Tessa Hebb

Dr. Tessa Hebb is a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation (3ci), affiliated with Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration. Her research focuses on Responsible Investment and Impact Investing, funded by Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). She leads projects on public pension fund investments, urban revitalization, and social finance. Notably, she directed a Harvard-based study (2004-2008) on U.S. public sector pension funds and urban development, supported by Ford and Rockefeller Foundations.

Dr. Hebb holds a Doctorate from Oxford University and is a member of prestigious steering committees including the UN-backed PRI Academic Network, Heartland Network, and Canadian Business Ethics Research Network. Her work bridges academia and practice, emphasizing collaboration with non-profits, philanthropies, and northern communities. She has authored influential books such as Working Capital: The Power of Labor’s Pensions and No Small Change: Pension Fund Corporate Engagement.

Her research spans

• Strategic philanthropy and social metrics,
• Ethical investment frameworks,
• Blended value returns in impact investing,
• Community-driven infrastructure financing (e.g., CIIX),
• Responsible property investment in Canada.

Recent initiatives include exploring sustainable infrastructure and advising on social enterprise typologies. Her 150+ publications reflect interdisciplinary expertise in finance, policy, and social innovation.