WASHINGTON – The James W. Foley Legacy Foundation announced today that Mark Donig, a Washington-based attorney with expertise in defending and securing the release of Americans held hostage abroad, is joining the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
Donig, a corporate attorney with the Covington and Burling law firm, maintains a pro bono practice focused on international and domestic human rights, including the protection of human rights activists and victims of state-sanctioned violence from discrimination, persecution and violent coercion.
The Foundation, named for conflict journalist James Foley who was killed by ISIS in Syria in 2014, is dedicated to the safe return of Americans held hostage or unlawfully detained abroad and promoting journalist safety.
“We welcome Mark to the Foley Foundation board and are pleased to have someone with his expertise in hostage affairs,” said Diane Foley, mother of James Foley and president of the Foundation. “His dedication to human rights and defending activists has earned him well-deserved recognition, and we believe he will be a valuable voice as part of the work that we do.”
A graduate of Stanford University and UC Berkeley School of Law, Donig is a two-time recipient (2017 and 2019) of the Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in honor of his humanitarian work.
He is the co-founder and serves as a member of the outside counsel team for the African Middle Eastern Leadership Project (AMEL), a human rights nonprofit focused on defending and elevating the voices of millennial human rights and pluralism activists from the Middle East and Africa. He also volunteers for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, where he helps lead interfaith efforts on behalf of the families of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
About the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation
James W. Foley was an independent American conflict journalist who worked extensively across the Middle East. He was taken hostage by ISIS in Syria in 2012 and was killed in 2014. His impact on colleagues and friends has been highlighted in the award-winning documentary film “Jim: The James Foley Story.“
The Foley Foundation is a registered nonprofit foundation that seeks to secure the freedom of all Americans held unjustly captive abroad and prevent future hostage-taking. To donate, click here.
For more information or to learn how you can make an impact, please visit jamesfoleyfoundation.org or contact Amy Coyne at amy.coyne@jamesfoleyfoundation.org or +1 (800) 803-7010.
