Sonal Shah (economist)

Sonal Shah was born in Mumbai, India. She moved to the US in 1972 at the age of four, and grew up in Houston, Texas.Indiacorps publication.[http://www.indicorps.org/docs/INDIA_ABROAD_12-19-2003.pdf "India Abroad"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828202306/http://www.indicorps.org/docs/INDIA_ABROAD_12-19-2003.pdf |date=August 28, 2008 }}, December 19, 2003. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in economics in 1990 and received a master's degree in economics from Duke University.Bahree, Megha.[https://www.forbes.com/global/2006/0508/043.html "Offshoring Aid"], "forbes.com, May 8, 2006, accessed August 3, 2009.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=May 19, 2023 |title=Sustaining News Media |url=https://dukemag.duke.edu/stories/sustaining-news-media |work=Duke Magazine |location= |access-date=}}

Shah held a variety of U.S. Department of Treasury positions from 1995 until 2001. She was the director of the office overseeing strategy and programs for sub-Saharan Africa, which included debt relief, development programs and World Bank/International Monetary Fund strategies. She worked with the Ministries of Finance in Bosnia and Kosovo to design the post-war banking system. During the Asian financial crisis, she served as a senior adviser to U.S. Treasury officials who were coordinating the U.S. response.Lecture Series on South Asia.[http://www.watsoninstitute.org/events_detail.cfm?id=855 "Sonal Shah, Founder of Indicorps and Anuja Khemka ’02"], Watson Institute for International Studies, "watsoninstitute.org", February 1, 2007, accessed August 3, 2009.

In November 2008, Shah was appointed a member of the Obama-Biden Transition Project to prepare President-elect Obama to assume the presidency on January 20, 2009.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=November 6, 2008 |title=Obama announces transition-team staff |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2008/11/obama-announces-transition-team-staff-015341 |work=Politico |location= |access-date=}} After her appointment to Obama's team, Shah rejected reports that linked her to Hindu nationalist groups.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=November 11, 2008 |title=Sonal Shah denies links with VHP, RSS |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world/sonal-shah-denies-links-with-vhp-rss/story-IJYmMfDeVHi0475jobUUiL.html |work=Hindustan Times |location= |access-date=}}

In April 2009, Shah was appointed director of the newly created White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation.Global Philanthropy Forum.[http://philanthropy.com/news/conference/7957/white-house-social-innovation-office-to-have-three-goals "White House Social Innovation Office to Have Three Goals"], The Chronicle of Philanthropy, "philanthropy.com", accessed August 3, 2009. The objective of this office is to coordinate governmental efforts to aid innovative nonprofit groups and social entrepreneurs to address pressing social problems.PTI Houston.[http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report_sonal-shah-to-head-social-innovation-office-in-obama-administration_1250036 "Sonal Shah to head Social Innovation Office in Obama administration"], "dnaindia.com", April 23, 2009, accessed August 3, 2009. Shah is also working with the National Security Council to bring a global perspective to these efforts.

In July 2019, Shah joined the presidential campaign of South Bend Mayor, Pete Buttigieg as national policy director.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/18/buttigieg-hires-former-goldman-sachs-executive-as-policy-director.html|title=Pete Buttigieg hires former Goldman Sachs executive as national policy director|last=Higgins|first=Tucker|date=2019-07-18|website=CNBC|language=en|access-date=2019-11-13}}

After Joe Biden secured the nomination in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, Shah served on the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force.{{cite news |last=Nilsen |first=Ella |date=May 13, 2020 |title=Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are building new, policy-focused task forces |url=https://www.vox.com/2020/5/13/21257078/joe-biden-bernie-sanders-joint-unity-task-forces-democratic-policy |work=Vox |location= |access-date=}}

