfortable in her new life, Christine used art and dance to help her cope. Shevchenko joined New York City’s American Ballet Theatre as an apprentice in 2007, working her way up to principal dancer in 2017. Beginning her ambassadorship with the IRC in 2021, Christine works to connect with resettled refugees, highlight their experiences and support them in creating new lives. 

Dong-Yoon Jang

IRC Korea Ambassador

Dong-Yoon Jang is a talented South Korean actor who is known for his brave confrontation with a thief at a convenience store. With a long-standing passion for film, he also produces independent movies as a director. His palate for good, healthy food is well known, and his list of must-visit restaurants is known nationwide. He has deep compassion for displaced people, and he is committed to uplifting the IRC's work, helping people whose lives are shattered by humanitarian crises. In 2023, Jang narrated an IRC introductory video in Korean and participated in donor engagement videos. In 2024, Jang visited IRC programs in Ethiopia. He met Ethiopian clients and said: "It was most impressive to see how our clients always expressed gratitude, despite their dire situations.. Now, I am thankful. They taught me to regain gratitude in life."

Danielle de Niese

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Danielle de Niese is a renowned opera singer whose background is as international as her career. Born to Sri Lankan parents in Australia, raised in the United States and now residing in the UK, Danielle pulls from her diverse history to inform her artistry and humanitarian work. An IRC ambassador since 2014, Danielle has traveled with the organization to Tanzania, has met with resettled refugees in California, and has helped launch the IRC’s PlayMatters partnership with LEGO foundation. 

Ebony Obsidian

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Ebony Obsidian is a first generation American actress with East African and West Indian roots. Best known for her work in Golden Globe-nominated film If Beale Street Could Talk; Emmy-winning Netflix series Master of None; the current highest-rated scripted TV show on cable among Black Americans, BET’s Sistas; and more.

Inspired by her family's experience of the longest recorded war in Africa—the civil war between Eritrea and Ethiopia—and by their arrival in New York, Ebony joined the IRC team as an Ambassador in 2021. Her mother was monumentally encouraging of her daughter's venture into the humanitarian space and was even present for her first meeting with the IRC. In 2023, Ebony’s mother passed away, only fueling her efforts to learn more about how she can better serve refugees and immigrants—both in the United States and abroad.

In Ebony’s words, “The IRC is an organization that doesn’t create dependency on its aid, but instead, works with refugees to create foundations for life moving forward. They are hands-on and efficient. The IRC is family.”

Faouzia

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Named one of Variety’s “Artists to Watch for the 2022 Grammys” and one of Vogue’s “Style Stars Set to Make 2022 Exciting,” LA-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Faouzia has a combined social reach of over 11M followers. Inspired by the Moroccan and Arabic music of her childhood, Faouzia’s chart topping hits include “RIP, Love”, which has proven a universal sensation with over 107M worldwide streams. Of her passion for creating music, Faouzia has explained, “I really believe that immersing yourself in music can help you through the tough times in life, and I always hope that my songs can do that for everyone.”

George Clooney

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Oscar and Golden Globe Award-winning actor George Clooney has championed efforts to spread awareness about the obstacles that refugees face, and to inspire people around the world to lend a helping hand. Along with humanitarian Amal Clooney, George has spent time with Syrian refugees in Berlin and has advocated on their behalf in personal meetings with high-level officials. George wants everyone to understand, “refugees are people who have left because of incredible tragedy. They are people who had real lives, normal lives, and their worlds were destroyed.”

Indira Varma

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Olivier Award-winning actor Indira Varma has been working with the IRC since 2016, supporting and spreading awareness of refugee stories within the UK and beyond. With a father from India and a mother from Switzerland, Indira’s international background contributes greatly to her humanitarian involvement. Indira has visited IRC programs in countries such as Serbia where thousands of refugees remained stranded following the closing of borders along the Balkan route. As Indira reflected, “all these stories, all these people, are valid. They are on the move for a reason.”

Ivanna Sakhno

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Actress Ivanna Sakhno, known for her role in Star Wars series Ahsoka as well as films Pacific Rim: Uprising and The Spy Who Dumped Me, is an outspoken advocate for the people of Ukraine, her homeland. In 2024, Ivanna met with IRC frontline staff in Kyiv. She also met with women and children supported by IRC programs in Warsaw, Katowice and Los Angeles.

Jay Ellis

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Actor and producer Jay Ellis, known for projects such as Insecure and Top Gun: Maverick, has worked with the International Rescue Committee since a visit to see programming in Serbia in 2017. Jay has lent his voice to the IRC for moments such as GivingTuesday, bringing awareness to and garnering support for the organization. He is drawn to the IRC because of the organization’s unwavering commitment to help refugees who have been displaced and are in need.

John Legend

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony-winning artist John Legend has been an advocate of the IRC and its mission for more than a decade. Over the years, John has supported the IRC in helping young refugees restarting their lives in the United States and beyond. As the superstar musician and singer-songwriter has said, “our America is big, it is free, and it is open to dreamers of all races, all countries, all religions.”

