The Rockefeller Foundation Appoints Heather Grady as Vice President of Foundation Initiatives
Heather Grady
New York, NY - Dr. Judith Rodin, President of the Rockefeller Foundation, announced today that Heather Grady has been appointed Vice President of Foundation Initiatives (VPFI), effective September 27.
Grady comes to the Rockefeller Foundation from Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative, where she has served as Managing Director. As VPFI of the Foundation, Grady will play a critical role in accelerating the impact of our grantmaking and the overall integrity of our initiative work.
"My colleagues and I are delighted to welcome Heather Grady to the Rockefeller Foundation. Her extensive experience in effecting social change will make her invaluable in accelerating the impact of our grantmaking,” Dr. Rodin said. “Heather brings nearly two decades of experience as a leader in international development. She will be a vital force in strengthening the impact of our work throughout the world as we continue our mission to expand more equitable opportunities and to build resilience in the face of social, environmental and economic risks."
During her nearly six years at Realizing Rights, Grady played a pivotal role in integrating human rights into global development policies and practice. Previously, at Oxfam Great Britain, she spent more than a decade in high-level posts in New York, Bangkok and Hanoi. At Oxfam, she guided advocacy and implementation of global poverty reduction strategies, managed a multi-sectoral development and humanitarian program, and initiated a gender and development working group that grew to include more than 100 governmental and non-governmental institutions and individuals. Grady has also worked for Save the Children, where she collaborated with NGOs in the Gaza Strip on small-scale enterprise promotion and women’s empowerment.
Grady has spent more than 15 years working on development policy and practice in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, where she has led research, analysis and advocacy on issues related to poverty, governance, human rights, gender, health and climate change. Grady holds a BA in Government and Chinese language from Smith College and an MPA from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
"I am extremely pleased to be joining the Rockefeller Foundation and am excited about the opportunity to build on its significant achievements while crafting new approaches to deepen the impact on the Foundation’s nearly century old aim—improving the well-being of humanity,” Heather Grady said. “I particularly look forward to joining such an impressive and committed team dedicated to expanding opportunities and strengthening resilience in the US and around the world."
The Rockefeller Foundation fosters innovative solutions to many of the world's most pressing challenges, affirming its mission, since 1913, to “promote the well-being” of humanity. Today, the Foundation works to ensure that more people can tap into the benefits of globalization while strengthening resilience in the face of its risks. Foundation initiatives include efforts to mobilize an agricultural revolution in Sub-Saharan Africa, bolster economic security for American workers, inform equitable, sustainable transportation policies in the United States, ensure access to affordable and high-quality health systems in developing countries, and develop strategies and services that help vulnerable communities cope with the impacts of climate change. The Rockefeller Foundation’s work promotes public health, education, human resources development, agriculture and environment. For more information, please visit www.rockefellerfoundation.org.
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For Media Inquires:
Laura Gordon
212-852-8216
lgordon@rockfound.org
