A Jerusalem-based watchdog organization revealed Tuesday that it will experience its first leadership change since its founding, with current Vice President Olga Deutsch set to become CEO and president effective January 1, 2027.
NGO Monitor’s founder Gerald Steinberg, who has guided the organization for a quarter-century, will transition to the role of president emeritus while maintaining his involvement in research and writing activities.
Deutsch brings more than ten years of experience with the organization to her new role, having managed European engagement initiatives, fundraising efforts, and international partnership development during her tenure.
Speaking about her upcoming responsibilities, Deutsch expressed both reverence and determination for the task ahead. “I step into this role with humility and a profound sense of historic responsibility,” Deutsch said. “Gerald foresaw that human rights groups would weaponize their influence against the Jewish state and Jewish communities worldwide; since October 7, that warning has become reality, with the threat growing every day.”
Deutsch emphasized the organization’s continued mission to examine groups that target Israel while supplying critical information to government officials and policymakers.
“At this critical moment, NGO Monitor stands singularly positioned to expose the actors behind these campaigns, and to arm decision-makers with facts needed to inform sound policy decisions,” Deutsch said. “Together with our exceptional team, and our professional and lay leadership, I am honored to lead this mission forward.”
The organization traces its origins to 2002, when Steinberg launched NGO Monitor following the Durban Conference. The initiative emerged as what the group characterized as a counter-response to the growing political power of human rights nongovernmental organizations, especially concerning advocacy related to Israel.
NGO Monitor describes its core mission as conducting research, promoting transparency, and examining organizations and funding sources involved in human rights and humanitarian advocacy work.
Steinberg expressed confidence in the organization’s direction under new leadership. “As I transition into the role of President Emeritus, and continue with research and writing, I do so with full confidence in NGO Monitor’s future,” Steinberg said.
“Olga is distinctly qualified to lead NGO Monitor forward, and under her leadership, NGO Monitor will continue to expand the impact of its research and uphold the vision that has guided me for the past quarter century,” he added.
