Person

Dawn Ross

VP of International Operations

Dawn Ross is the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Director of International Operations. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she received an undergraduate degree at UCLA and law degree at NYU, before clerking for a U.S. District Court judge in Hawaii and practicing law at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

Dawn has taught First Amendment classes at UCLA (which happened to be the one in which she got the worst grade when she was an undergraduate taking the course). She also speaks three languages – English, Spanish, and Italian. Dawn loves cooking but hates cleaning up afterward. She’s immensely proud to be the mother of 9-year-old twin boys.

New year, new us. Same mission.

Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights is rebranding to honor the legacy of our founder and hero, Mrs. Ethel Skakel Kennedy. From now on, we will proudly be known as the Robert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center

While our name is changing, our mission and work remain the same. We will continue to fight injustice, advance human rights, and hold governments accountable around the world in 2026 and beyond.