Asha Curran

Asha Curran is the CEO and co-founder of GivingTuesday, a global generosity movement that has reshaped approaches to philanthropy and civic participation. What began as a three-month experiment inside 92nd Street Y has developed into a significant grassroots social change movement, built on trust, co-ownership, and the belief that every person has something to contribute. Since its inception, GivingTuesday has inspired people to donate more than $18.5 billion to thousands of nonprofits in 107 countries.

Before becoming CEO, Curran served as chief innovation officer and director of the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact at 92nd Street Y, which was recognized by Fast Company as one of the 10 Most Innovative Nonprofits. There, she led initiatives including the Social Good Summit, Ben Franklin Circles, and the Women in Power Fellowship. Her career has included roles in publishing, publicity, childbirth education, teaching, and global outreach at 92NY, experiences that have informed her broad vision for the impact of generosity.

Under Curran's leadership, GivingTuesday has become a global force in nonprofit fundraising and civic engagement. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, nonprofits across the United States raised $3.6 billion in a single day, with more than 36 million people participating worldwide. Curran emphasizes expanding giving beyond financial donations to include volunteering, advocacy, and community care.

Curran has received recognition across the philanthropic and civic sectors. She was named to the inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy List and to the Nonprofit Times' Top Fifty Power and Influence list annually, where she was also honored as Influencer of the Year. She is the recipient of the Social Capital Hero Award, was named a Woman of Influence by New York Business Journal, and was a 40 Over 40 Women to Watch honoree. Curran was also a Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Finalist and was recognized as one of Worth Magazine's Worthy 100.

In addition to her work at GivingTuesday, Curran has been a fellow at Stanford University's Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society, a Marla and Barry Beck Visiting Social Innovator at the Social Innovation and Change Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School, and a fellow at the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford. She serves as chair of the board of Guardian.org, as a board member of the Resource Alliance, and as a member of the Alliance Magazine Editorial Advisory Council. Curran is recognized for her expertise in generosity, civic engagement, and social change.