Rachel Perić
Rachel Perić (she/her) is the Executive Director of Welcoming America. Inspired by her family’s refugee story and by the worldwide movement of welcomers, Rachel works to create communities where all residents – including immigrants and refugees – can thrive and belong.
Since joining the organization in 2011, she has served as the organization’s deputy director and in other senior leadership roles, helping to grow Welcoming America from a startup to an award-winning organization with a global footprint. Prior to Welcoming America, Rachel served as Executive Director of the Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL), a community literacy coalition that strengthens and promotes adult literacy and English language learning in suburban Washington, DC, where she was recognized with the Rising Star Award by Montgomery Women. Rachel also served as Regional Director of the United Way of the National Capital Area, where she led fundraising and community impact efforts in Montgomery County, MD. She began her career managing international development programs with a private consulting firm, Management Systems International (MSI). As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Rachel also serves on the board of Art and Remembrance, a nonprofit dedicated to using art and personal narrative to recognize individual courage and resilience. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from Johns Hopkins University and a Master's in Public Management from the University of Maryland.