As the final event of his Chicago visit, Greg Wangerin (far right) arranged for Mr. Schwartz to meet with a panel of refugees. In this session, he learned firsthand about the many challenges refugees face while becoming self-reliant in 21st Century America.

About Eric Schwartz

Prior to his appointment, Mr. Schwartz served as Executive Director of the Connect U.S. Fund, a foundation/NGO partnership focused on foreign policy and international affairs. From 2005 to 2007, he served as the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Deputy Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery. In that role, he worked to promote coordination, accountability to donors and beneficiaries, and best practices in the recovery effort.

In 2003, Mr. Schwartz served at the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, at the request of then-High Commissioner Sergio Vieira de Mello. In the year following Vieira de Mello’s 2003 assassination in Baghdad, Mr. Schwartz served as second-ranking official at UNHCR headquarters, overseeing a variety of planning and budget activities during the difficult transition period. From 2001 through 2003, Mr. Schwartz held fellowships at the Woodrow Wilson Center, the U.S. Institute of Peace, and the Council on Foreign Relations, completing research on refugee policy. As a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, he directed the Independent Task Force on Post-Conflict Iraq, working closely with Ambassador Thomas Pickering and Dr. James Schlesinger, co-chairs of the Task Force.

From 1993 to 2001, Mr. Schwartz served at the National Security Council. He played a central role in managing responses on a range of peacekeeping, humanitarian and refugee issues, including the rescue of Kurdish refugees from Northern Iraq, the resettlement of Vietnamese boat people, the safe haven program for Haitian refugees, and U.S. relief efforts in Central America and Kosovo.

From 1989 to 1993, Mr. Schwartz served as Staff Consultant to the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs. Prior to his work on the Subcommittee, he served as Washington Director of the human rights organization Asia Watch (now known as Human Rights Watch-Asia). He holds a law degree from New York University School of Law; a Master of Public Affairs degree (with a specialization in International Relations) from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University (where he also taught between 2001 and 2009); and a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, in Political Science from the State University of New York.

Inspiring Words from Eric Schwartz

The quote below is an excerpt of Mr. Schwartz's comments on the Open Forum podcast hosted by Ian Kelly of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Click to read a full transcript of the program.

"Secretary Clinton said at her confirmation hearing that she will do her very best to elevate the attention of the U.S. Government to refugee issues and to develop comprehensive strategies to address humanitarian crises. And there are many reasons why protection of the most vulnerable populations should be at the center of policymaking.

First, there's the moral imperative, the imperative of saving lives. And I have to tell you it's remarkable how consistent and generous has been the support of the American people and the U.S. Congress for assistance. That imposes upon us in the Administration a very profound responsibility to do the job right.

Second, it's critical that we sustain United States leadership on these issues, the policy benefits of which are enabling us to drive the development of principles, policy, and programs. It's essential that we strengthen partnerships with key friends and allies as well as the populations of our adversaries where our efforts not only help to break down negative stereotypes, but communicate to the world our commitment to principles of responsible U.S. engagement overseas.

And finally, we have the key goal of promoting conditions of reconciliation, of security, of well-being in circumstances where despair, desperation, and misery not only impact prospects for stability, but also can dramatically affect the interests of the United States.

And we have a special role to play, as the breadth of all humanitarian engagement really is quite remarkable. In short, if there's an international humanitarian crisis anywhere in the world, the resources of the United States, of the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, the civilian resources of the United States, in one way or another, is likely to be there in support of protection of victims."

To learn more about IRIM's work in refugee resettlement click here to be taken to our "Services" homepage.