Iva Dobichina is a global senior program officer on the Civic Engagement and Government team.
With over 20 years of work focused on protecting social justice leaders, freedom of expression, and strengthening civil society, Iva brings in-depth experience in designing and
implementing global and multilateral social change strategies.
Before joining Ford, Iva worked for more than 11 years with the Open Society Foundations, going from program officer to unit manager to division director within the Human Rights Initiative. Before that, she was the regional field director for Freedom House in Central Asia. She also served as director of programs at the Bulgarian School of Politics, and director of programs at the Political Academy for Central and Southeast Europe.
She brings a nuanced understanding of both grassroots and international organizations, having worked with groups in Latin America, Africa, Asia, Eurasia and Europe and built alliances with multiple stakeholders and sectors over the years.
