Innovation Summit - Meridian International Center

Speaker Biographies
Katie Dowd serves as an Advisor for Innovation at the U.S. Department of
State. She works in the Secretary’s Office of Innovation, focusing on how
technology and tech based tools can be used to advance the Administration’s
foreign policy goals. Her portfolio focuses on overseeing the Secretary’s Civil
Society 2.0 initiative, technology in the advancement of women and girls,
Africa, as well as along with managing the Secretary’s digital strategy and
more. Prior to joining the State Department, she served as New Media Director
for Secretary Hillary Clinton managing the new media operations for her
presidential primary campaign and her political action committee following.
Before her work on behalf of Secretary Clinton, Ms. Dowd managed the
marketing program for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 2004-2007. Ms.
Dowd also served as a senior member of the direct marketing team at the Democratic Senatorial
Campaign Committee from 2003-2004. In her career, she has worked for a number of Democratic
candidates throughout the years to help craft strategy to promote their communications and
grassroots fundraising efforts.
Mary Hagerty Ehrsam is the First Senior Vice President, Global Chief of
Financial Literacy for Operation HOPE, Inc. (HOPE). Prior to HOPE, Mrs.
Hagerty Ehrsam began her career in community economic development
and poverty alleviation with the Los Angeles affiliate of Habitat for Humanity.
Mrs. Hagerty Ehrsam was one of four members of the 1995 Jimmy Carter
Work Project leadership team responsible for planning and constructing
twenty-one homes in six days with over twenty-five hundred volunteers. She
then expanded her focus to comprehensive inner-city revitalization as Vice
President, Chief of Operations for HOPE. In 2007, Mrs. Hagerty Ehrsam was
appointed to execute HOPE’s global expansion to South Africa and secured
a partnership with the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, National and Provincial Government, Peace
Corps South Africa, and the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. She also serves on several Boards
with domestic and international focus.
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