Aparna Arora

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT APARNA ARORA

As a development practitioner with over a decade of experience, I’ve had the opportunity to work across nonprofits, international organizations, and the private sector in the USA, India, and Southeast Asia—leading efforts in gender justice, resource mobilization, and strategic program development. Throughout my journey, I’ve honed skills in research, policy analysis, and global feminist coalition-building, all driven by a deep commitment to advancing gender equity, economic empowerment, and human rights for structurally marginalized communities. This includes women and gender-diverse individuals living in some of the most precarious contexts—those facing extreme poverty, displacement, or surviving through informal work.I have also developed deep experience advising early-stage social enterprises and nonprofits focused on poverty alleviation, skilling and livelihoods, and water and sanitation—supporting them in strategy, partnership building, finance, fundraising, and board development. My work has involved close collaboration with multilateral agencies, government bodies, donors, and impact investors to refine capacity development frameworks and investment structures that serve populations in vulnerable settings. My academic grounding and global leadership experience in gender equality have equipped me to design and drive inclusive development programs that reflect local realities and feminist values.What energizes me most is bringing people together across sectors to drive meaningful change—whether it\'s through building partnerships, organizing civil society for high-impact advocacy, or shaping policy conversations at national and global levels. I bring experience in program management, donor and investor engagement, and strategic communications, and have used these tools to influence policy discourse through thought leadership and by representing collective agendas at global forums. At the heart of it all, I remain committed to applying intersectional feminist principles to help transform economic systems and shift power—toward more equitable, gender-just outcomes for all.