“This is a bittersweet,  but wholly exciting time at ICSC. In her tenure, Liz led with passionate diligence, effective guidance and impactful dedication. While she will be greatly missed,  we are thrilled to welcome Ereshnee Naidu as her successor. Having been at ICSC for over 17 years, Ereshnee brings deep experience, stellar leadership skills and an enthusiastic commitment to this great movement for memory.  With her at the helm, ICSC is perfectly positioned to continue its success well into the future. ”   

— Alissandra Cummins, ICSC Board Chair and
Director of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society

As we begin a new year, we wanted to share some exciting news about ICSC’s leadership team. After nearly 15 years as Executive Director, Elizabeth Silkes will step down from this role, effective January 15, 2025.

In her place, we are thrilled to announce that Ereshnee Naidu, the current Senior Director of ICSC’s Global Initiative for Justice, Truth and Reconciliation, will serve as the organization’s new Executive Director.

Dr. Naidu has over twenty-five years of non-profit experience and has a demonstrated ability designing and implementing programs with a focus on community co-creation and ownership. Having joined ICSC in 2007, she helped to found GIJTR in 2014 and, through it, pioneered the organization’s unique, multidisciplinary and survivor-centered approach to transitional justice. Under her leadership, GIJTR has engaged over 800 local civil society organizations; worked with practitioners and survivors in 78 countries; produced 50 publications; and supported over 500 community-led memorialization projects. 

“ICSC is a one-of-a-kind organization, one that has been dear to my heart since its founding in 1999. As Sites of Conscience around the world show us, there is no greater advocate for truth and justice than the power of memory. I am so excited to work hand in hand with members to support them in their extraordinary efforts. I also look forward to working closely with staff and the Board to ensure a smooth transition, and am very grateful to Liz Silkes for her stewardship.”    

During Ms. Silkes’s tenure, ICSC grew from an organization working with fewer than 100 members and an annual budget under $1 million into a thriving global movement for memory, truth and justice, with nearly 400 member sites in 80 countries, a budget that surpassed $20 million in recent years, and reach and impact in every region of the world. She will shortly begin a new position as Chief Executive Officer at the Grand Canyon Conservancy. 

With gratitude and appreciation, we send our best wishes to both Dr. Naidu and Ms. Silkes as they start their new journeys and look forward to sharing more details about Dr. Naidu’s experience and vision in the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at coalition@sitesofconscience.org.