As a senior engagement lead at Kinaura Partners, Kaci Kennedy McDade supports leaders at the Gates Foundation and Pivotal Ventures. She draws on her deep expertise in strategy development, research, and portfolio management to deliver impact for partners. In her work with the Gates Foundation, she advances gender equality policies and financing initiatives; at Pivotal Ventures, she collaborates closely with the Executive Strategies and Initiatives team. Her comprehensive skills in strategy development, qualitative and quantitative research and analysis, and portfolio management make her a trusted advisor to partners.
With 15 years of experience in social impact financing, Kaci’s career spans philanthropy, academia, and international organizations. Before joining Kinaura in 2024, she served as an associate economic affairs officer at the United Nations in the Financing for Sustainable Development office, where she provided development financing expertise to UN leadership and supported key intergovernmental processes.
Previously, Kaci was an academic researcher at Duke University, publishing more than 60 works on global health policy and financing, with a focus on financing global public goods for health, China’s global health footprint, and aid transitions for developing countries. She began her journey in global development on the maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) team at the Gates Foundation.
Kaci holds an MPA in international development from Tsinghua University in Beijing and a BA from the College of William & Mary. During her studies, she interned with the US State Department, the Carnegie-Tsinghua Center for Global Policy, and the US Defense Intelligence Agency. She currently resides in New York City.
Outside of work, Kaci enjoys spending time in Central Park with her husband, two daughters, and their dog.
