Unbound is pleased to announce experienced international development leader Ashley Hufft as its president and chief executive officer (CEO), effective immediately. Hufft is the first woman to serve as president and CEO in the organization’s nearly 43-year history.
Tasked with leading the strategic vision for Unbound’s growth, Hufft will work to ensure the long-term success of Unbound’s important mission to walk with the poor and marginalized on their path out of poverty.
Hufft is an accomplished and visionary leader who brings a wealth of experience to Unbound. She has a background in corporate law, receiving her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Harvard, before dedicating her career to nonprofits. Hufft worked on large-scale development projects throughout sub-Saharan Africa before finding her way to Unbound. She had been serving as Unbound’s interim president and CEO since August 2023.
“On behalf of myself and the board, we are delighted to welcome Ashley Hufft as president and CEO of Unbound and are confident in her abilities to lead the organization into its next chapter,” said Chief Governing Officer Emma Miller. “With her proven leadership successes, Ashley is poised to guide the organization and help families around the globe build their paths out of poverty.”
February 21, 2024 | Press Release
Unbound announces Ashley Hufft as president and CEO
Hufft is first woman to serve as president and chief executive officer in Unbound’s nearly 43-year history
Unbound President and CEO Ashley Hufft is pictured at Unbound’s global headquarters in Kansas City.
Hufft listens as the family of sponsored youth Erika in the Philippines tells her how beneficial it has been for their family to participate in the program's credit cooperative. Hufft paid home visits to the families of sponsored individuals while on an Unbound Awareness Trip with sponsors in early February 2024.
In 2023, Unbound achieved the historic milestone of reaching its 1 millionth sponsored friend — a significant accomplishment that was announced in partnership with actor Jonathan Roumie, star of the TV series “The Chosen.” The announcement highlighted the impact of one-to-one sponsorship and brought attention to the 20,000 children and elders still awaiting sponsorship through Unbound across the globe.
As Hufft assumes her new role, she is focused on continuing to build a culture of innovation that will take the organization forward on a path to growth.
“I am thrilled to lead Unbound into its next chapter of growth and impact,” Hufft said. “For over 40 years, we have been innovating our programs and I believe we now have one of the best models in international development, supporting families as they chart their own paths out of poverty.
“I look forward to building on the momentum from Unbound’s historic 1 million sponsored friends and charting the trajectory for us to reach the next 1 million families at an accelerated pace. In these challenging times, the world needs Unbound. It is a privilege to lead an expert team to bring not only necessary financial resources, but a community of encouragement, support, friendship and hope to families across the world.”
Hufft’s full biography can be found here.