Refugee Congress welcomes new board members Senka Filipovic, Teddi Jallow, and Colin Rajah
Refugee Congress is excited to welcome three new members to our Board of Directors: Senka Filipovic, Teddi Jallow, and Colin Rajah.
Our incoming board members bring diverse expertise, lived experience, and deep commitment to the values of Refugee Congress. Their leadership will strengthen the organization’s capacity to advocate for policies that welcome and support refugees, asylum seekers, and other forcibly displaced people and communities.
Senka Filipovic was born and raised in Bosnia and Herzegovina and was forcibly displaced during the Bosnian War in the 1990s. Resettled to the United States as a young refugee, her lived experience shaped a lifelong commitment to refugee and social justice issues.
Teddi Jallow is a former refugee from Gambia who resettled in Rhode Island in 2009. She serves as the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Refugee Dream Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering refugees through direct services, advocacy, and post-resettlement support.
Colin Rajah is a former asylee from Malaysia. He has been a long-time advocate for migrants, migration policy and governance, on human rights, and in international development. He has almost 40 years of experience in human rights activism, particularly in leadership roles with civil society engagement, coordination, and alliance-building at the global level, as well as in international policy advocacy and international relations.
We also express our deep gratitude to our outgoing board members – Lourena Gboeah, Biar Atem, and Drocella Mugorewera – for their years of service, guidance, and dedication. Their leadership has been instrumental in advancing our mission and strengthening the voice of refugees and displaced people nationwide. Former Board Vice Chair and Honorary Delegate for Louisiana Dauda Sesay has been elected to serve as the new Board Chair.
