Founded in 1997, IJM began operations after a group of human rights professionals, lawyers and public officials launched an extensive study of the injustices witnessed by overseas missionaries and relief and development workers. This study, surveying more than 65 organizations and representing 40,000 overseas workers, uncovered a nearly unanimous awareness of abuses of power by police and other authorities in the communities where they served. Without the resources or expertise to confront the abuse and to bring rescue to the victims, these overseas workers required the assistance of trained public justice professionals. IJM was established to help fill this void, acting as an organization that stands in the gap for victims when they are left without an advocate. IJM staff members receive case referrals from, and work in conjunction with, other non-governmental organizations and casework alliances abroad. IJM's four-fold purpose is to secure victim relief, pursue perpetrator accountability, promote structural prevention and provide victim aftercare.
Ms. Burkhalter graduated from Iowa State University in 1978 (Phi Beta Kappa) and received the University's "Outstanding Young Alumnus" award in 1984. Before joining IJM, Ms. Burkhalter most recently served as the U.S. Policy Director of Physicians for Human Rights, a Boston-based human rights organization specializing in medical, scientific, and forensic investigations of violations of internationally recognized human rights. Prior to joining Physicians for Human Rights, Ms. Burkhalter worked with Human Rights Watch for 14 years as Advocacy Director and director of its Washington office. Previously, Ms. Burkhalter staffed the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations from 1981 to 1983. From 1977 to 1981 she worked for Representative (now Senator) Tom Harkin, D-IA.
As Vice President for Government Relations, Ms. Burkhalter serves as IJM's liaison with Congress and the executive branch of the U.S. government. She is a source of expertise about human rights abuses suffered by IJM's clients in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and advises policy makers about strategies to bring U.S. influence to bear on behalf of victims of these crimes.
Ms. Burkhalter is a frequent witness before Congress, testifying most recently on the issue of HIV/AIDS and the health worker shortage in Africa (House International Relations Committee, 2005), on HIV/AIDS in Asia (House International Relations Committee, 2004), and on HIV transmission in medical settings (Senate Foreign Relations Committee, 2003).
Ms. Burkhalter publishes articles and opinion pieces regularly on a range of human rights issues including HIV/AIDS, genocide, women's rights, and U.S. human rights policy. Ms. Burkhalter's recent opinion-editorials include "In Africa, Rape as a Risk Factor" (Washington Post, 8/14/06),"AIDS and the Evangelicals" (Foreign Affairs, January/February 2004), "Misplaced Help in the AIDS Fight" (Washington Post, 5/25/04), "Better Health, Better Lives for Sex Workers" (Washington Post, 12/8/03), "Neglecting the Needles" (Washington Post, 9/21/03), and "No to Torture" (Washington Post on 1/5/03). Ms. Burkhalter is also the author of a chapter on advocacy in the forthcoming (2006) book Public Health and Human Rights, published by Johns Hopkins University Press.
Ms. Burkhalter was appointed by President Clinton to be a member of the board of the U.S. Institute for Peace in 2000 and continues to serve as an active board member to the present day. She is also a board member of Mental Disability Rights International. Ms. Burkhalter currently lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and children.
Pamela Livingston, VP of Communications--Pamela Livingston serves as the Vice President of Communications for International Justice Mission. IJM is an international human rights agency that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation, slavery and oppression. Based on referrals of abuse received from relief and development organizations, IJM conducts professional investigations of the abuses and mobilizes intervention on behalf of the victims.
Before joining IJM in 2006, Ms. Livingston most recently worked for Hewlett Packard as the Global Marketing and Communications Director for its Emerging Market Solutions group. In this role, she used multimedia communications to increase global awareness of HP's philanthropic initiatives in rural villages in India and South Africa.
Previously, Ms. Livingston was Vice President of International Public Relations with Hill & Knowlton, where she managed accounts with HP, Sony, Motorola, McKinsey & Company and Yahoo! Ms. Livingston helped found Hill & Knowlton's corporate social responsibility practice group and was the liaison for all of their pro bono work with non-profits. Ms. Livingston was the founding editor of a new economic research publication Capital Ideas for The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and worked as a Chicagoland newspaper reporter for several years. Ms. Livingston grew up in the Chicago area and studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Nottingham.
As the Vice President of Communications for IJM, Ms. Livingston leads all branding, marketing, media relations and strategic communications initiatives for the organization. Such tasks include producing all print and video materials, managing international media, and launching new communications tools to better inform and educate donors and the public about modern-day slavery and the work of IJM.