Leadership in migration initiative (LMI)
About our Project
Migration is a significant and complex issue, shaping economies and societies on a global scale. It is also a politically inflamed issue, leading to polarized debates and missed opportunities for effective solutions.The Leadership in Migration Initiative (LMI) is a collaboration between the Fletcher School at Tufts University and the Robert Bosch Stiftung. It seeks to cultivate a generation of leaders equipped to navigate the complexities of migration with vision, compassion, and actionable solutions.The LMI is led by Professors Karen Jacobsen and Carlos Alvarado Quesada (former President of Costa Rica) and supported by a Leadership in Migration Advisory Group. In September 2024, we held a side event during the UN General Assembly meetings in New York, hosted by the Global Center on Climate Mobility. We gathered and recognized a range of migration leaders and showcased our leadership case studies. You can see our videos from that event here. We hosted a Symposium on Leadership in Migration on May, 2025, at the Fletcher School at Tufts University. 
LMI Partners
Meet the Team
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![Portrait of an older woman with short gray hair, wearing a blue blouse and a white and brown beaded necklace, standing outdoors with green foliage in the background.]()
Karen Jacobsen
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Henry J. Leir Professorship in Global Migration, Associate Professor The Fletcher School at Tufts University
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![Professional man in suit smiling outdoors]()
Carlos Alvarado Quesada
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Professor of Practice of Diplomacy, The Fletcher School at Tufts University and Former President of Costa Rica
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![A woman with gray hair and glasses speaking into a microphone at a conference or event.]()
Katrina Burgess
ADVISORY GROUP
Director, Leir Institute & Professor of Political Economy, The Fletcher School at Tufts University
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![A middle-aged man with glasses, a beard, and short gray hair, wearing a black blazer over a blue collared shirt, standing outdoors with a blurred green background.]()
John Cerone
ADVISORY GROUP
Visiting Professor of International Law,The Fletcher School at Tufts University
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![A man in a gray suit and striped tie standing outdoors with a green, blurry background.]()
Alnoor Ebrahim
ADVISORY GROUP
Professor of Management, The Fletcher School at Tufts University
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![A woman with curly red hair and fair skin looking directly at the camera, wearing a patterned blouse with a black collar.]()
Tamirace Fakhoury
ADVISORY GROUP
Associate Professor of International Politics & Conflict, The Fletcher School at Tufts University
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![A woman with glasses and earrings smiling outdoors in front of grassy fields and mountains.]()
Tsering Gellek
ADVISORY GROUP
Director at Sarnath International Nyingma Institute
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![A woman with shoulder-length black hair, smiling, wearing a pink blouse, standing against a plain beige background.]()
Nassim Majidi
ADVISORY GROUP
Founder and Executive Director, Samuel Hall
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![A young woman with shoulder-length brown hair, smiling, wearing a dark green shirt, standing indoors with a dark background.]()
Raphaela Schweiger
ADVISORY GROUP
Director Migration, Immigration Society, Global Issues, Robert Bosch Stiftung
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![A woman with shoulder-length reddish brown hair, smiling, wearing a white polka dot blouse and hoop earrings, against a dark background.]()
Colleen Thouez
ADVISORY GROUP
Founder and Director of the Refugee Resettlement Initiative (RRI), National Association of Higher Education Systems
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![A woman smiling with short, brown hair, wearing a green jacket.]()
Kimberly Wilson
ADVISORY GROUP
Lecturer in Human Security, The Fletcher School at Tufts University
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![A woman with wavy brown hair and blue eyes wearing a white top, standing against a light-colored wall.]()
Julia Huber
RESEARCH ASSISTANT
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![A young man with dark hair, a beard, and light skin, smiling slightly, wearing a dark zip-up sweater, standing against a plain light-colored wall.]()
Jay M. Rumas
RESEARCH ASSSISTANT
“Don’t look only at your border, if you are looking at your border it’s too late. Look at the root of the problem.”
Filippo Grandi, UNHCR High Commissioner (NYC during the LMI event, 25th September 2024)
Contact Us
The Leadership in Migration Initiative
Henry J. Leir Institute for Migration and Human Security
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
Tufts University
160 Packard Ave.
Medford, MA 02155 USA