Ali Noorani joined the Barr Foundation as president and CEO in December 2025. Previously, Ali led the U.S. Democracy Program at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and he also served for 14 years as president and chief executive officer of the National Immigration Forum. Before moving to Washington, DC, he spent a decade in Boston working on environmental, public health and immigration issues. Over his career, Ali has been recognized for his creative coalition building across political, cultural, and geographic divides.
Ali holds a Master of Public Health from Boston University’s School of Public Health, and Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for More in Common Global and as a member of the Board of Directors for Welcome.US. Ali is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has held fellowships with the Aspen Institute, Emerson Collective, University of Chicago Center for Effective Government, and Arizona State University’s Social Transformations Lab.
Ali is the author of “There Goes the Neighborhood: How Communities Overcome Prejudice and Meet the Challenge of American Immigration” and “Crossing Borders: The Reconciliation of a Nation of Immigrants.” He has been a guest commentator on outlets as varied as CNN, PBS, and Fox News, a TED speaker, and his writings have appeared in varied local, national, and international publications.
Short Bio
Ali Noorani is president and CEO of the Barr Foundation, following leadership roles at the Hewlett Foundation’s U.S. Democracy Program and 14 years at the National Immigration Forum. Across the range of issues he has explored over his career, Ali’s work centers on developing unique relationships and supporting innovative leaders to advance common sense solutions that help communities thrive. He carries that conviction into his writing, including There Goes the Neighborhood and Crossing Borders, and into his board roles on Welcome.US and as board chair of More in Common Global.
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Insights from Ali
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