Sonya Donnelly

Ms Donnelly comes with a wealth of international experience having held several senior positions with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In the past decade she was stationed in Iraq, Bangladesh, Syria and Kenya where she worked on protection, legal policy and solutions for refugees and displaced people.

Ms Donnelly’s career has included leadership of complex operational teams, as well as engaging with local governments. Having begun her career in Ireland, Ms Donelly returns to Cork with a commitment to advancing the rights and dignity of migrants and refugees and promoting a fairer, more inclusive society.

Speaking about the appointment Nasc’s chairperson of the Board of Directors Sahar Ahmed said: “We are delighted to welcome Sonya as CEO of Nasc and are looking forward to working with her. Sonya brings with her an illustrious background of working with refugees around the world, with a career grounded in rights, the law, and policy. Nasc is lucky to have her, and we can’t wait to see the heights it will grow under her leadership.”

Sonya replaces Fiona Hurley as CEO of Nasc, who held the position since 2022.