Governance
The Jesuit Refugee Service is a ministry of the Society of Jesus under the direct responsibility of the Superior General, Rev. Arturo Sosa Abascal SJ. JRS International Director, Rev. Thomas H. Smolich SJ, is Father General’s delegate for the Society’s work with refugees, and reports directly to him.
The Administrative Council is empowered by Father General to support the International Director in his leadership and oversight of JRS worldwide.
The International Director, the Deputy International Director, and the ten Regional Directors make up the Senior Leadership Team, who meet formally twice a year to discuss JRS operations and issues of global concern.
Administrative Council
Anne-Christine Bloch
Consultant, Ottawa
Fr Lisbert D’Souza SJ
Councillor and Regional Assistant to Fr. General, Rome
Nacho Eguizábal
Director, Egibide, Vitoria-Gasteiz
Fr John K. Guiney SJ
Director, Jesuit Mission Ireland, Dublin
Fr Xavier Jeyaraj SJ
Secretary for Social Justice and Ecology, Jesuit Curia, Rome
Robert MacKay
Business Consultant, New York
Sônia Magalhães
General Director (President), Colegio São Luís, São Paulo
Fr Alessandro Manaresi SJ
Vice President, Associazione Centro Astalli (JRS Italy), Rome
Éamonn McGuinness
CEO, BrightWork, Galway
Fr José Minaku SJ
Provincial, Central Africa Province, Kinshasa
Fr Thomas H. Smolich SJ
JRS International Director
Senior Leadership Team
Louie Bacomo
JRS Asia Pacific Director
Fr Jose Ignacio Garcia SJ
JRS Europe Director
Fr Mauricio García Durán SJ
JRS Latin America and The Carribbean Director
Fr Nawras Sammour SJ
JRS Middle East and North Africa Director
JRS North America Director
Tim Smith
JRS Southern Africa Director
Fr Eric Goeh-Akue SJ
JRS West Africa and JRS Great Lakes Director
Fr Thomas H. Smolich SJ
JRS International Director
Fr Joseph Xavier SJ
JRS International Deputy Director