Kareem Shora

Kareem Shora is the Executive Vice President for Programs and Policy for Human Rights First.  This position, created in October 2021, links the organization’s policy and advocacy work to best help clients, move legislation, and further our policy priorities.  Shora oversees the organization’s programs to set, coordinate, and accomplish those priorities.

Shora previously served as the acting Deputy Director for Programs and Policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) where he was a member of the senior executive leadership team and directed assistance efforts around local violence prevention across the United States. Shora also helped implement the Department’s public-health approach to violence prevention, with special attention to Domestic Violent Extremism (DVE) and its impact on American communities.  He spent over a decade leading the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) community engagement section.  While serving at DHS, he earned the 2015 Homeland Security Secretary’s Award for Excellence and the 2016 US Department of State Benjamin Franklin Award for Diplomacy.

Shora joined DHS after ten years with the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), culminating in service as national executive director.  While at ADC, Shora was the youngest member and only civil rights advocate appointed to the Homeland Security Advisory Council (HSAC).

A recipient of the 2003 American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) Arthur C. Helton Human Rights Award, Shora is widely published. He is fluent in Arabic and brings extensive experience working with national and international media.

After graduating from Marshall University, Shora earned his J.D. at the West Virginia University College of Law and received his LL.M. specialty in International Legal Studies (Public International Law) from the American University Washington College of Law.