Ben is currently the Advocacy Director for 24 Hours for Darfur, a research and advocacy NGO based in NYC. In the coming months we’re undertaking a survey and video testimonial project with Darfurian refugees in eastern Chad. Previously he was a Darfur and human rights consultant for an organization called Avaaz (www.avaaz.org). Avaaz is a community of over 3 million global citizens who take action on the major issues facing the world today. The aim of Avaaz is to ensure that the views and values of the world’s people shape global decisions. Avaaz members act for a more just and peaceful world and a globalization with a human face.

Ben holds a BA in International Relations with honors from the University of Chicago. From August 2003 until July 2006, he served as a Program Coordinator and Program Officer for the Open Society Justice Initiative. In that capacity he managed human rights-based criminal justice reform programming throughout the world including operational projects in Georgia, Latvia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru and South Africa. Since then he has advised the Open Society Institute on United Nations reform and multilateral affairs. He has traveled to 40 countries and participated in human rights delegations to Colombia, Cuba, Guatemala, Myanmar (Burma), Nicaragua and South Africa. Recently he was an electoral observer in Nicaragua with The Carter Center. In addition he interned in the Office of the Under-Secretary of Human Rights and Democracy of the Mexican Foreign Ministry.