Dr. Geetha Murali is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Room to Read, an organization that envisions a world in which all children can pursue a quality education that enables them to reach their full potential and contribute to their communities and the world.
As Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Geetha oversees Room to Read’s global operations, which includes programmatic work across 20 countries, a global network of investors and volunteer chapters, and a worldwide staff of more than 1,600 employees.
Prior to becoming CEO, Geetha served as Chief Development and Communications Officer, overseeing Room to Read’s global resource development department with staff across nine locations. In that role, she was responsible for global fundraising, marketing, public relations, and communications, while working directly with the organization’s largest investors.
Geetha has 20 years of diverse experience across the corporate and non-profit sectors. She has worked with pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline and Chiron as well as with educational technology programs like the Digital Equalizer Program (American India Foundation) and Adobe Youth Voices (Adobe Systems Incorporated). During her time with the American India Foundation, she was responsible for major corporate partnerships that supported the growth of the Digital Equalizer program into 13 states across India.
Geetha is a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council, the Young President’s Organization (YPO), and has been recognized by WIRED as a leader who will shape the next 25 years. She serves on the She serves on the board of directors for the Global Press Institute and is a Founding Circle member of Neythri, a global community of South Asian professional women. Geetha received her master’s degree in biostatistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her master’s and doctorate degrees in South Asian Politics from the University of California at Berkeley.
