A trailblazer in the field of international credential evaluation and recognition and immigrant and refugee support, Assefa dedicated an incredible 38 years to leading WES before retiring in 2019.
Under her leadership and since her departure, WES has supported millions of immigrants and refugees by providing trusted credential evaluation services, empowering them to unlock new opportunities in education, employment, and beyond.
Assefa’s distinguished career includes serving as president of NAFSA in 2006 and working as a consultant for the US government, through which she contributed significantly to efforts focused on the recognition of academic credentials across Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Upon Assefa’s retirement, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund was established to support catalytic efforts to create more inclusive economies for immigrants and refugees in the US and Canada, seeking to invest over $50 million into immigrant and refugee leaders and communities.
Her visionary work has left an indelible mark on the sector, earning her the well-deserved accolade, announced at the Boston conference in November 2024.
“[The award] is an opportunity for me reflect on my career at WES, the evolution of credential evaluation, and the work that we did to help international students and skilled immigrants gain recognition for their qualifications,” said Assefa.
“As the demand for credential evaluation increased, WES adopted innovative technology and developed our own evaluation platform. WES also participated in the major discussions on credential evaluation, conducted research, tracked developments in education worldwide, and disseminated our findings via WENR and our WES Webinar Series.
“In the final phase of my tenure at WES, we built the WES Global Talent Bridge program to enable skilled immigrants to navigate the job market and take their final steps towards integration.“
Together we built WES into a leading and influential organisation that helped millions of immigrants and students gain recognition for their educational qualifications
Mariam Assefa, WES
Assefa paid particular homage to the many colleagues she worked with over her career.
“Throughout my career at WES, I had the great fortune of working with a talented and creative team dedicated to our mission, and also enjoyed the support of a visionary board of directors. Together we built WES into a leading and influential organisation that helped millions of immigrants and students gain recognition for their educational qualifications while maintaining the highest standards of quality,” she said.
“I want to share The PIE Lifetime Impact Award with the wonderful team that helped me build WES into the organisation that it has become.”
