The Current Doctors Without Borders CEO, Avril Benoit steps down
Nov 18, 2025
Avril Benoit, the former CEO of Doctors Without Borders USA, shares her remarkable journey from journalism to humanitarian leadership. She recounts her experiences coordinating aid during the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake and the complexities of working amidst political turmoil in places like Sudan and Gaza. Benoit highlights the dangers of uncoordinated aid efforts and rising xenophobia affecting refugee policies. She discusses the emotional challenges of her role, the impact of funding cuts on global health, and encourages grassroots support for local responders.
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Haiti Deployment And Bearing Witness
- Avril Benoit described her first major deployment coordinating communications after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
- She emphasized MSF's dual role of medical care and bearing witness to what they saw on the ground.
The 'Aid Circus' Problem
- Benoit recounted the 'aid circus' in Haiti where inexperienced groups clogged coordination and caused harm.
- She gave an example of fly-in surgeons performing avoidable amputations due to lack of local expertise.
Local Capacity Outperforms Short-Term Volunteers
- Local organizations and hospitals often deliver the most effective aid because they understand context and can maximize resources.
- International actors can clog systems if they don't coordinate or lack relevant experience.