Susan Schnitzer of Milford Named CEO of CT Nonprofit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 21, 2020

SUSAN SCHNITZER NAMED PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CONNECTICUT INSTITUTE FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS (CIRI)

Schnitzer to Lead Connecticut’s Only State-Wide Agency Offering a Full Range of Legal and Social Services for Immigrants and Refugees

Bridgeport, CT – Susan Schnitzer has been named President and CEO of the Connecticut Institute for Immigrants and Refugees (CIRI), Connecticut’s leading agency supporting refugees and immigrants to become thriving, self-sufficient, and contributing members of the community.

Ms. Schnitzer, a resident of Milford, CT, has served at CIRI for more than three years as the agency’s Director of Programs and Compliance. She succeeds Claudia Connor, who accepted a position at the Women’s Refugee Commission (WRC), a global nonprofit that improves the lives of women, children and families displaced by conflict and crisis.

The Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI) is the only nonprofit agency in the state to provide a full range of legal and social services to immigrants, refugees, survivors of torture, survivors of human trafficking, and unaccompanied minors. Ms. Schnitzer’s appointment positions the agency for diversification and growth to better serve this population.

Caroline Pech, Chair of CIRI’s Board of Directors said, “We conducted an exhaustive search for a new CEO and interviewed several outstanding candidates for this role. Susan Schnitzer brings to this position a unique set of management skills and vision that, when combined with her keen understanding of CIRI’s operations, make her the ideal person to lead us into the future. In this period of political uncertainty, we need a strong leader of her caliber to manage CIRI, inspire our team, and enable us to provide even more critical services to our clients.”

Ms. Schnitzer said, “I am honored to lead CIRI at this unique moment in history. Now more than ever, our work is critical in building welcoming communities where our clients can thrive. We will continue CIRI’s efforts as a statewide and national leader in collation building and providing life changing services to refugees, immigrants and survivors of torture and human trafficking. In the years ahead we will strengthen our organization, identify areas where we can strategically address emerging needs, and engage the Connecticut community in the delivery of our mission.”

Ms. Schnitzer has been working in human services in the Bridgeport community for over 14 years and with CIRI since 2016. During that time she has lead and been a key member of teams that have transformed services delivery for vulnerable populations and built strong partnerships statewide. Before CIRI she served for 10 years at the Center for Family Justice, Inc. as Director of Grants and Program Administration, with 10 years prior experience in finance and project management. She holds a BA from Syracuse university in Economics and Public Policy with a concentration in International Political Economies.

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About the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants:

The Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI), founded in 1918, is a statewide nonprofit human services agency that helps people integrate into American life, rebuild their lives and achieve sustainable self-reliance. The organization provides legal, social, linguistic, and educational programs to help immigrants, refugees, survivors of torture and human trafficking, and unaccompanied minors. To learn more, please go to www.cirict.org.