Katharina Obser is the Democracy Program Director at the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Washington DC, where she works to tackle both challenges and opportunities facing democratic systems on both sides of the Atlantic. Katharina previously served as director of the Women's Refugee Commission's (WRC) Migrant Rights and Justice program, leading an expert team in research and federal advocacy to improve and protect the rights of migrant women, children, and families seeking protection. Prior to her time at WRC, Katharina worked to expand and protect asylum rights and access to legal representation at Human Rights First.

Katharina holds a B.A. in Political Science and French from the University of Michigan, and a Masters Degree in Forced Migration Studiesfrom the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. She lives with her husband and two sons in Washington, DC.