Founder and Executive Director, Tahirih Justice Center

Layli Miller-Muro is the Founder and Executive Director of the Tahirih Justice Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting women and girls from human rights abuses through the provision of legal aid and public policy advocacy. Since 2001, she has led the organization in its service to over 11,000 women and girls, growing it from a staff of 6 to over 30, and expanding its offices to Houston and Baltimore in addition to the Washington, DC area. In recognition of its sound management and innovative programs, under Layli's leadership, Tahirih won the Washington Post Award for Management Excellence and its innovative use of pro bono attorneys to quintuple its resources was featured in the Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Layli founded the organization in 1997 following her involvement in a high-profile case that set national precedent and revolutionized asylum law in the United States establishing female genital mutilation as a grounds for refugee protection. Using her portion of the proceeds from a book she and her former client co-authored about the case (Do They Hear You When You Cry? Delacorte Press, 1998), Ms. Miller-Muro established Tahirih.

Prior to joining Tahirih as Executive Director, Ms. Miller-Muro was an attorney at the law firm of Arnold & Porter where she practiced international litigation and maintained a substantial pro bono practice. Prior to joining Arnold & Porter, Ms. Miller-Muro was an attorney-advisor at the U.S. Department of Justice, Board of Immigration Appeals.