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	'''Sonal R. Shah''' (born May 20, 1968), is an American economist, former lobbyist,<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/rev_summary.php?id=70884\|title=former lobbyist\|last=\|first=\|date=\|website=\|url-status=live\|archive-url=\|archive-date=\|access-date=}}</ref> and public official. She served as the National Policy Director for Mayor [[Pete Buttigieg]]'s run in the [[2020 United States presidential election]]. From April 2009 to August 2011, she served as the Director of the [[Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation]] in the [[White House]].<ref name="springer">Springer, Richard.[http://www.indiawest.com/readmore.aspx?id=1080&sid=1 " Sonal Shah served as Deputy Assistant to the President for President Obama and founded the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation"] {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423052722/http://www.indiawest.com/readmore.aspx?id=1080&sid=1 \|date=April 23, 2009 }}, "indiawest.com", accessed August 3, 2009.</ref><ref name="Perry">Perry, Suzanne.[http://philanthropy.com/blogs/government-and-politics/leader-to-step-down-from-white-house-social-innovation-office/28802 "Leader to Step Down From White House Social-Innovation Office"], "philanthropy.com", accessed May 5, 2012.</ref>		'''Sonal R. Shah''' (born May 20, 1968), is an American economist, former lobbyist,<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/rev_summary.php?id=70884\|title=former lobbyist\|last=\|first=\|date=\|website=\|url-status=live\|archive-url=\|archive-date=\|access-date=}}</ref> and public official. She served as the National Policy Director for Mayor [[Pete Buttigieg]]'s run in the [[2020 United States presidential election]]. From April 2009 to August 2011, she served as the Director of the [[Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation]] in the [[White House]].<ref name="springer">Springer, Richard.[http://www.indiawest.com/readmore.aspx?id=1080&sid=1 " Sonal Shah served as Deputy Assistant to the President for President Obama and founded the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation"] {{webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423052722/http://www.indiawest.com/readmore.aspx?id=1080&sid=1 \|date=April 23, 2009 }}, "indiawest.com", accessed August 3, 2009.</ref><ref name="Perry">Perry, Suzanne.[http://philanthropy.com/blogs/government-and-politics/leader-to-step-down-from-white-house-social-innovation-office/28802 "Leader to Step Down From White House Social-Innovation Office"], "philanthropy.com", accessed May 5, 2012.</ref>

	Shah is the founding executive director of the Beeck Center for Social Impact & Innovation at [[Georgetown University]].<ref>[http://www.georgetown.edu/news/beeck-center-for-social-impact-and-innovation-launch.html New Social Impact and Innovation Center Funded With $10 Million Gift, February 10th, 2014]</ref> Previously, Shah was a member of the [[Obama-Biden Transition Project]] and was the head of Global Development Initiatives, a philanthropic arm of [[Google.org]].<ref name="people">People Sonal Shah.[http://www.changemakers.com/en-us/user/3018/friends "Sonal works for google.org Global Development"] {{webarchive\|url=https://archive.is/20130419055910/http://www.changemakers.com/en-us/user/3018/friends \|date=April 19, 2013 }}, "changemakers.com", accessed August 3, 2009.</ref>		Shah is the founding executive director of the Beeck Center for Social Impact & Innovation at [[Georgetown University]].<ref>[http://www.georgetown.edu/news/beeck-center-for-social-impact-and-innovation-launch.html New Social Impact and Innovation Center Funded With $10 Million Gift, February 10th, 2014]</ref> Previously, Shah was a member of the [[Obama-Biden Transition Project]] and was the head of Global Development Initiatives, a philanthropic arm of [[Google.org]].<ref name="people">People Sonal Shah.[http://www.changemakers.com/en-us/user/3018/friends "Sonal works for google.org Global Development"] {{webarchive\|url=https://archive.today/20130419055910/http://www.changemakers.com/en-us/user/3018/friends \|date=April 19, 2013 }}, "changemakers.com", accessed August 3, 2009.</ref>

	==Early life==		==Early life==

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{{For|the actor|Sonal Shah (actress)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Sonal Shah
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|5|20}}
|birth_place = [[Mumbai]], [[India]]
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|education = [[University of Chicago]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Duke University]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]])
}}
'''Sonal R. Shah''' (born May 20, 1968), is an American economist, former lobbyist,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/rev_summary.php?id=70884|title=former lobbyist|last=|first=|date=|website=|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}</ref> and public official. She served as the National Policy Director for Mayor [[Pete Buttigieg]]'s run in the [[2020 United States presidential election]]. From April 2009 to August 2011, she served as the Director of the [[Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation]] in the [[White House]].<ref name="springer">Springer, Richard.[http://www.indiawest.com/readmore.aspx?id=1080&sid=1 " Sonal Shah served as Deputy Assistant to the President for President Obama and founded the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423052722/http://www.indiawest.com/readmore.aspx?id=1080&sid=1 |date=April 23, 2009 }}, "indiawest.com", accessed August 3, 2009.</ref><ref name="Perry">Perry, Suzanne.[http://philanthropy.com/blogs/government-and-politics/leader-to-step-down-from-white-house-social-innovation-office/28802 "Leader to Step Down From White House Social-Innovation Office"], "philanthropy.com", accessed May 5, 2012.</ref>

