Ryan Whalen joined The Rockefeller Foundation in 2014. As Managing Director Ryan led the development of the Foundation’s strategic partnerships and oversees the creation of high-impact projects that advance the Foundation’s mission and expand its networks around the world.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Whalen worked in senior capacities in New York City Hall, the United States Senate, and on political campaigns at the city, state, and national levels. Most recently he served in the office of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg as Chief of Staff for Government Affairs and Communications. Before that, he was Special Assistant to Senator Charles Schumer, and later became Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. His campaign experience includes serving as Director of Digital and Data for Mayor Bloomberg’s 2009 reelection campaign, and in various capacities for the Mayor’s 2005 reelection campaign, Kerry for President 2004, and Senate races across the country.
Mr. Whalen received a bachelor’s degree with honors from Trinity College and a master’s degree in urban planning from New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. He serves on the Board of Directors of Living Cities, co-chairs the advisory board of The Resolution Project, a social enterprise accelerator, and is a member of Manhattan Community Board 5.
Feb 28 2018 Blog Post Collaboration: How Businesses Must Lead to Achieve Sustainable Development When we think of leadership, we often think of a single, iconic leader. We celebrate leading companies for their bold actions on sustainability risks and opportunities, yet one of the most important ways business leads is through collaboration. In the past year, it has become increasingly clear that the world is changing fast—and profoundly. We […]
Jan 23 2017 Blog Post Resilient Cities Require Resilient Food Systems To better prepare for the effects of climate change and severe natural disasters, city leaders are prioritizing resilience planning. New research from the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC), which was supported by The Rockefeller Foundation, makes a strong case that city leaders should include food systems as part of their resilience planning. […]