Ayesha Marra

Ayesha is responsible for the overall strategy, execution, and oversight of WITNESS’s Individual Philanthropy Program.  She has over a decade of consulting experience with both Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits. She started her consulting career in the for-profit world (with Accenture) and then driven by her passion for Africa and her desire to service clients impacting societal changes, shifted toward work with international organizations and non-profits.  She has worked on assignments for The World Bank and The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Asia and Africa focused on how corporate social responsibility impacts economic development.  
 
For five years Ayesha was a consultant for the leading global fundraising firm, CCS Fund Raising, where she developed an expertise in fund development—including feasibility studies, board development, planning and executing major campaigns, and training non-profit leadership and boards.  At CCS, Ayesha serviced a wide array of non-profits, including The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), The National Partnership for Women & Families, and The Chapin School.  After CCS, as an independent consultant, she chose to work exclusively with clients focused on international issues and human rights, including Amnesty International and the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ).  Ayesha is a graduate of Cornell University and has a master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where she specialized in public/private partnerships. She is currently an active member of Women in Development (WID) and participates as a Mentor in the Columbia SIPA Mentoring Program.  She speaks English and is proficient in French.