Open Government Partnership Welcomes Stephanie Bluma and Kate Lasso

Washington DC, July 17, 2017  –  Open Government Partnership (OGP) is pleased to announce the addition of Stephanie Bluma as Chief Communications and Campaigns Officer, and Kate Lasso as Chief Financial and Operations Officer.

Stephanie Bluma most recently served as Deputy Assistant Administrator for Public Affairs at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Appointed by former President Barack Obama, she oversaw the full re-organization of the Public Affairs Bureau and developed major campaigns, including Let Girls Learn and the White House Global Development Summit. Prior to her tenure at USAID, she spent a decade at in senior positions at Weber Shandwick, a global public relations firm, serving as a Creative Director and in senior leadership positions with the Social Impact practice. “It is an exciting time to join the Open Government Partnership and support its bold mission to help governments embrace accountability and transparency,” said Bluma.  “As the Partnership continues to grow, it is important that we share stories of how leaders around the world are responding to the needs of their citizens and creating more free and equitable societies.”

Kate Lasso arrives at OGP from the Consumer Health Foundation, where she was Director of Finance. She comes with over 30 years of non-profit management experience, including experience in successfully managing spinoffs, as well as extensive experience in finance and human resource management, managing donor relations and supporting international teams in global organizations. She was previously Finance Director at Namati, promoting legal empowerment in disadvantaged communities around the globe. She holds a Ph.D. in sociology from American University. “It’s great to be part of such a dynamic team,” said Lasso.

Bluma and Lasso join OGP at a pivotal time, having grown quickly to 75 national and 15 subnational government members, and with an ambitious goal to make OGP a powerful, positive global movement for openness and deeper democracy, and a countervailing force against the rise of closed government. Based in Washington, D.C., Bluma and Lasso will join the management team at OGP and oversee the Communications and Operations teams, respectively.

OGP CEO Sanjay Pradhan welcomed the arrival of Bluma and Lasso. “We are very fortunate to announce the appointment of two outstanding leaders to assume vital roles and responsibilities at OGP. Stephanie Bluma will be leading OGP’s all-important campaign and communications effort, and Kate Lasso will oversee and manage the gamut of OGP’s finance, human resources, and operations, as we prepare to spin off as an independent entity.”