
Abby Maxman
Cognoscenti contributor
Abby Maxman is the president and CEO of Oxfam America, an international organization working to end the injustice of poverty. She brings more than 25 years of experience in international humanitarian relief and development to her post.
Recently published

Do not numb yourself to the suffering in Gaza
I have asked my Palestinian colleagues how they feel, and they have told me: ignored and left behind, writes Abby Maxman, who leads Oxfam America. The Biden administration has wasted...

A humanitarian's plea: Hope must survive amidst the horror in Israel and Gaza
If people like me — people who have dedicated their careers to peace — lose our hope and our determination to fight, who else will carry it forward? asks Abby...

Vaccine equity isn’t just an ideal — it’s how we end the pandemic
As long as infection rates rage on in unvaccinated parts of the world, mutations will keep a cruel cycle of illness, death and economic suffering on repeat, writes Abby Maxman.

Billionaires In Space Are Costing Lives On Earth
The real innovation we need is not a business plan for space tourism, writes Abby Maxman, it is a fair tax system to curb inequality and invest in the health,...

The Pandemic Is Hurting Women Workers Most Of All
COVID-19 has uncovered a frightening landscape in the U.S., writes Abby Maxman, where marginalized people -- especially women -- are feeling the impact of systems that use them to do...
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Refugee Resettlement Is Not A Partisan Issue
The Trump administration's decision to slash refugee admissions is a shocking act that will have reverberations around the world for years to come, writes Abby Maxman.

The Tragedy Of Hurricane Maria Was Worse Than We Knew — And It's Not Over Yet
The catastrophic storm plunged Puerto Ricans backward in time, writes Abby Maxman, the president and CEO of Oxfam America. Some think their island will never recover.

Puerto Rico Is Still In The Dark — We Must Pass Equitable Disaster Relief Now
The emergency state in Puerto Rico grinds on, writes Abby Maxman, because we do not treat Puerto Rico with the respect for its integrity and prosperity that we grant to...

How Massachusetts Can Counteract Trump's Anti-Climate Policy
The Senate should pass a bill allowing taxpayers to donate money through their tax returns to poor countries vulnerable to climate change, writes Abby Maxman.