Emily Renard

Emily Renard is currently the director of policy in the Executive Office for the Open Society Foundations in Washington, D.C. She previously led portfolios for the foundation on global advocacy, U.S.-Africa relations, democracy, Covid-19 response, and gender. She joined Open Society in 2016 after serving at the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. While at the State Department, Renard was detailed to the Congressional Research Service as an Africa analyst for members of Congress and staff. She published extensively on global trends in restrictions on civil society. She previously worked for the Africa Center for Strategic Studies at the U.S. Department of Defense where she managed programs to promote civil military relations and human rights. Renard earned a BA in international relations, an African studies certificate from Mount Holyoke College, and an MA in public policy and management from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies. She studied in France and Senegal. She also earned a graduate certificate from the University of New England in social sciences and radio documentary.