Shah is the founding executive director of the Beeck Center for Social Impact & Innovation at [[Georgetown University]].<ref>[http://www.georgetown.edu/news/beeck-center-for-social-impact-and-innovation-launch.html New Social Impact and Innovation Center Funded With $10 Million Gift, February 10th, 2014]</ref> Previously, Shah was a member of the [[Obama-Biden Transition Project]] and was the head of Global Development Initiatives, a philanthropic arm of [[Google.org]].<ref name="people">People Sonal Shah.[http://www.changemakers.com/en-us/user/3018/friends "Sonal works for google.org Global Development"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.is/20130419055910/http://www.changemakers.com/en-us/user/3018/friends |date=April 19, 2013 }}, "changemakers.com", accessed August 3, 2009.</ref>

==Early life==
Sonal Shah was born in [[Mumbai]], India. She moved to the US in 1972 at the age of 4, and grew up in Houston, Texas.<ref>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.</ref> 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]].<ref name="bahree">Bahree, Megha.[https://www.forbes.com/global/2006/0508/043.html "Offshoring Aid"], "forbes.com, May 8, 2006, accessed August 3, 2009.</ref>

==Career==

===Public service===
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 [[Bosnian War|post-war]] banking system. During the [[1997 Asian Financial Crisis|Asian financial crisis]], she served as a senior adviser to U.S. Treasury officials who were coordinating the U.S. response.<ref name="watson">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.</ref>

===Private sector===
From 2001–2003, 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.<ref name="people"/>

From 2003–2004, 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.<ref name="thaindian">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"], "thaindian.com", November 7, 2008, accessed August 3, 2009.</ref>

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.<ref name="ferdinand">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.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://beeckcenter.georgetown.edu/person/sonal-shah/}}</ref>

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.<ref name="brilliant">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.</ref> She also worked extensively on the growth of [[small and medium sized enterprises]] in partnership with the [[Omidyar Network]] and the [[Soros Foundation]].<ref>[http://sonalshah.emurse.com/ "Sonal Shah's Resume"], "emurse.com", January 30, 2009, accessed August 5, 2009.</ref>

In July 2019, Shah joined the presidential campaign<ref>{{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}}</ref> of South Bend Mayor, Pete Buttigieg as [https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/18/buttigieg-hires-former-goldman-sachs-executive-as-policy-director.html national policy director.]

===Return to public service===
In April 2009, Shah was appointed director of the newly created White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation.<ref name="global">[[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.</ref> The objective of this office is to coordinate governmental efforts to aid innovative nonprofit groups and social entrepreneurs to address pressing social problems.<ref name="PTI">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.</ref> Shah is also working with the [[United States National Security Council|National Security Council]] to bring a global perspective to these efforts.<ref name="global"/>

Shah had served on Biden’s Unity Task Force. In 2021, she was left out from being appointed in the [[Biden administration]] after more than a dozen Indian-American organisations raised concerns about Shah's link with right wing Hindu nationalist [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh|RSS]]/[[BJP]].<ref name="TribuneRSS">{{cite news |title=Biden keeps out Democrats with RSS links |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/diaspora/biden-keeps-out-democrats-with-rss-links-201707 |access-date=22 January 2021 |agency=Tribuneindia News Service |date=21 January 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Pak-origin Salman Ahmed part of foreign team |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/779445-pak-origin-salman-ahmed-part-of-foreign-team |access-date=31 January 2021 |work=thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref>

==Hindu nationalist activism==
Her father Ramesh Shah was the President of Overseas Friends of BJP-USA and is the founder of RSS-run [[Ekal Vidyalaya]].<ref name="TribuneRSS" />

In 2001, Sonal Shah worked with the [[Vishwa Hindu Parishad]] (VHP) of America, a branch of the [[Hindu nationalist]] organization based in India, as the National Coordinator during the [[2001 Gujarat earthquake]].<ref name="vhpa">VHPA Update.[https://web.archive.org/web/20020329233537/http://www.vhp-america.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=13 "Service To Humanity Is Service To God"], "vhp-america", February 3, 2001, accessed August 3, 2009.</ref> The VHP in India has been classified by the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] as a militant religious organization as of 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/cia-classifies-vhp-bajrang-dal-as-millitant-religious-outfits-1260635-2018-06-14|title=CIA classifies VHP, Bajrang Dal as millitant religious outfits|newspaper=India Today|language=en|access-date=2019-10-24|agency=Ist}}</ref>