In February 2022, Shah was sworn in as Chief Commissioner of the newly created President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (PACAANHPI).{{cite web |url=https://www.fair360.com/vice-president-kamala-harris-swears-in-presidents-advisory-commission-on-asian-americans-native-hawaiians-and-pacific-islanders/ |title=Vice President Kamala Harris Swears In President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders |last= |first= |date=February 9, 2022 |website= |publisher=Fair360 |access-date= |quote=}} In March 2022, Shah was appointed as a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council.{{cite web |url=https://www.dhs.gov/news/2022/03/17/secretary-mayorkas-announces-new-homeland-security-advisory-council-members |title=Secretary Mayorkas Announces New Homeland Security Advisory Council Members |last= |first= |date=March 17, 2022 |website= |publisher=U.S. Department of Homeland Security |access-date= |quote=}}{{cite web |url=https://www.dhs.gov/medialibrary/assets/photo/29209 |title=Sonal Shah |last= |first= |date=March 17, 2022 |website= |publisher=U.S. Department of Homeland Security |access-date= |quote=}}

From 2001 to 2003, Shah served at the Center for Global Development as Director of Operations and Programs, helping set up all aspects of the strategy, infrastructure and operations. In 2001, with her siblings Roopal and Anand, Shah founded the nonprofit Indicorps, which, akin to the Peace Corps, is a service fellowship for young Indians in the diaspora to perform grassroots and community volunteer work in India.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=December 13, 2003 |title=Sonal Shah is the India Abroad Person of the Year 2003 |url=https://www.rediff.com/news/2003/dec/12sonal.htm |work=Rediff.com |location= |access-date=}}{{cite news |last= |first= |date=December 19, 2003 |title=Humanity that works |url=https://issuu.com/indiainny/docs/poy2003_2008-dl-poy-2003-2008/118 |work=India Abroad |location= |access-date=}}{{cite news |last= |first= |date=October 14, 2012 |title=Sonal R. Shah |url=https://www.thecrimson.com/flyby/article/2012/10/14/iop-fellow-sonal-shah/ |work=The Harvard Crimson |location= |access-date=}}

From 2003 to 2004, she worked at the Center for American Progress as an associate director, advising current and former congressional and government executives on a wide variety of issues including trade, outsourcing and post-conflict reconstruction.Thaindian News.[http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/obama-picks-indian-american-sonal-shah-as-adviser_100115970.html "Obama picks Indian American Sonal Shah as adviser"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081110081916/http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/obama-picks-indian-american-sonal-shah-as-adviser_100115970.html |date=November 10, 2008 }}, "thaindian.com", November 7, 2008, accessed August 3, 2009.

In 2004, Shah joined Goldman Sachs as a vice president, where she worked on green initiatives, which included informing clients and bankers on alternative energy opportunities and advising them on how to implement environmental, social and governance criteria for all investments.Ferdinand, Andrea.[http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/news/pressreleases/SonalShah06.asp "Goldman Sachs VP Says Corporate Responsibility Part of Strategic Plan"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030125024/http://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/news/pressreleases/SonalShah06.asp |date=October 30, 2008 }}, McCombs School of Business, Univ. of Texas at Austin, November 7, 2006,accessed August 3, 2009.{{Cite web |url=https://beeckcenter.georgetown.edu/person/sonal-shah/ |title=Sonal Shah, Founding Executive Director |access-date=December 9, 2019 |archive-date=June 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608225437/https://beeckcenter.georgetown.edu/person/sonal-shah/ |url-status=bot: unknown }}

In 2007, Shah joined Google.org as the head of Global Development Initiatives, and worked closely with Executive Director Larry Brilliant in guiding global economic development efforts.Brilliant, Larry.[http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/04/new-team-members-for-googleorg.html "New team members for Google.org"], "The Official Google Blog", April 6, 2007, accessed August 3, 2009. She also worked extensively on the growth of small and medium sized enterprises in partnership with the Omidyar Network and the Soros Foundation.[http://sonalshah.emurse.com/ "Sonal Shah's Resume"], "emurse.com", January 30, 2009, accessed August 5, 2009.

