Irla Atanda is the executive assistant to the president of Refugees International (RI). She holds a B.A. in American Studies from the University of Notre Dame. In her academic career, she focused on migration, climate change, political instability, and sustainable development. Atanda’s academic research specialized on the history of U.S. involvement in Latin America in the 20th century, with a specific focus on the current Venezuelan humanitarian crisis. She is fluent in both Spanish and English.