UNICEF USA Announces New Appointments to Board of Directors: Frans Hijkoop and Dr. Sippi Khurana
NEW YORK (June 23, 2025) – UNICEF USA today announced the appointment of Frans Hijkoop and Dr. Sippi Khurana to the national Board of Directors. Their appointment, effective as of July 1st, expands the board to 20 members.
“We are thrilled and honored to welcome Frans Hijkoop and Dr. Sippi Khurana as the newest additions to UNICEF USA’s national board of directors,” said UNICEF USA President & CEO, Michael J. Nyenhuis. "Frans and Sippi have been strong champions of UNICEF USA, and they will bring invaluable expertise to their new role as board members. We’re grateful for the vital part both of them will play in advancing UNICEF’s mission by applying their unique perspectives and tremendous leadership experience to help us drive meaningful change and build a better future for every child."
Frans Hijkoop previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at MetLife Inc., where he played a key role in shaping MetLife’s evolution from a domestic to a global leader. He has also held senior leadership roles at several other global companies, which has provided him with decades of international leadership experience. Hijkoop currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of The Neuberger Museum of Art in Purchase, New York. He previously served as the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Sesame Workshop, the educational and media organization which produces Sesame Street. In addition, Hijkoop has served on the Board of Directors of the Steamboat Art Museum and the Board of Trustees of UC Health Yampa Valley Medical Center. Hijkoop earned his M.A. degree from Utrecht University in the Netherlands and is a visiting lecturer at Cornell University.
“I am delighted to join the Board of Directors at UNICEF USA, an organization with an unparalleled track record of helping children overcome adversity and thrive in what can be extremely challenging circumstances,” said Hijkoop. “My years of serving on the Board of Sesame Workshop have been among the most fulfilling in my life, and I am honored to be given the opportunity to continue to support vulnerable kids worldwide.”
Dr. Sippi Khurana is a board-certified Immunologist, Allergist, and Rheumatologist who has dedicated her career to advancing health equity and community impact. After leading a private practice in the Texas Medical Center, she fully transitioned to nonprofit work. She serves on the UNICEF International Council as well as the Marketing & Philanthropy Committee for UNICEF USA and has traveled to Guinea, Africa, Udaipur, India and Pucallpa, Peru to see UNICEF’s powerful work in action. Previously, Dr. Khurana chaired the organization’s Southwest Regional Board and co-chaired the UNICEF Gala in New York. Dr. Khurana holds leadership roles on the boards of Houston Methodist Hospital System, Houston Symphony, American Cancer Society, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Pratham USA, and St. Francis Episcopal School. She also founded the Swadesh Khurana Endowed Fellowship and the Balwant Khurana Neuroscience Center at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital.
“After a decade of work in the nonprofit space, in many sectors including education, healthcare, the arts, human services and advocacy, I have realized that no one does it better and with more heart than UNICEF,” said Dr. Khurana. “It is an immense and profound honor to serve on the UNICEF USA National Board and further the mission to ensure a more equitable world for every child.”
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ABOUT UNICEF USA
UNICEF USA advances the global mission of UNICEF by rallying the American public to support the world’s most vulnerable children. Together, we are working toward a world that upholds the rights of all children and helps every child thrive. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.
For more information please contact:
Zeynep Cavusoglu, UNICEF USA, (908) 956-5650, zcavusoglu@unicefusa.org