Jane Wales

Jane Wales is an American non-profit executive and former US government official who has served on the boards of directors of and founded many institutions. She is the Vice President of the Aspen Institute, and was the CEO of the World Affairs Council of Northern California for 20 years before resigning in 2019.

She was also the founder and CEO of the Global Philanthropy Forum, She helped found the African Philanthropy Forum and the Brazilian Philanthropy Forum, and was the initial Executive Director of the Elders. Moreover, she advises many philanthropists, chairs the board of the non-profit consultancy FSG, and is a member of the board of the Center for a New American Security and OpenCorporates.

She serves on the advisory boards of the Generosity Commission and the Stanley Foundation. Her articles have appeared in The Guardian, the Stanford Social Science Review, Aspen Ideas Magazine and other publications. She is frequently interviewed on national security and economic development issues on television and public radio. Wales previously hosted the NPR interview show and podcast "WorldAffairs", produced in association with KQED-FM and aired by participating NPR stations across the country. The show currently has rotating hosts, notably broadcast journalist Ray Suarez, formerly of the PBS NewsHour.