Advisor in Refugee Leadership, Forced Migration, and Global Affairs, an internationally recognized expert in refugee leadership, forced migration, and global partnerships. She currently serves as Director for Refugee Leadership and Partnerships at Refugees International, where she works to strengthen refugee-led initiatives, promote inclusive policymaking, and build strategic partnerships that advance the rights and meaningful participation of displaced communities.
Prior to joining Refugees International, Dr. Tafech served as Program Manager for the University Alliance for Refugees and At-Risk Migrants (UARRM) and currently serves as an advisor to the United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB). Before relocating to the United States, she co-founded Spark15 in Malta, the first refugee-led organization to be formally recognized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Dr. Tafech has been internationally recognized for her leadership and advocacy. In 2016, she was selected as one of 40 young refugee leaders worldwide to participate in the annual meeting of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva. She later received the prestigious Margaret McNamara Education Grant (MMEG) in 2020 and was awarded an International Fellowship by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) in 2021 in recognition of her academic excellence and leadership.
She holds a Ph.D. in Global Affairs from Rutgers University, and her professional and research interests focus on refugee leadership, migration governance, humanitarian policy, social inclusion, and the development of evidence-based approaches to advancing refugee participation in decision-making processes at the national and international levels.