WASHINGTON – The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, a 55-year-old civil rights organization dedicated to dismantling injustice, today announced the appointment of Tanya Edelin as its Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective January 2, 2024. As COO, Ms. Edelin oversees critical operations and supports the organization’s priorities and financial sustainability. She reports to Executive Director Joanne Lin.

 

“Tanya brings decades of expertise in financial and operational roles to the Committee,” said the Committee’s Executive Director Joanne Lin. “She has a proven record of building high-performing teams and leading during transformational times, making her the right person for this position.”

 

She most recently served as the Vice President of Finance and Administration at Venture Philanthropy Partners, managing finance and administrative functions, and collaborating on the development and refinement of the investment practice approach.

 

Prior to that, Tanya was Director of Operations at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., where she led the organization’s Covid Response plan, technology implementations, financial process improvements, and budget management of the Marshal Motley Scholars Program, a groundbreaking commitment to endow the South with the next generation of civil rights lawyers.

 

Tanya earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and certifications as a certified public accountant (CPA) and project management professional (PMP).