Senior Advisor, Former President and Chief Executive Officer, Global Fund for Women

It Ain’t What You Do, It’s the Way You Do It

 

 

 

 

Kavita Ramdas was born in Delhi, India, and grew up in Mumbai, Delhi, London, Rangoon and Bonn.  She received her B.A. in International Relations from Mount Holyoke College and her M.P.A. in International Development and Public Policy Studies from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.  She is the former President and Chief Executive Officer, and currently a Senior Advisor, of the Global Fund for Women.  She provides leadership and direction for the largest grant-making foundation in the world focused exclusively on supporting international women’s human rights.  She has dedicated herself to empowering women worldwide with the financial resources to increase girls’ access to education, defend women’s right to health and reproductive rights, prevent violence against women, and advance women’s political participation, among other vital issues.  Ms. Ramdas recently joined the Global Development Advisory Panel of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Advisory Panel of the Asian University for Women and the board of trustees of Princeton University.

The Global Fund for Women has given more than $71 million to thousands of organizations in 167 countries. During Ramdas’ tenure, Global Fund assets have increased from $6 million to $21 million. 

Grantmaking has risen to more than $8 million per year, and the number of countries in which the Global Fund has made grants has nearly tripled.  Ramdas has also overseen the Global Fund’s first ever endowment campaign and the creation of the groundbreaking “Now or Never Fund” to ensure women’s participation on critical international issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kavita Ramdas was born in Delhi, India, and grew up in Mumbai, Delhi, London, Rangoon and Bonn.  She received her B.A. in International Relations from Mount Holyoke College and her M.P.A. in International Development and Public Policy Studies from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University.  She is the former President and Chief Executive Officer, and currently a Senior Advisor, of the Global Fund for Women.  She provides leadership and direction for the largest grant-making foundation in the world focused exclusively on supporting international women’s human rights.  She has dedicated herself to empowering women worldwide with the financial resources to increase girls’ access to education, defend women’s right to health and reproductive rights, prevent violence against women, and advance women’s political participation, among other vital issues.  Ms. Ramdas recently joined the Global Development Advisory Panel of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Advisory Panel of the Asian University for Women and the board of trustees of Princeton University.

The Global Fund for Women has given more than $71 million to thousands of organizations in 167 countries. During Ramdas’ tenure, Global Fund assets have increased from $6 million to $21 million. 

Grantmaking has risen to more than $8 million per year, and the number of countries in which the Global Fund has made grants has nearly tripled.  Ramdas has also overseen the Global Fund’s first ever endowment campaign and the creation of the groundbreaking “Now or Never Fund” to ensure women’s participation on critical international issues.