MENLO PARK, Calif. – The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation announced today that Kelly Born has joined the Foundation as a Program Officer for Special Projects.
With broad experience as a strategic advisor to the public, nonprofit, and corporate sectors, Born joined the foundation in April 2012 as a two-year fellow, working with former President Paul Brest and his successor, current Foundation President Larry Kramer, in the management of the wide-ranging grants that comprise the Special Projects portfolio. She also helped launch the foundation’s newest program, the Effective Philanthropy Group, which coordinates efforts to improve grantmaking outcomes both at the foundation and for large donors across the U.S. Her most recent work has focused on the foundation’s exploratory grantmaking to address the problem of political polarization in the U.S.
In her role as Program Officer for Special Projects, she will manage existing grants, evaluate new grantmaking opportunities, and work closely with both grantees and other program officers at the Foundation to meet both short and long- term objectives. Special Projects is the foundation’s “opportunity banker,” intended to provide the foundation with more flexibility in addressing pressing needs that do not fit neatly into the foundation’s longstanding programmatic areas of Education, Global Development and Population, Performing Arts, and Environment. Born’s work will also include continued focus on an array of issues related to reducing today’s politically polarized environment.
Prior to joining the Hewlett Foundation, Born worked for the Monitor Group—an international consulting firm founded by Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter—and its nonprofit consulting arm that supports foundations’ strategic planning efforts. Born worked with a wide range of clients; advising Fortune 500 companies how to improve strategic planning and operations, working with U.S. intelligence agencies to address national security concerns, and assisting government officials and nonprofit organizations in Vietnam to develop an economic development strategy for one of the poorest regions in that country. After leaving the Monitor Group, Born worked with nonprofits in East Africa to improve the impact of local economic development programs on women.
“We are thrilled that Kelly will be remaining at the foundation,” said Hewlett Foundation President Larry Kramer. “Kelly had been hired as a fellow by my predecessor, Paul Brest, who has a tremendous eye for talent. Kelly has already been a great asset, and this new position secures to us the benefits of her abilities for a prolonged period. It also ensures continuity in staffing the independent Special Projects grants portfolio, particularly as we explore grantmaking to advance the democratic process in the U.S. Kelly’s energy and understanding of that portfolio, of the Hewlett Foundation, and of the field really made her a perfect fit.”
Born holds a master’s degree in international policy studies from Stanford University, and a bachelor’s degree in business from Pepperdine University. She began her new position at the Foundation December 2nd.
About The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation has been making grants since 1967 to help solve social and environmental problems at home and around the world. The Foundation concentrates its resources on activities in education, the environment, global development and population, performing arts, and philanthropy, and makes grants to support disadvantaged communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. A full list of all the Hewlett Foundation’s grants can be found here.
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