Susan Davis (BRAC USA)
Encyclopedia
Susan Davis is a leader in international development
and civil society
innovation. She is a founder and current President & CEO of BRAC USA
, an organization created to support BRAC
, a pioneering development organization from Bangladesh, introduce its innovative development approach to improving the health, wealth and well-being of the poorest women and their families in Africa and other countries in Asia.
since its inception. Susan led Ashoka's Global Academy for Social Entrepreneurship and serves on its international board committee that selects Ashoka Fellows. She also oversaw Ashoka's
expansion to the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia and served as a Senior Advisor to the Director General of the International Labor Organization. She was the Executive Director of Women's Environment & Development Organization
, a global women’s advocacy organization that pioneered new mechanisms for the global women’s movement to influence negotiations at global United Nations meetings from 1993-1998. Prior to that, she led innovative initiatives aimed at scaling up microfinance institutions that were owned and governed by poor women at Women's World Banking
and the Ford Foundation
in Bangladesh. During her four and half years in Dhaka, she organized the Grameen Bank, BRAC and Proshika donor consortia to scale up microfinance. She also helped to start Ashoka
in Bangladesh and served as its first volunteer representative. Susan also served as the Assistant Director of the first quasi-public export trading company launched in the 1980s by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
. http://www.brac.net/usa/leadership_team.php
, Harvard
and Oxford universities. http://www.brac.net/usa/leadership_team.php
International development
International development or global development is a concept that lacks a universally accepted definition, but it is most used in a holistic and multi-disciplinary context of human development — the development of greater quality of life for humans...
and civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
innovation. She is a founder and current President & CEO of BRAC USA
BRAC USA
BRAC USA is an independent, non-profit organization that received its 501 status on July 12, 2007. A brainchild of BRAC, a Bangladesh-based non-profit organization, BRAC USA’s mission is to raise awareness of BRAC’s successful community development model, mobilize resources and cultivate business...
, an organization created to support BRAC
BRAC (NGO)
BRAC, based in Bangladesh, is the world's largest non-governmental development organization. Established by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed in 1972 soon after the independence of Bangladesh, BRAC is present in all 64 districts of Bangladesh, with over 7 million microfinance group members, 37,500 non-formal...
, a pioneering development organization from Bangladesh, introduce its innovative development approach to improving the health, wealth and well-being of the poorest women and their families in Africa and other countries in Asia.
Career
Davis has been a senior advisor to New York University's Catherine B. Reynolds Program for Social EntrepreneurshipNYU Catherine B. Reynolds Program for Social Entrepreneurship
The NYU Catherine B. Reynolds Program for Social Entrepreneurship is a program designed to attract, encourage and train a new generation of leaders in public service...
since its inception. Susan led Ashoka's Global Academy for Social Entrepreneurship and serves on its international board committee that selects Ashoka Fellows. She also oversaw Ashoka's
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public is a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, VA, supporting the field of social entrepreneurship. Ashoka was founded by Bill Drayton in 1981 to identify and support leading social entrepreneurs through a Social Venture Capital approach with the goal of...
expansion to the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia and served as a Senior Advisor to the Director General of the International Labor Organization. She was the Executive Director of Women's Environment & Development Organization
Women's Environment & Development Organization
The Women's Environment & Development Organization is an international non-governmental organization based in New York, U.S. that advocates women’s equality in global policy. It was founded in 1990 by Bella Abzug and Mim Kelber to take action in the United Nations and other international...
