Rajni Chandrasekhar
Overview
Rajni has worked with nonprofits, corporations, foundations, and government agencies to address a range of social issues, including domestic and international education reform, global health, impact investing, and juvenile justice reform.
Role at FSG
Most recently, Rajni has worked to develop the strategy for a major corporate philanthropic program to address multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in the developing world. She has worked on a key collective impact strategic planning effort, developing a shared vision and strategic priorities for a diverse group of stakeholders across the New York juvenile justice system and leading efforts to create a more robust structure for data sharing across the system. Other clients include the Kellogg Foundation and The California Endowment. Rajni is an active member of FSG’s Global Development impact area.
Before FSG
Rajni came to FSG with experience in international development and education reform. She consulted for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, investigating issues of urban poverty and youth unemployment in Africa. Rajni has worked in primary education reform in southern India, assessing the efforts of grassroots NGOs working in government primary schools. She has also worked to provide strategic planning support for start-up social enterprises, in London at the Young Foundation and in Chicago, with the Global Engagement Summit.
Education
- London School of Economics, MSc in Development Management
- Northwestern University, BA in Political Science and International Studies, with honors
On Working at FSG
“At FSG, I have the opportunity to apply my knowledge and experience in education and international development more broadly to challenging strategic questions across organizations in the social sector. My previous work with grassroots non-profit organizations has exposed me to challenges from urban housing issues in growing cities to education reform in crumbling classrooms. In a rapidly changing world, poverty and increasing inequality continually pose new tests to improving lives around the globe. It’s clear that there are no universal solutions to the toughest social problems, yet working at FSG allows me the opportunity to identify practical, evidence-based, and inclusive models for reform. Most importantly, at FSG, I have the pleasure of working with individuals that have developed deep expertise in the social sector, and that teach me something new every day.”