Dawn T. Calabia

Senior Advisor, Refugees International

Dawn T. Calabia is a resident of Maryland and longtime member of UNA-NCA and a member of the Governance Committee and Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Resources. Dawn is an Honorary Senior Advisor to Refugees International on protecting the human rights of refugees and displaced persons and on advocacy. She is a founder and Commissioner of the Women’s Refugee Committee and a board member and past Secretary-Treasurer of the Women’s Foreign Policy Group. During her 11 year career with the UN she served as Acting and Deputy Director of the UN Information Center and Coordinator of External Relations for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Washington. Previously she was Deputy Director for Refugees at the U.S. Catholic Conference’s Migration and Refugee Office and served 11 years on Capitol Hill with the House Foreign Affairs Committee and in the office of a New York Member. In 1996 she was honored at the White House by President Clinton for her work in protecting refugee women and children. She holds a Master's degree from Fordham University and a BA degree from St. John’s University, both of New York. Married to Tino Calabia, she enjoys traveling and spending time with their seven grandchildren and mentoring young professionals.

Vision Statement

The rise of nationalism and anti-immigrant sentiment around the globe presents a new and serious challenge to the United Nations and other international institutions created after World War II to promote international peace, law and sustainable development. UNA-NCA has an important role to play in building greater understanding and appreciation of the work of the UN and its abilities in peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, development and peace building as well as promoting international standards of law and justice for all people. As supporters of the UN we recognize the need to promote institutional reforms and modernizations that would improve the organization’s effectiveness and the importance of continued US support. UNA-NCA should continue to prioritize efforts to publicize the role and accomplishments of the UN and its relevancy for both our national and local governments. As a tristate organization, if we can mobilize our membership we have unique opportunities to work in partnerships with other like minded organizations in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia to increase public support for the UN.