Orbis Welcomes Ann Wang as Chief of Staff

Ann has more than 20 years of experience across the global nonprofit and humanitarian sectors, with a career spanning executive leadership, advocacy, communications, and international development. In her role as Chief of Staff, she will serve as a strategic partner to Orbis leadership, supporting organizational alignment, operational effectiveness, and cross‑team collaboration as we continue to scale our global impact in eye health.

Having been nearsighted her entire life, Ann has personally experienced the impact of access to eye care—something she now sees reflected in her own children’s learning and development.

“Eye health is very near and dear to my heart, having been nearsighted my whole life,” Ann shares. “I was born in the U.S., where I had access to eye care and glasses. I can't imagine what life would have been like without being able to see clearly—and now that I have children who are also nearsighted, I can really appreciate what an impact clear vision has on their learning and development. To be able to support more children accessing eye care is one of the reasons I'm excited to join the Orbis team.”

Outside of work, Ann is a devoted mom of two and an enthusiastic volleyball player, having recently rediscovered her love of the sport as her kids have grown older. Ann’s love of travel stretches back to her childhood; she moved frequently growing up, which sparked her curiosity about the world and shaped her early understanding of the differences in people’s circumstances. That perspective ultimately guided her toward humanitarian and development work—and continues to inspire her today. She hopes to visit every continent with her children (four down so far), a reflection of the same spirit of curiosity and empathy that she brings to her role at Orbis.
 

Prior to joining Orbis, Ann served as Senior Advisor for Strategy & Engagement at Plan International, where she provided strategic counsel and coordination support to the Chief Strategy & Engagement Officer and senior leadership. Her work focused on positioning the organization as a global leader in girls’ rights and supporting girls in crisis, strengthening organizational alignment around global strategy, and supporting efforts to diversify and grow revenue.

Gallery above: Ann loves travelling for work and with her family. 
 

Prior to Plan International, Ann spent more than 16 years at Plan International USA in a series of leadership roles spanning advocacy, communications, and executive operations. As Director of Advocacy and Senior Manager of Advocacy & Campaigns, she led efforts to drive policy and systems change across gender equality–focused issue areas, integrating grassroots organizing, coalition-building, strategic communications, and digital engagement.

During her time there, she was seconded to Plan Haiti following the 2010 earthquake, supporting high‑level communications for the humanitarian response.

Ann’s background also includes international development, governance, and humanitarian advocacy roles with organizations such as World Relief, where she worked closely with governments, civil society, and multilateral partners across multiple regions.

Throughout her career, Ann has been motivated by a commitment to social impact and global equity and has remained drawn to humanitarian and development work, focused on education and health in particular.

“I love Orbis's mission—changing the way the world sees—as it's such a fundamental piece that enables sustainable development,” Ann shares.  

We’re excited to have Ann as part of our leadership team and look forward to an exciting future as we reshape our global strategy to respond to shifting dynamics and innovative opportunities in global eye care.