ST. PAUL, Minn. —The Center for Victims of Torture™ (CVT) today announced that Vice President Walter Mondale, Ambassador Paula J. Dobriansky, Kerry Kennedy, Whitney Burnett Macleod, Diane Orentlicher and Regan E. Ralph have joined CVT’S National Advisory Council, a coalition created in June of this year to provide expert support for CVT’s mission to heal the wounds of torture for survivors, families and communities, and end torture worldwide. The CVT board of directors approved the additions at a September 24 meeting.

“We are deeply honored that Vice President Mondale, Ambassador Dobriansky, Ms. Kennedy, Ms. Burnett Macleod, Professor Orentlicher and Ms. Ralph have agreed to lend their expertise and passion to our efforts by joining our National Advisory Council,” said Curt Goering, CVT’s executive director. “Our new, esteemed council members join a prominent group of thought leaders, adding even more power behind our goal of ending torture and generating new resources to heal survivors.” 

Former Vice President of the United States Walter Mondale has devoted his life to public service. Mr. Mondale is currently senior counsel with Dorsey & Whitney, and also served as the United States’ Ambassador to Japan, Minnesota’s U.S. Senator and Minnesota’s Attorney General. Mr. Mondale also was the Democratic Nominee for President of the United States.

Ambassador Paula J. Dobriansky, Ph.D., former Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, is currently Senior Fellow at the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard University JFK Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. 

Having dedicated more than 30 years to the pursuit of equal justice, the promotion and protection of basic rights and the preservation of the rule of law, Kerry Kennedy is the president of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights. Ms. Kennedy also served as honorary president of the Robert F. Kennedy Foundation of Europe, and is the former co-chair of Amnesty International’s Leadership Council.

Whitney Burnett Macleod is currently senior advisor for Strategic and Financial Planning and Development at the National Foundation for Facial Reconstruction / MyFace, and served as executive director there until 2013. She previously served as the development director at both the Harlem School of the Arts and Women’s Project & Productions.

Diane Orentlicher, professor of International Law at American University, has been described by the Washington Diplomat as “one of the world’s leading authorities on human rights law and war crimes tribunals.” Professor Orentlicher has served as the Deputy for War Crimes Issues in the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations Independent Expert on Combating Impunity and Special Advisor to the High Commissioner on National Minorities of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

President and CEO of the Fund for Global Human Rights, Regan E. Ralph has directed the organization since its founding.  Prior to launching the Fund, Ms. Ralph was vice president for Health and Reproductive Rights at the National Women’s Law Center in Washington, D.C., where she led advocacy, policy and educational strategies to promote the quality and availability of health care for American women. Ms. Ralph also helped build and ultimately directed the Women’s Rights division of Human Rights Watch.

NAC members have deep experience in fields related to survivor rehabilitation and human rights, including global human rights, health, mental health, policy development, policy advocacy, government affairs, the law, academia, journalism and philanthropy. Members have long provided advice and assistance in areas including program development, policy advocacy, public relations, communications and fund development. This council allows CVT to leverage a coordinated and sustained resource for advice, support and assistance.

National Advisory Council members include: Peter L. Buttenwieser, David Crane, Lorne Craner, Dr. David P. Gushee, Roger Hale, Charles Henry, Wade Horn, Ph.D., Al Kaneb, Mark P. Lagon, Ph.D., Alberto Mora, Fionnuala D. Ni Aolain, Mark Ritchie, Mary Ann Stein, William H. Taft IV, David S. Weissbrodt, and Dr. James Zogby. Eric Schwartz serves as CVT Board Liaison to the council.

Member bios are available here.