Heather Grady

Heather Grady is particularly involved in programs on promoting the right to ‘decent work’, corporate responsibility for human rights, climate justice and women’s leadership. During her career she has spent almost two decades managing long-term development and humanitarian programs in East Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Prior to joining Realizing Rights she worked with Oxfam Great Britain, serving as the Global Lead on Rights and Institutional Accountability, as Regional Director for East Asia based in Thailand, and before that as Oxfam's Country Representative in Viet Nam, where she resided from 1993 to 2000.

Heather has written extensively on international development and human rights, and co-authored one of the first books on participatory appraisal methodology published in more than a dozen languages. Her most recent publication is Fostering Equitable and Sustainable Development: The Role of the Private Sector and Trade in Times of Economic Turmoil published by the Swedish International Development Agency. Heather is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and teaches on Climate Change, Rights and Development. She speaks Vietnamese, Chinese and some Arabic. Heather holds degrees from Smith College and Harvard University. She is on the Board of Trustees of the New York Society for Ethical Culture, and is on the Advisory Boards of Human Rights Ahead and Trickle Up.