Kavita N. Ramdas

Kavita N. Ramdas serves as president and CEO of the Global Fund for Women, the world's largest foundation solely committed to advancing women's rights internationally. She has dedicated herself to supporting women’s empowerment by providing financial resources to advance women's political participation and leadership, defend women's right to health and reproductive rights, prevent violence against women and increase girls' access to education.

During her tenure, which began in 1996, Global Fund assets have increased from $6 million to $24 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. Kavita 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.

Growing up in India, Kavita learned first hand about gender discrimination at an early age.
The eldest of three daughters in a middle-class family, her parents frequently received condolences for bearing only girls. Her parents would always respond saying that they didn’t think it a pity at all, and that their girls could do anything boys could do.

As a teen, Kavita tapped into her desire to make a difference. She dropped out of college, opting instead to work as a literacy volunteer in the rural Indian state of Bihar. She thought it was the best way to help the poor, until one of the elders in the community gave her some advice that changed her life.  He said, “Don’t stay here. You have so many talents and you could do so much for us by telling the world about the poverty here and what the challenges are.” It was a big ‘Aha’ for Kavita. Maybe she could use the things she was good at to work on behalf of others.

She decided to go back to school and earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and political science from Mount Holyoke College, followed by a Master of Public Affairs in International Development Studies from Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University.

Prior to joining the Global Fund for Women, Kavita was Program Officer for community development and population at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in Chicago.
 
Kavita’s current affiliations include: Global Development Program Advisory Panel to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Mt. Holyoke Board of Trustees; Princeton University Board of Trustees; Council of Advisors on Gender Equity to the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University; African Women Millennium Initiative on Poverty and Human Rights Advisory Council; Castilleja School Board of Trustees; Spark Advisory Board; Henry Crown Fellow.

She has won numerous leadership awards for advancing an inclusive and democratic approach to philanthropy.

Honored by the Global Fund for Women