My work helps others envision a world where women and girls can finally be free.
— Kavita N. Ramdas
Kavita N. Ramdas is a globally recognized advocate for gender equity and justice. She is an inspirational speaker, frequent writer, and commentator on the challenges facing philanthropy and civil society as they seek to more effectively integrate intersectional equity in their work to advance equitable and sustainable development for all.
Kavita’s deep experience in philanthropy and the non-profit sector, includes senior positions with private, public, and family foundations. She has extensive governance expertise, having served on the boards of academic, philanthropic, and social sector organizations. She served briefly as head of a family foundation, after three years as the Director of the Women’s Rights Program at the Open Society Foundations (OSF). During her time at OSF, the foundation made its largest ever investment in gender justice with a $100 million commitment to the Generation Equality Forum in July 2021.
Kavita’s other leadership experience includes
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Supported strategic planning, mentored senior staff, and provided guidance and counsel to the executive team of this global women’s rights advocacy fund focused on recovery from conflict and natural disaster.
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Designed an intersectional equity cross cutting approach to be integrated across all global programs; built effective partnerships with South Asian philanthropic leaders to address sexual violence and other major challenges facing civil society.
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Extensive teaching and lecturing experience at a range of academic institutions; founded the SEERS program connecting social entrepreneurs to academia; courses include Challenging the Status Quo: Democracy and Social Movements; Social Change Philanthropy; Policy Issues for Civil Society, NonProfits and Philanthropy.
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Fueled exponential growth in assets that transformed the fund into the world’s largest public foundation for women's rights in over 170 countries. Launched a two pronged campaign for a Legacy Fund and the groundbreaking Now or Never Fund to address threats to reproductive rights, the impact of war, and growing religious extremism.
Awards and Honors
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Mills College and Mount Holyoke College with the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters
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Women Deliver 100: The Most Inspiring People Delivering for Girls and Women 2010
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2010 Legal Momentum Women
of Achievement Award -
2010 Council on Foundations Robert Scrivner Award for Most Creative Grantmaker of the Year
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Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Women’s Link Worldwide, Global Agenda Council of the World Economic Forum, The Investment Committee of the C&A Foundation, Room to Read, Trickle Up, America India Foundation, Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute, Global Development Program of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, General Service Foundation, Women’s Funding Network, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Guttmacher Institute
Grist
Feminist Foreign Policy Collaborative
Boards
Center for Genetics and Society
WISE
Women’s Earth Alliance
Visualizing Palestine
Education & Travel
Kavita was born in India, educated at Delhi University, Mount Holyoke College, and Princeton University. She has lived and worked in Europe, the United States, Myanmar, and has traveled widely across the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, and the African continent. She speaks five languages, including Urdu, Spanish, and German.