Later in 2001, she co-founded the non-religious, non-profit [[Indicorps]] which recruits young people of Indian origin from all over the world to volunteer in India working for Indian NGOs.<ref name="programoverview">Indicorps.[http://www.indicorps.org/volunteer-work.php?page_id=18 "Program Overview"],"indicorps.org", accessed August 3, 2009.</ref> Indicorps volunteers have worked in the areas of education, health and sanitation, rural development, tsunami relief, and microfinance.<ref name="ourprojects">Indicorps.[http://www.indicorps.org/ourprojects.php "Our Projects"], "indicorps.com", accessed August 3, 2009.</ref> She gave the key note address in 2004 talking about her work with Indicorps for the US's branch of the India-based [[Ekal Vidyalaya|Ekal Vidyala Foundation]] (EVF). The EVF in India has been accused of running schools that pursue a Hindu-nationalist agenda and generate hatred towards minorities.<ref name="tehelka1">{{cite news|url=http://www.tehelka.com/story_main49.asp?filename=Ws200411HINDUTVA.asp|title=Sangh owns one of the fastest growing education projects|last=Vishnu|first=G|date=20 April 2011|newspaper=[[Tehelka]]|accessdate=23 August 2011}}</ref><ref name="Chaterjee20070719">{{cite web|url=http://in.christiantoday.com/articles/aicu-president-suspects-hindu-charitable-trust-of-forming-antichristian-schools-for-indian-tribals/156.htm|title=AICU president suspects Hindu charitable trust of forming anti–Christian schools for Indian tribals|last=Chaterjee|first=Jacob|date=19 July 2005|work=[[Christian Today]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824032549/http://in.christiantoday.com/articles/aicu-president-suspects-hindu-charitable-trust-of-forming-antichristian-schools-for-indian-tribals/156.htm|archive-date=24 August 2013|accessdate=5 March 2012}}</ref> The EVF in 2005 lost public funding after the Indian federal government deemed it was "spreading hatred" against India's non-Hindu minority.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/centre-stops-grants-to-one-teacher-schools/article27369243.ece|title=Centre stops grants to 'one-teacher schools'|date=2005-05-19|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-10-24|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

When she was appointed to the President Obama's transition team, leaders of the VHP and another Hindu nationalist organization, the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh|RSS]], issued a statement calling her a "proud member of the VHP, the daughter of Ramesh Shah, a very senior VHP leader."<ref name="Prashad">{{cite book |first=Vijay |last=Prashad |authorlink=Vijay Prashad |title=Uncle Swami: South Asians in America Today |publisher=The New Press |year=2012 |isbn=978-1595588012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h9ImLEPR-4QC}}</ref> After her appointment to Obama's team and criticism of her links to India's Hindu nationalist movement, Shah disassociated herself from the VHP and condemned its role in the [[2002 Gujarat riots]].<ref>[http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/sonal-shah-renounces-vhp-affiliation/article1393307.ece Sonal Shah renounces VHP affiliation], The Hindu, 12 December 2008.</ref>

==Board Memberships==
Shah is a board member of [[OXFAM]] America and of [[Zev Shapiro]]'s organization [[TurnUp]]{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}

==Awards and recognition==
*Henry Crown Fellowship, [[Aspen Institute]], 2006<ref name="aspen">2006 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.</ref>
*[http://americanassembly.org/project/next-generation-project-us-global-policy-and-future-international-institutions Next Generation Fellow], [http://americanassembly.org/ American Assembly], Columbia University, 2007.<ref>National Assembly.[http://www.nextgenerationproject.org/content/view/89/154/ "Opening panel speech"], "nextgenerationproject.org", May 16, 2006</ref>
*India Abroad Person of the Year, 2003<ref name="personofyear">India Abroad.[http://www.rediff.com/news/iapoy2003.htm "Person of the Year 2003"],"rediff.com", accessed August 3, 2009.</ref>

==Papers and articles==
*Guiding Principles and Design of the MCA<ref>Center for Global Development. [http://www.cgdev.org/content/publications/detail/14158 "Guiding Principles for Design and Implementation of the MCA]</ref>
*Trading Views<ref>Podesta, John.[http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2004/05/b80308.html "Trading Views"], Center for American Progress, 2004</ref>
*Served on Commission for Weak States and National Security, Center for Global Development.<ref>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.</ref>
*Social Finance: A Primer, Center for American Progress<ref>[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]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shah, Sonal}}
[[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:Vishva Hindu Parishad members]]

Sonal Shah (economist) - Revision history

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