Rumana Ahmed

Rumana Ahmed is a Mid-Career MPA candidate at Harvard University and a Fellow at Harvard’s Center for Public Leadership. She previously obtained a B.A. in International Affairs (2011) with concentrations in International Economics and Development at The George Washington University.

She worked under the Obama White House for almost six years since 2011. During her time at the National Security Council, she served as a senior advisor in the Office for Global Engagement and Strategic Communications. She worked on efforts to advance relations with Cuba and Laos, promote global entrepreneurship among women and youth, and advise the President’s engagements with Muslim Americans. Prior to the NSC, she led the Champions of Change initiative and worked on a range of domestic issues including health care reform, gun violence prevention, and climate preparedness in the Office of Public Engagement. Rumana first joined the White House through the Office of Presidential Correspondence.

A native of Maryland and daughter of Bangladeshi immigrants, Rumana is passionate about social entrepreneurship and innovation, and the social, political and economic empowerment of women and marginalized communities. Her publication in The Atlantic was named the top 25 most-read online articles of 2017. She is a co-author in the upcoming book, West Wingers: Stories form the Dream Chasers, Change Makers and Hope Creators Inside the Obama White House (Release by Penguin Random House: September 25, available for pre-order).