Curt Goering, senior deputy executive director of Amnesty International USA; and Karin Ryan, director of the Carter Center's Human Rights Program, examine prospects for reasserting US commitments on human rights. As part of an interactive audience discussion they address challenges for the Bush Administration, the new Congress, and the American people.
Karin Ryan was named director of the Carter Center's Human Rights Program on Sept. 1, 2006, having worked for the center in a variety of roles since April 1988. As director, Ryan works with former US President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter on a range of issues, including assisting their efforts on behalf of victims of human rights violations through personal interventions with heads of state.
Curt Goering is the chief operating officer for the US section of Amnesty International, and his work involves policy and strategy development, public representation of the organization and fundraising. He has also served as regional specialist in Europe and the Middle East at Amnesty's Legislative Office in Washington, DC, bringing to that post an extensive background in Middle East Studies.He has carried out several research assignments in the field for Amnesty's International Secretariat in London; in the Israeli Occupied Territories; in the refugee camps on the Iraq/Turkey border: and in Bosnia, among other locations. Earlier, he served as deputy director for Program, in which capacity he oversaw the membership, campaign and communications work of Amnesty International in the United States.