, a global women’s advocacy organization that pioneered new mechanisms for the global women’s movement to influence negotiations at global United Nations meetings from 1993-1998. Prior to that, she led innovative initiatives aimed at scaling up microfinance institutions that were owned and governed by poor women at Women's World Banking
Women's World Banking
Women’s World Banking spcial organisation is a nonprofit organization that provides strategic support, technical assistance and information to a global network of 40 independent microfinance institutions and banks that offer credit and other financial services to low-income entrepreneurs in the...
and the Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
in Bangladesh. During her four and half years in Dhaka, she organized the Grameen Bank, BRAC and Proshika donor consortia to scale up microfinance. She also helped to start Ashoka
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public is a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, VA, supporting the field of social entrepreneurship. Ashoka was founded by Bill Drayton in 1981 to identify and support leading social entrepreneurs through a Social Venture Capital approach with the goal of...
in Bangladesh and served as its first volunteer representative. Susan also served as the Assistant Director of the first quasi-public export trading company launched in the 1980s by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
. http://www.brac.net/usa/leadership_team.php
Memberships
- Grameen FoundationGrameen FoundationGrameen Foundation, founded as Grameen Foundation USA, is a global 501 non-profit organization based in Washington DC that works to replicate the Grameen Bank microfinance model around the world through a global network of partner microfinance institutions...
– Founding Board Member and Immediate Past Chairperson of the Board of Directors - New York University’s Reynolds Program on Social Entrepreneurship - Senior Advisor
- AshokaAshoka: Innovators for the PublicAshoka: Innovators for the Public is a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, VA, supporting the field of social entrepreneurship. Ashoka was founded by Bill Drayton in 1981 to identify and support leading social entrepreneurs through a Social Venture Capital approach with the goal of...
- Susan Davis led Ashoka’s Global Academy for Social Entrepreneurship and oversees Ashoka’s expansion to the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. She serves on the Ashoka board committee that selects social entrepreneurs around the world. Susan was senior advisor to the Director General of the International Labor Organization. - Project Enterprise – Board Member
- Sirleaf Market Women’s Fund – Board Member
- African Women’s Development Fund USA – co-treasurer and Board Member
- Aid to ArtisansAid to ArtisansAid to Artisans is a 501 non-profit organization based in Hartford, Connecticut whose mission is to offer "practical assistance to artisan groups worldwide, working in partnerships to foster artistic traditions, cultural vitality, improved livelihoods and community well-being." ATA works with...
– past Board Member - Realizing Rights Advisory Council: the Ethical Globalization Initiative.
Books
- Social Entrepreneurship: What Everyone Needs to Know, co-authored with David Bornstein
Education
Ms. Davis was educated at GeorgetownGeorgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and Oxford universities. http://www.brac.net/usa/leadership_team.php
See also
- BRAC USABRAC USABRAC USA is an independent, non-profit organization that received its 501 status on July 12, 2007. A brainchild of BRAC, a Bangladesh-based non-profit organization, BRAC USA’s mission is to raise awareness of BRAC’s successful community development model, mobilize resources and cultivate business...
- BRACBRAC (NGO)BRAC, based in Bangladesh, is the world's largest non-governmental development organization. Established by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed in 1972 soon after the independence of Bangladesh, BRAC is present in all 64 districts of Bangladesh, with over 7 million microfinance group members, 37,500 non-formal...
- Dr. Fazle Hasan AbedFazle Hasan AbedSir Fazle Hasan Abed, KCMG is a social worker with dual Bangladeshi/ British nationality and the founder and chairman of BRAC . For his outstanding contributions to social improvement, he has received the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the UNDP Mahbub Ul Haq Award and the inaugural Clinton Global Citizen...
- MicrofinanceMicrofinanceMicrofinance is the provision of financial services to low-income clients or solidarity lending groups including consumers and the self-employed, who traditionally lack access to banking and related services....
- MicrocreditMicrocreditMicrocredit is the extension of very small loans to those in poverty designed to spur entrepreneurship. These individuals lack collateral, steady employment and a verifiable credit history and therefore cannot meet even the most minimal qualifications to gain access to traditional credit...
- Social entrepreneurshipSocial entrepreneurshipSocial entrepreneurship is the work of social entrepreneurs. A social entrepreneur recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a venture to achieve social change . While a business entrepreneur typically measures performance in profit and return, a...