Bio

Kavita N. Ramdas is director of the Open Society Foundations’ Women’s Rights Program and is a globally recognized advocate for gender equity and justice.

Ramdas previously served as strategy advisor for MADRE, an international women’s rights organization. From 1996 to 2010, Ramdas served as the second president and CEO of the Global Fund for Women where she transformed it into the largest public foundation for women’s rights in the world. From 2012 to 2015, she led the Ford Foundation’s operations in South Asia and then was senior advisor to President Darren Walker on issues related to the foundation’s global strategy. Ramdas also founded a program on social entrepreneurship housed at Stanford University.

She is a member of the Aspen Institute’s Henry Crown Fellows Program. Ramdas has served on numerous boards including those of Princeton University, Mount Holyoke College, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Ramdas currently serves on the Investment Committee of the C&A Foundation, and is a member of the governing boards for the Ploughshares Foundation and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. She has appeared on NOW with Bill Moyers, PBS NewsHour, Democracy Now!, and CNN.

Languages: Fluent Hindi/Urdu, English and German; conversational Tamil, Spanish and French.

Experience: Senior Advisor on Global Strategy for the Ford Foundation and Representative, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka (2012 - 2016); Founding Executive Director, Program on Social Entrepreneurship at The Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford University (2010 - 2012); President and CEO of the Global Fund for Women (1996 - 2010); Program Officer, Community Initiatives Program, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation (1988 - 1996).

Awards since 2003: Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, Mount Holyoke College, 2013; Waldemar Nielsen Fellow in Philanthropy, Georgetown University, 2011; Women Deliver 100: The Most Inspiring People Delivering for Girls and Women, for sustaining women's leadership worldwide, 2011; Women of Achievement Award, Legal Momentum, 2011; Visiting Scholar and Fellow, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, 2011; Robert Scrivner Most Creative Grantmaker of the Year Award, Council on Foundations, 2010; Frances Hesselbein Award for Excellence in Leadership, 2010; Bina and Haridas Chaudhary Award, California Institute of Integral Studies, 2009; Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, Mills College, 2009; Duveneck Humanitarian Award, 2008; Social Capitalist Award, Fast Company, 2007; Women of Great Esteem Award, 2007; Girl's Hero Award, Girls' Middle School, 2007; Woman of Substance Award, African Women's Development Fund, 2005; Juliette Gordon Low Award, Girl Scouts of America, 2005; Woman of the Year for the Public Sector, Financial Women's Association, 2004; LEAD (Leadership for Equity & Diversity) Award, Women & Philanthropy, 2004; 2004 Bay Area Local Hero, KQED Radio, 2004; Women Who Could Be President Award, League of Women Voters, 2003; 21 Leaders for the 21st Century Award, Women's e-News, 2003.

Education: Master of Public Affairs, International Development Studies, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, 1988; B.A., Mount Holyoke College, 1985.

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