Sonal Shah (economist) - Misplaced Pages

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Sonal R. Shah (born May 20, 1968) an economist born in Mumbai, India was appointed to the Obama-Biden Transition Project led by John David Podesta in November 2008. Shah has been the head of Global Development Initiatives, the philanthropical arm of Google.org.

Education

Born in Mumbai, India, Ms. Shah came to America at the age of 4 in 1972. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a Bachelors of Arts in Economics in 1990 and received a Master’s Degree in Economics from Duke University.

Career

Early career

Shah has held a variety of US Department of Treasury positions from 1995 until 2001.She was the director of the office overseeing the strategy and programs for sub-Saharan Africa, including debt relief, development programs and World Bank / IMF strategies. She worked with the Ministry of Finance in Bosnia and Kosovo to design the post-war banking system. She also served as a senior advisor to the Secretary and Under Secretary on the US response to the Asian financial crisis.

From 2001-2003, Sonal joined the Center for Global Development as Director of Operations and Programs, helping set up all aspects of the strategy, infrastructure and operations.

One of the driving forces for why Sonal was picked as India Abroad Person of the Year in 2003, a jury member quoted, “Most people look to give back to the community something they had taken out of it; this candidate is giving to the community, without having got anything for herself.”

From 2003-2004, Sonal joined the Center for American Progress as an Associate Director, advising current and former Congressional and Government executives on a variety of topics from trade, outsourcing and post conflict reconstruction issues.

In 2004, Sonal joined Goldman Sachs as a Vice President, focusing on their environmental strategy and implementation. Sonal worked on green initiatives, including advising clients and bankers on alternative energy opportunities and how to implement environmental, social and governance criteria for all investments.

Google.org

In 2007, Sonal joined Google.org as the head of Global Development Initiatives. At Google.org, Sonal has worked closely with Executive Director Larry Brilliant, guiding global economic development efforts. She has also worked extensively on the growth of SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) in partnership with the Omidyar Network and the Soros Foundation.

Obama administration

Sonal Shah was elected to co-chair the Technology, Innovation and Government Reform panel along with Julius Genachowski and Blair Levin.

Organizational works

In 2001, Sonal helped co-found a non-profit initiative called Indicorps. Indicorps is a non-religious, non-political US based non-profit which seeks to create a “profound personal experience and an opportunity to understand participatory development through intense voluntary service.” Indicorps’ projects include education, health, rural development, Tsunami relief, health and sanitation projects, and microfinance..

She was also involved with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad-America (VHPA) in the office of National Coordinator in 2001 from just before Gujarat earthquake in 2001. After the quake, she coordinated the relief effort of the VHPA. She has also worked with Ekal Vidyalaya, the one-teacher schools run in the tribal regions of India by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

She has been accused of having sympathy with the VHP, which she refused saying- "...my personal politics have nothing in common with the views espoused by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), or any such organization. I've never been involved in Indian politics, and never intend to do so. Second, I've always condemned any politics of division, of ethnic or religious hatred, of violence and intimidation as a political tool.".

Awards / Recognition

Henry Crown Fellowship, Aspen Institute, 2006
Next Generation Fellow, American Assembly, Columbia University, 2007
India Abroad Person of the Year, 2003

Papers/Articles

Guiding Principles and Design of the MCA
Trading Views
Served on Commission for Weak States and National Security, Center for Global Development

Footnotes

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