In our annual report “Peace in Action,” we announced the recruitment of Bill Eisenstein to the PBI-USA National Coordinating Committee (NCC), which serves as our board of directors. Within just a few months of Bill’s recruitment, two additional members joined our team. Read below to learn more about PBI-USA’s new board members and how you too can join our team to help support threatened human rights defenders around the world.
Ellen Furnari
In April, PBI-USA welcomed Dr. Ellen Furnari to the our board of directors (the NCC). Ellen has been a supporter of PBI since the early 2000s when her research into unarmed civilian protection and work in Sri Lanka with Nonviolent Peaceforce intersected with PBI. We are beyond thrilled to welcome Ellen to our team!
Ellen Furnari has been a researcher and consultant in the field of unarmed civilian protection and accompaniment for the last 20 years, primarily with Nonviolent Peaceforce projects. She has a PhD in peace and conflict studies. Currently Ellen is helping, very part time, with a project to bring accompaniment to the West Bank. Being primarily retired, she spends a lot of time with children, grandchildren, and the co-housing community where she lives.
Daniella Burgi-Palomino
Daniella Burgi-Palomino has over fifteen years of experience across government, philanthropy, and nonprofits centered around advancing social justice and human rights. She has worked with civil society organizations across the United States and Latin America, coordinating coalitions to drive advocacy strategies and advance protection for human rights defenders. Daniella has held previous roles with the Latin America Working Group, U.S. Agency for International Development, Oxfam America, and various foundations. Daniella is a double graduate of Tufts University’s School of Arts and Sciences and the Fletcher School.
Bill Eisenstein
Bill Eisenstein joined the PBI-USA NCC in November 2024, just in time to participate in the PBI General Assembly.
Bill Eisenstein volunteered with PBI-USA in the late 1990s when we had an office in the Oakland area. Since then. Bill has maintained a strong interest in the mission of PBI and our nonviolent methods of supporting human rights defenders at risk.
Bill currently serves in leadership at an environmental non-profit in California and brings with him experience in grant writing, media outreach, strategic planning, public communications, and more.
Interested in joining the NCC?
We’re still recruiting! Click here to learn more about the responsibilities of the NCC and take the next steps to joining our team!