Keegan-Michael Key

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Emmy and Peabody Award-winning actor, writer and producer Keegan-Michael Key has partnered with the IRC to draw support for refugees since 2017. Known for credits including Comedy Central’s Key and Peele and AppleTV+’s Schmigadoon!, Keegan-Michael uses his platform to elevate refugee voices and bring awareness to the International Rescue Committee. In his own words, “Everyone deserves a chance to create their future in their own way.”

Kingsley Ben-Adir

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

BAFTA nominated and Gotham Award-winning actor Kingsley Ben-Adir, known for his roles in Peaky Blinders and One Night in Miami, has championed the IRC as an ambassador since 2020. Mr. Ben-Adir is passionate about the IRC’s work with children affected by humanitarian crises around the world. In 2020, Kingsley narrated an IRC mini film highlighting the significant humanitarian challenges facing Yemen during COVID-19, including acute malnutrition among children.

Lena Headey

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

In explaining her motivation to share the stories of refugees, IRC Ambassador Lena Headey said, “They just want a voice. That’s what they all said to each of us— ‘tell my story’— and that’s what we’re going to do.” Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor, director, and producer Lena Headey has dedicated much of her public platform and influence to highlighting the stories of those affected by humanitarian crises. Since 2016, Lena has worked with the IRC to raise awareness about the daily struggles faced by refugees, particularly related to the mental health of women and girls. The actor has spent time with IRC clients and staff in both Germany and Greece, the latter of which she visited alongside her Game of Thrones castmates.

Lucas Englander

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Actor Lucas Englander connects to the IRC’s mission on a personal level, through his grandfather’s experience as a refugee fleeing Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia and Austria during WWII. Born in Vienna, and living across multiple cities in Europe, Lucas has represented the IRC as an ambassador since 2022. Lucas has garnered international acclaim playing the role of Albert Hirschman in Netflix’s Transatlantic, a limited series inspired by the origins of the International Rescue Committee.

Maggie Aderin Pocock

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a space scientist, public speaker, author, and TV presenter known for hosting the world’s longest-running science television program, The Sky at Night. She credits her deep passion for science as the key to breaking through social mobility barriers. Maggie actively uses her platform to engage the public by sharing her love of space and encouraging underrepresented communities to pursue careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths). With a career focused on developing novel, bespoke instrumentation in both industrial and academic settings, Maggie is particularly inspired by the IRC’s innovative solutions aimed at tackling the challenges faced by displaced people affected by climate change and malnutrition – as well as the IRC’s work supporting Women and Girls. In 2024, Maggie visited a UK school supported by the IRC’s Healing Classrooms program, a free course to support school staff in welcoming refugee students to their classrooms.

Mandy Patinkin & Kathryn Grody

IRC Ambassadors and Humanitarians

Tony-winning actor and singer Mandy Patinkin and his wife, actor and writer Kathryn Grody, embody the IRC’s commitment to empowering refugees and raising the voices of the people we serve. Having partnered with the IRC for almost a decade, Mandy and Kathryn have visited our programming in Greece, Germany, Italy, Uganda, the United States, and Jordan on the Syrian border, where they have taken every opportunity to draw awareness to and compassion for the plight of displaced people everywhere.

Mia Farrow

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

For more than 40 years, Golden Globe Award-winning actor and humanitarian Mia Farrow has worked for a better solution to reach millions of children around the world suffering from acute malnutrition. Having visited Sub-Saharan Africa more than 25 times, including to IRC nutritional programs in Chad and South Sudan, Mia joins the IRC in urging the international community to upgrade the global system for treating malnutrition and thus save millions of lives.

Morena Baccarin

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Emmy-nominated actor Morena Baccarin, known for projects such as Deadpool, Homeland and Gotham, is a passionate advocate for the protection and empowerment of women and girls. Morena’s philanthropic interest is strongly inspired by her mother’s work as an activist for women’s rights in Brazil. Working to amplify IRC voices since 2012, Morena has met with refugee families and IRC team members across the globe, including in Baltimore, New York, Greece and on the Colombia-Venezuela border.

Natalie Portman

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Academy Award-winning actor Natalie Portman joined the International Rescue Committee as an ambassador in 2022. Known for starring in iconic projects including Black Swan and V for Vendetta, as well as in major franchises including Marvel’s Thor and Disney’s Star Wars, Natalie is also a co-owner of Angel City FC, a professional women’s soccer team in Los Angeles. Natalie continues to use every opportunity to support communities in need of assistance, including IRC clients around the world.

Piper Perabo

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Beginning in 2014, Golden Globe-nominated actor Piper Perabo has worked with the IRC to advocate for refugees around the globe. Piper has traveled the world as an IRC ambassador, spending time with and learning from clients and staff members in Lebanon, Greece, New York, Salt Lake City and Arizona. On behalf of the IRC, Piper has hosted town halls, has participated in meetings with U.S. politicians, and has spearheaded open letters fighting for refugee resettlement programs. Of her partnership with the International Rescue Committee, Piper has said “I have tremendous admiration for the work the IRC does both in the United States and around the world.”

