Léa Tienou-Gustafson is the Senior Director of the Mariam Assefa Fund, leading the team and its philanthropic efforts in the U.S. and Canada.
Léa has over 15 years of experience working with and on behalf of immigrant and refugee communities. She previously served at the Director of Refugee and Immigrant Community Services at Heartland Alliance in Chicago, where she oversaw the provision of high-quality case management, workforce development, educational and youth services to over 1000 refugees and immigrants annually. She has also held roles at community-based organizations in Chicago and served with the Peace Corps in Chad.
Léa has served on the Junior Board of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and was a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Chicago Burmese Community Center. She also served on the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Equity Team, working to address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color in Illinois.
A child of immigrants, Léa has lived and travelled in many countries over the course of her life. She has always held a keen interest in cross-cultural exchange and understanding, identity and global migration. She is passionate about creating just systems and welcoming communities.