We’re excited to introduce you to Rachel Ford, DataKind’s Project Manager for our project work with Google.org!
Rachel brings her experience in grant project management, partnerships, and nonprofit programs to DataKind. At DataKind, Rachel will ensure the success of specific DataKind programming by managing select partner relationships and overseeing all aspects of project management. In particular, she’ll support an exciting new partnership with Google.org. Building on DataKind’s Economic Resilience Impact Practice, Google.org is funding a cohort of projects for their individual impact as well as their potential to be replicated or applied across the broad Economic Empowerment space. We’re thrilled to have Rachel with us as she’ll no doubt be a cross-functional team member, coordinating projects and deliverables across DataKind.
Check out more about Rachel below, and join us in giving her the warmest of DataKind welcomes!
What were you up to before DataKind?
Before joining DataKind, I worked as the Program Director at an organization focused on making digital content available in Arabic. There, I developed and managed an educational content platform, as well as translation skills training programs for students seeking economic opportunity in the Middle East. This role involved program management, project management, and supporting grant partner relationships. In particular, I fell in love with project management as a means of bringing together teams to achieve a common goal and collaborating across an organization. Prior to this, I worked in international women’s rights advocacy, focusing on UN initiatives.
Why are you excited to join DataKind?
I’m excited about DataKind’s approach to building impactful projects and partnerships, and I’m looking forward to contributing to those efforts. Coming in as a Project Manager, it’s great to see so many best practices for projects being developed, documented, and made accessible to the DataKind community through the DataKind Playbook. Additionally, managing projects for the Economic Resilience Impact Practice will allow me to work with people across the organization including staff, volunteers, nonprofit partners, and grant partners, so I’m looking forward to learning from such an accomplished team and getting to know everyone!
What do you like to do in your free time?
At the beginning of the pandemic, I started biking to get around New York City safely. Now, I use biking as my primary mode of transportation (when it’s not too cold!). I also enjoy traveling, reading novels and short stories, and volunteering at Planned Parenthood in my free time.
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