Fatema Z. Sumar

Fatema Z. Sumar serves as Executive Director of the Harvard Center for International Development (CID) and Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School, teaching policy design and development diplomacy. She holds a Master’s in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University and a BA in Government from Cornell University, augmented by studies at the American University in Cairo. She received an honorary doctorate from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

Her career spans four U.S. presidential administrations, including roles as Vice President of Compact Operations at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) overseeing $3.5 billion in global poverty reduction programs, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, and Senior Professional Staff Member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In civil society, she led Oxfam America’s global programs and founded Cornell’s award-winning Translator Interpreter Program.

Her research focuses on development diplomacy, economic growth strategies, and gender-inclusive policies. Key areas include cross-border collaboration, infrastructure investment, and leveraging private-sector partnerships. She has authored over 20 policy papers, testified before Congress, and advised on projects in 70+ countries.

• Awards: Stokes Award (Princeton), Honorary Doctorate
• Advisory Roles: Boards of Princeton SPIA, Cornell Atkinson Center, and Harvard’s Sustainability Leadership Council
• Publications: Book The Development Diplomat, articles in Stanford Social Innovation Review, Devex, and The Hill

Current initiatives include CID’s Growth Lab and Social Protection Initiative, focusing on economic transformation and resilient systems in developing nations. She emphasizes leveraging technology for education access and fostering inclusive economic policies globally.