Carol Tan led policy, advocacy, and coalitions for the Foundation’s work in economic opportunity, innovative finance, and development finance reform. Prior to this portfolio, she oversaw resilience measurement efforts and developed a global partnership that transformed development and humanitarian aid in Africa and Asia.
Carol brings over a decade of experience creating game changing initiatives to achieve human security and economic mobility for poor and vulnerable populations around the world. As Vice President at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Carol led the organization’s pivot toward equitable economic development as well as spearheaded equity innovations and policies for covid-19 recovery. Previously, Carol established the Harvard Belfer Center’s research and advocacy initiative on the Syrian refugee crisis, which built a cross-sector coalition of global north and south voices and introduced a paradigm shift toward resilience and rehabilitation; these efforts culminated in the historic 2016 New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants and UN General Assembly Compacts. She also launched partnerships with academia at the International Committee of the Red Cross, and, with the Boston Consulting Group, advised Southeast Asian governments, companies and funds on economic and infrastructure investments and policy.
Carol holds a MPP from the Harvard Kennedy School and a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley.
Authored Content
Mar 08 2022 Blueprint Equitable Economic Development 101: Acknowledge, Target, Collaborate, and Measure Economic development organizations (EDOs) are mandated to promote the economic wellbeing, vitality, and quality of life of their communities. In the United States, economic development typically involves facilitating growth and identifying opportunities to enhance jobs and wealth and to provide a stable tax base that supports activities for the common good. Economic development professionals (collectively, […]