IREX (International Research & Exchanges Board) reviews

Top leadership -- several of whom have never done anything substantial other than work at IREX -- are obsessed with their own prerogatives, power, and privilege. They would rather enforce hierarchical distance, than do what is best for the organization or beneficiaries around the world. The organization has long struggled with defining its mission, because it is far easier to define what it doesn't do than what it does, with a hodgepodge of programs that are linked only by their nominal housing at IREX. In fact, the organization's true mission is to go after every lucrative contract it can, making it really no different then for-profit international development firms (except that IREX pays less) or the classic beltway bandits in the military arena. Huge gap between what most of the staff earns and those at the top.

Extremely low pay, even if you have an advanced degree, with high expectations, long hours, and disrespectful managers. A huge culture of elitism based on your job title. Toxic masculinity persists. Managers, and even the CEO, often bully staff. As a privileged white woman, the CEO cares more about herself and the outward-facing direction of the organization than the staff, workplace culture, and inclusion. She has unilaterally fired multiple high-performing senior leadership simply because she doesn't work 'well' with them, and has personally berated and patronized multiple employees. She, along with other executive leadership, have cultivated reputations for being difficult to work with and exceedingly demanding. They are callous leaders, at best.