Plan Expands Capacity and Maintains Continuity

 The Charity & Security Network (C&SN) announced today that Kay Guinane, its founder and Executive Director, will transition from her current position and assume the role of part-time Senior Advisor at the end of the year.  She is committed to a smooth and successful transition to a new Executive Director and continued growth of the organization.

Guinane is an internationally recognized legal and policy expert on the rights of nonprofit organizations (NPOs), particularly at the intersection of national security, human rights and humanitarian law. Since launching C&SN in 2009, she has led efforts to make national security rules impacting NPOs consistent with Constitutional and human rights principles. Under Guinane’s leadership, C&SN has become a leading voice both domestically and internationally on how national security laws and regulations impact the nonprofit sector.  During her tenure, C&SN has consistently educated key stakeholders on the issues, published groundbreaking research and advocated for a better legal framework for NPOs. Highlights include:

  • Helping lead a successful effort to revise the Financial Action Task Force’s standard on preventing terrorist financing abuse of NPOs, removing language identifying the NPO sector as “particularly vulnerable” and establishing a “risk-based approach” for assessing risk of terrorist financing;
  • Conducting ground-breaking research documenting extensive barriers NPOs face accessing the international financial system, advocating for solutions and participating in a multi-stakeholder dialogue.
  • Continuing to promote compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law through research and reports, such as Safeguarding Humanitarianism in Armed Conflict (2012) and promoting legislative change.

C&SN is pleased that Guinane will remain an active member of the team. Lara Kalwinski, General Counsel of Relief International and a member of the Executive Committee notes:

“Kay is a tireless advocate for nonprofit organizations promoting peace, human rights, and aid for civilians in fragile settings. Kay trained me to recognize the effects of counterterrorism related regulations on the safety and operation of nonprofits. I’m a better lawyer today, because I learned from Kay.”

Doug Rutzen, President of the International Center for Not for Profit Law said,

“I express my appreciation to Kay for her years of hard work to safeguard nonprofits working on humanitarian assistance, development, peacebuilding, and human rights.”

C&SN is thankful to our founder for her persistence, leadership, and expertise. C&SN will begin a search for a new Executive Director shortly. Please check the job posting here.