Rami Malek

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek is well known for his role as Freddie Mercury, the legendary musician and refugee from Zanzibar. Named an IRC ambassador in 2021, Rami is a first-generation American born to Egyptian parents; he cares deeply about issues facing immigrant and refugee families. He is a proud supporter of the IRC’s mission and is an advocate for welcoming refugees worldwide.

Rashida Jones

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Award-winning actor, writer, director and producer Rashida Jones has been working with the IRC to elevate the voices of refugee communities worldwide for over a decade. Since 2012, Rashida has traveled to see programming and meet with IRC clients in Thailand and Lebanon, as well as at IRC Resettlement, Asylum and Integration sites in San Diego and New York. Through her partnership with the IRC and beyond, Rashida works towards ensuring that women and girls are given a chance at a better future.

Romola Garai

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Actor, writer and director Romola Garai’s humanitarian efforts on an international scale stem from her global upbringing (she was born in Hong Kong and raised in Singapore and the U.K.) as well as from her family’s history with the Holocaust, during which many of her Jewish relatives perished in Hungary. Romola has been championing the International Rescue Committee and its mission since 2011, and has visited IRC programs in Burundi, Greece and the U.K. Romola is particularly passionate about spotlighting the tools displaced women and children need to have successful and safe livelihoods.

Sarah Wayne Callies

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Actor and director Sarah Wayne Callies has represented the IRC as an ambassador for more than 13 years. Inspired by her grandfather’s experience as a refugee fleeing Hungary, Sarah has spent time learning from IRC clients and staff members in Thailand, Iraq, Jordan, Serbia, Seattle, San Diego, New York City, Dallas and Atlanta. In addition to many major moments of support, Sarah helped launch the IRC’s partnership with the LEGO foundation called PlayMatters, which focuses on the implementation of play-based learning for children across East Africa. Looking to the future, Sarah is a major proponent of the IRC’s work to address, mitigate, and combat the climate crisis, which has become a major cause of displacement around the world.

Sepideh Moafi

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Born in a refugee camp in Germany, Sepideh Moafi’s connection to displacement has forged and fueled her advocacy work for refugees. As a multi-hyphenate artist, Sepideh’s work spans critically acclaimed film/TV, original off-Broadway musicals, plays and operas worldwide. She stars in the award-winning Apple TV+ miniseries Blackbird, Class of ’09 (FX/Hulu), The L Word: Generation Q (Showtime), The Deuce (HBO Max) and The Killing of Two Lovers (Neon.) She recently starred in Corruption at Lincoln Center Theater. Sepideh has sung concerts and recitals at The David Geffen Hall—NY Philharmonic, Davis Symphony Hall and The John F. Kennedy Center. Sepideh is proud to use her voice and platform to raise awareness for the more than 100 million people displaced globally. Since 2019, she has been part of major campaigns for the IRC (including World Refugee Day), organized fundraisers, moderated panels and town halls benefiting the IRC, and has visited IRC clients and staff in Jordan.

Sir Patrick Stewart

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Olivier, Drama Desk and Grammy Award-winning thespian and screen actor Sir Patrick Stewart is well known for his iconic roles including Captain Picard in Star Trek and Professor X in X-Men. For over a decade, Sir Patrick Stewart has been raising awareness and funds for the IRC. In describing his motivation to support refugees, Sir Patrick has explained, “I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to suddenly leave my home: where to take my family, how to survive and—most importantly—who will help us?”

Sungha Jung

IRC Korea Ambassador

Sungha Jung is a highly accomplished and internationally renowned musician known for his exceptional talent as an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist. He has released more than 10 albums since 2010 and has a worldwide fandom with 7.1 million YouTube subscribers. He is the first Korean ambassador for the IRC, and in June 2023, he hosted IRC Korea’s first World Refugee Day concert.

Toni Cornell

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Singer-songwriter Toni Cornell was introduced to the IRC by her late father, Chris Cornell of Audioslave and Soundgarden. In 2017, Toni visited with Syrian and Afghan refugees in Athens, Greece with her mother and father. Later that year, she returned to see more of the IRC’s work in Lesvos, Greece. In memory of her father, Toni released a duet in 2018 of her and her father performing "Nothing Compares 2 U" and donated all the proceeds from the song to the IRC. A major musical talent in her own right, Toni cares deeply about refugees and displaced people struggling around the world to build a better and safer future.

Viet Thanh Nguyen

IRC Ambassador and Humanitarian

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen serves as both an ambassador and board member of the International Rescue Committee. Viet fled with his family as refugees to the United States after the fall of Saigon in 1975. Nguyen's family first settled in Fort Indiantown Gap, Penn., which was one of four American camps that accommodated Vietnamese refugees. Viet has built an illustrious career by writing and sharing stories connected to the refugee experience, most directly in his book A Man of Two Faces: A Memoir, A History, A Memorial. In addition to working on a TV adaptation of his novel The Sympathizer, Viet is a Professor at the University of Southern California.