Lisa Dougan, President & CEO of Invisible Children, will be stepping down after ten years of dedicated service as the CEO and a total of 18 years with the organization. She passes the torch to Interim CEO Mary T. An, who will lead Invisible Children into its next chapter.

A letter from our Board Chair, John Dautzenberg:

[Available in French here]

Dear Invisible Children Community,

As this year comes to a close, we have an opportunity to reflect on our collective accomplishments over the past year and the possibilities that await in the new one. 

In 2024, Invisible Children launched our first local peacebuilding programs into North Darfur, Sudan, and we are now supporting 100 Sudanese peacebuilders in Darfur who are bravely working to prevent violence and foster peace in their communities. We completed Psychological First Aid training with 175 central African peacebuilders, creating access for thousands of people to basic trauma healing education and support. And, staying true to our commitment to those impacted by the violence of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), we supported 33 women and children who escaped from LRA captivity this year, providing them with safe housing and trauma counseling support, and coordinating emergency medical care. We have already reunited 16 with their families and are working tirelessly to get the rest of them home.

Thanks to our donors, staff, and incredible local partners, Invisible Children continues to improve the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable communities across central and Northeast Africa who live with the daily threats of violent conflict, exploitation, and political instability. Together, we will continue to build on these achievements in 2025.

Bidding Farewell to Lisa Dougan, President and CEO


The approaching new year also marks a new chapter for Invisible Children. In January, Lisa Dougan, Invisible Children’s President and CEO, will be stepping down after ten years of dedicated service as CEO and a total of 18 years with the organization. She has been working with the Board since July of this year to prepare for a smooth succession process that would best support Invisible Children’s mission and team.

Lisa’s vision and commitment have been foundational to Invisible Children’s success. Under her transformative leadership, Invisible Children quadrupled its revenue, securing its first-ever partnerships with the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Department of State, and Global Affairs Canada. Through partnerships like these, Invisible Children expanded its life-saving community protection and peacebuilding programs into more than 150 new communities across central Africa and launched its first programs in Darfur, Sudan. As CEO, Lisa also prioritized investment in local partners and community-led initiatives and elevated the role of local expertise in our programmatic work and storytelling. She personally spearheaded the evolution of Invisible Children’s Mobile Cinema program, building it into a laboratory for some of central Africa’s most innovative filmmakers to produce award-winning films that have been screened to thousands of people in their own communities to promote peacebuilding, conservation, and intercommunal reconciliation. 

Lisa Dougan (right) at President Obama’s signing of LRA legislation

Prior to her tenure as CEO, Lisa played a leading role in Invisible Children’s political  advocacy campaigns, which led to the passage of two historic pieces of legislation focused on the LRA, multiple Congressional letters and resolutions, and more than $40 million in life-saving U.S.assistance for LRA-affected communities.

She leaves behind a powerful legacy that has shaped Invisible Children’s culture and work and impacted countless lives – from the communities we serve in central and Northeast Africa to the thousands of young activists around the globe who have made our work possible over the years. We are saddened by her departure, but are forever grateful for her tireless efforts and all she has accomplished over the last 18 years and during her ten-year tenure as CEO. 

Announcing Mary T. An as Interim CEO

As we say thank you and farewell to Lisa, we are pleased to announce that Mary T. An will assume the role of Interim CEO in January. Mary brings two decades of experience in international programs, operations, and executive leadership, including in the humanitarian sector. She established Sesame Workshop’s $15 million local branch office in Sub-Saharan Africa and led programs in more than 10 countries across the continent.

With the United Nations and other entities, Mary launched governance, peacebuilding, and education initiatives in Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya. She brings a deep understanding and appreciation of Invisible Children’s mission and values, and we are confident that she will ensure the core principles that have guided Invisible Children over the past 20 years remain at the forefront as we move forward.

As Interim CEO, Mary will be working closely with the Board and our senior leadership to chart this transitional period for Invisible Children and help position the organization for future impact as we continue to serve communities in some of the world’s most challenging and complex environments.

We extend our deepest thanks to Lisa for nearly two decades of committed service to Invisible Children’s mission, and we look forward to working with Mary as she leads Invisible Children into this next chapter of our story. 

Sincerely,


John Dautzenberg | Chairman of the Board of Directors