In 2021, Shah became the founding president of The Asian American Foundation (TAAF).{{cite news |last= |first= |date=7 May 2021 |title=Sonal Shah Tapped to Lead the Asian American Foundation |url=https://www.philanthropy.com/article/sonal-shah-tapped-to-lead-the-asian-american-foundation |work=The Chronicle of Philanthropy |location= |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210507195031/https://www.philanthropy.com/article/sonal-shah-tapped-to-lead-the-asian-american-foundation|access-date=|archive-date= May 7, 2021}}{{cite news |last= |first= |date=May 3, 2021 |title=Asian-American Business Leaders Fund Effort to Fight Discrimination |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/03/business/dealbook/asian-american-donation-philanthropy.html |work=The New York Times |location= |access-date=}}

On January 1, 2023, Shah became the CEO of the nonprofit newsroom The Texas Tribune.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=October 26, 2022 |title=The Texas Tribune Names a New C.E.O. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/26/business/media/texas-tribune-ceo-sonal-shah.html |work=The New York Times |location= |access-date=}}

Shah is a board member of The Century Foundation,{{cite web |url=https://philanthropynewyork.org/news/century-foundation-welcomes-new-trustees-sonal-shah-and-damon-silvers |title=The Century Foundation Welcomes New Trustees Sonal Shah and Damon Silvers |last= |first= |date=September 25, 2015 |website= |publisher=The Century Foundation |access-date= |quote=}} Consumer Reports,{{cite web |url=https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/about-us/our-people/our-board/sonal-shah/index.htm |title=Sonal Shah |last= |first= |date= |website= |publisher=Consumer Reports |access-date= |quote=}} and Internews.{{cite web |url=https://internews.org/about/board/ |title=Board & Global Leadership Council |last= |first= |date= |website= |publisher=Internews |access-date=September 26, 2023 |quote=}}

• 2003: India Abroad Person of the YearIndia Abroad.[http://www.rediff.com/news/iapoy2003.htm "Person of the Year 2003"],"rediff.com", accessed August 3, 2009.
• 2006: Henry Crown Fellowship, Aspen Institute2006 Great Xpectations Class.[http://www.aspeninstitute.org/leadership-programs/henry-crown-fellowship-program/lists-fellows/2006-great-xpectations-class "Henry Crown Fellowship List of Fellows"], "aspeninstitute.com",accessed August 3, 2009.
• 2007: [http://americanassembly.org/project/next-generation-project-us-global-policy-and-future-international-institutions Next Generation Fellow] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121220221356/http://americanassembly.org/project/next-generation-project-us-global-policy-and-future-international-institutions |date=December 20, 2012 }}, [http://americanassembly.org/ American Assembly], Columbia UniversityNational Assembly.[http://www.nextgenerationproject.org/content/view/89/154/ "Opening panel speech"], "nextgenerationproject.org", May 16, 2006
• 2012: Fall Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics{{cite web |url=https://iop.harvard.edu/fellows/sonal-shah |title=Sonal Shah |last= |first= |date=September 13, 2023 |website= |publisher=Harvard Institute of Politics|access-date= |quote=}}

• Guiding Principles and Design of the MCACenter for Global Development. [http://www.cgdev.org/content/publications/detail/14158 "Guiding Principles for Design and Implementation of the MCA]
• Trading ViewsPodesta, John.[http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2004/05/b80308.html "Trading Views"], Center for American Progress, 2004
• Served on Commission for Weak States and National Security, Center for Global Development.Commission Report.[http://www.cgdev.org/doc/weakstates/Full_Report.pdf "On the Brink: Weak States and National Security] Center for Global Development, June 2004, accessed August 3, 2009.
• Social Finance: A Primer, Center for American Progress[http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2013/11/05/78792/social-finance-a-primer/ Social Finance: A Primer, Center for American Progress, November 5th, 2013]

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Category:1968 births

Category:21st-century American economists

Category:American Hindus

Category:American people of Gujarati descent

Category:American politicians of Indian descent

Category:Duke University alumni

Category:Harvard Institute of Politics

Category:Henry Crown Fellows

Category:Indian emigrants to the United States

Category:Living people

Category:Obama administration personnel

Category:People from Houston

Category:Politicians from Mumbai

Category:University of Chicago alumni

Category:Goldman Sachs people