Elisa Massimino
Washington Director
Joined Human Rights First in 1991

Elisa Massimino is Washington Director of Human Rights First (formerly the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights). Elisa is the organization’s chief advocacy strategist, an expert on a range of international human rights issues and a national authority on US compliance with human rights law. She testifies frequently before Congress, writes extensively for legal and popular publications, and serves as one of the organization’s primary spokespeople with the media. She is Human Rights First’s point of contact with U.S. government leaders, international diplomats, and human rights opinion leaders and decision makers.

Elisa taught philosophy at several universities in Michigan before embarking on a second career in law. As a litigation associate at Hogan & Hartson, she was pro bono counsel in many human rights cases. She joined the Human Rights First as a staff attorney in 1991 and has directed the Washington, D.C. office since 1997.

Elisa holds philosophy degrees from Trinity University (B.A.1982) and Johns Hopkins (M.A. 1984), and a J.D. from University of Michigan Law School (1988). She has taught international human rights law at the University of Virginia and teaches human rights advocacy at Georgetown University.