NEW YORK, October 29, 2026 — The Guttmacher Institute today announced that Fajer Saeed Ebrahim has assumed the role of chair of its Board of Directors, effective October 29. Saeed Ebrahim succeeds Wendy Bostwick, who has served as board chair since 2024. As chair, Saeed Ebrahim will lead the board and partner with management to advance the Institute's mission and its recently launched strategic plan in an increasingly challenging environment for sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Saeed Ebrahim brings to the role years of leadership and experience in the reproductive justice movement. She has served on the Guttmacher Institute's Board of Directors since 2022 and most recently served a two-year term as vice chair. During that time, she has helped shape the organization's strategic direction and build on its longstanding commitment to producing rigorous research that informs policy, advocacy and public awareness around the world.
Saeed Ebrahim is vice president of policy and research at the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), where she leads federal policy and research advancing reproductive justice for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. Her work spans abortion access, immigrant health and coalition-building across the reproductive justice movement. She has also held roles at the Center for Reproductive Rights and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, amongst others.
"I'm delighted to welcome Fajer as our new board chair. I've had the opportunity to work closely with her during her time as vice chair and have seen firsthand her thoughtful leadership, strong judgment and deep commitment to the field and to Guttmacher," said Jonathan Wittenberg, president and CEO of the Guttmacher Institute. “Fajer understands both the challenges we face and the critical role that the Institute plays in meeting them.”
Before becoming chair, Saeed Ebrahim worked alongside fellow board members and Institute leadership on the development of the organization's new strategic plan, which outlines a vision for increasing the reach and influence of Guttmacher's evidence and analysis. Her experience in reproductive justice advocacy and movement building will help inform the Institute's efforts to strengthen partnerships and ensure its research continues to meet the needs of the field.
"As both a board member and a reproductive justice advocate, I've had a close view of the care, rigor and collaboration that define Guttmacher's work," said Saeed Ebrahim. "Time and again, I've seen how the Institute's research informs the conversations, policies and advocacy efforts shaping people's lives. I'm honored to serve as board chair and excited to support the next phase of Guttmacher's strategic plan. At a moment when facts are often contested and resources are increasingly constrained, Guttmacher's mission is more important than ever and advancing this mission requires sustained attention to racial equity in the questions we ask, the partnerships we build, and the way we lead as an institution."
Saeed Ebrahim takes on the role at a pivotal moment. Sexual and reproductive health and rights continue to face significant threats in the United States and in many other countries around the world. At the same time, nonprofit organizations across many sectors are navigating a difficult funding landscape. In response, the Guttmacher Institute is implementing an ambitious strategic plan designed to strengthen its research, deepen its partnerships and expand the reach and impact of its work.
"On behalf of everyone at Guttmacher, I also want to thank Wendy Bostwick for her exceptional leadership as board chair over the past two years,” said Wittenberg. “Wendy helped steer the organization through a period of significant change while keeping us focused on our mission and values."
Additional resources:
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Guttmacher Institute Strategic Plan 2026–2029
About the Guttmacher Institute
The Guttmacher Institute is a leading research and policy organization committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide. The Institute works to generate rigorous evidence, inform public debate, shape policy and advance a future in which all people can realize their rights and access the resources they need to achieve sexual and reproductive health.