Joint Council Staff & Key Volunteers
Thomas DiFilipo, President & Chief Executive Officer
Tom DiFilipo serves as President and CEO of the Joint Council on International Children’s Services. As part of his work as a child advocate, Tom has elevated the cause of every child’s right to a permanent family through his travel to 28 countries, testimony before the U.S. Congress, service as a non-profit board member for the Council on Accreditation, Focus on Adoption, Discovery Ministries and Joint Council on International Children’s Services, and through presentations, speeches and guest lectures at over 40 child welfare convenings including the UNROW Human Rights Clinic at Washington University and the Russian Ministry of Education Conference on Child Protection. Tom also advocates on behalf of children without family care through repeated appearances on CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, ROTIV Russia and numerous other media outlets.
Tom is currently a member of the Council on Accreditation’s Sponsoring Advisory Council and the executive committees of the Families for Orphans Coalition and the Children in Adversity Policy Partnership.
Prior to his position at Joint Council, Tom spent nine years as Vice President for the CASI Foundation, Chief Operations Officer for International Children’s Alliance and held executive positions at a variety of private corporations.
Rebecca Harris, Chief Operating Officer
Rebecca Harris is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Joint Council on International Children’s Services. Prior to serving as COO at Joint Council Rebecca served as Director of Programs and Services and Government Relations and Communications Officer at Joint Council. In 2010 Rebecca was honored with the Board of Directors Outstanding Service to Children award for her work for children and families in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.
Rebecca holds a Masters of Non-Profit Management from Regis University. A graduate of Long Island University Global Collage, Rebecca earned a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, Peace & Conflict. Rebecca also served as an International Program Coordinator for an adoption service provider in Denver, CO. Rebecca studied in Australia, England, and South Africa. While in South Africa, she provided direct care for HIV positive orphans. Rebecca was also a member of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Ex-Combatant Re-Skilling Project which transitioned South African soldiers into society.
Christina Tobias-Nahi, Director of Orphan Nutrition
Prior to joining the Joint Council, Christina Tobias-Nahi spent almost five years as the Director of Public Affairs for Islamic Relief USA, a worldwide humanitarian and development NGO. Previous to that, she worked for almost a decade at Harvard University, with the Islamic Legal Studies Program and The Civil Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and finally serving as the International Visitor Coordinator for the University Marshall/President’s Offices. She holds a B.A in Ethnology from the University of Hawai’i with a Pacific/Asia focus, an M.A. in International Relations from the Boston University-Paris Overseas Graduate Center (where she also worked for the OECD Japan delegation) and an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and most recently a post-graduate certificate in Sustainable Community Development. She has published several book chapters on education issues faced by immigrant children in the US and lives with her husband and two adopted children from North Africa.
Elizabeth Muniot, Director of Community Development
Elizabeth Muniot has more than a decade of experience in non-profit capacity building, volunteer leadership development, fundraising and program management. She specializes in developing individuals, teams and organizations committed to positive social change. As an independent consultant specializing in organization development for nonprofits, Elizabeth works collaboratively with her clients to implement sustainable growth. While at Share Our Strength and the Lupus Foundation of America – DMV Chapter, Elizabeth led efforts uniting volunteers from all walks of life behind a common goal and purpose. Working in partnership with national corporations and local non-profits organizations, Elizabeth has developed and managed hands-on community service events, which served as an integral part of strategic leadership training and team-building programs. As a member of Clinic Faculty at George Mason University Social Innovation Program, Elizabeth advised and mentored a diverse team of undergraduate students as they engaged in pro-bono consultancy projects, designed to boost capacity and operational effectiveness of DC area nonprofits. Elizabeth holds a B.A. in Political Science from Barnard College, Columbia University and a M.S. in Organization Development from American University & National Training Laboratory (AU/NTL). Elizabeth recently completed her 500-hour yoga teacher training. She lives in Washington, D.C.
Maggie Steiner, Programs and Services Assistant
Maggie Steiner recently graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Studies and minors in African Studies and Geography. Before she began her internship here at Joint Council she conducted development research in Ghana addressing livelihoods of rural villagers, worked at a medical clinic in Haiti, and studied abroad in Paris. She also worked at a program that addressed the needs of underprivileged children in Columbia, SC.
Alexandra Chlebowski, Community Outreach Coordinator
Alexandra recently graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Media Studies and a minor in Spanish. Before joining Joint Council, she was part of the MCC Media Team under the District Department of the Environment, served as the Convention Intern for the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, and worked directly with the Manager of Communications at the National Cherry Blossom Festival as the PR/Communications Intern. She has spent much time abroad traveling, studying, and visiting her family in Poland.
Rebecca Ray, Partnership Coordinator
Rebecca recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in both International Politics and Spanish from Westminster College. Before joining the Joint Council staff, Rebecca studied International Law and Organizations at American University and Hispanic Studies at the University of Barcelona. During her time at Westminster College, Rebecca held several leadership positions within Pi Delta Phi (a national French Honor Society), the student judicial board, and Model United Nations. She has spent much time abroad, traveling and studying.
Key Volunteers
23 Joint Council Members play an important role in informing Joint Council’s policies, programs and services. These members serve as the Chairpersons of our Caucuses (large groups of professionals with expertise in select countries or service areas). In total, over 93 volunteers play vital and ongoing roles in our service to children and families. Here are a few of our key volunteers who are definitely part of the Joint Council team.
