Marta Urquilla

Biography

I am currently Deputy Director at the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University, where I lead work on policy innovation and outcomes-focused solutions. We work with leaders, students, researchers, practitioners, and communities to reimagine and transform the social sector for the 21st century. Previously, I served in the Obama Administration as Senior Policy Advisor in the inaugural White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation and as Senior Advisor for Social Innovation at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). At CNCS, I designed and implemented the first Social Innovation Fund in the U.S. Government, which became the model for innovation funds across other agencies.

At the White House, I focused on evidence-based policy, innovative financing tools, and public-private partnerships to maximize federal resources and drive investment in effective solutions for our nation’s social problems. I led the development, launch, and support of several White House initiatives, including Innovation Funds, Pay for Success, and Summer Jobs+. Prior, I served on President Obama’s Presidential Transition Team, as a member of the Technology, Innovation and Government Reform working group.

In my career, I have focused on community solutions and advancing results-oriented policy approaches. At One Economy Corporation, a national organization committed to bridging communities to the digital economy, I designed and led successful programs to build the capacity of low-income communities and connect them to opportunity. An Echoing Green Fellow, I have extensive background in youth and community development and I have created and managed community-led initiatives at the local and national level. I currently serve on the Board of Directors of the Latin American Youth Center and I am a member of All Souls Church, Unitarian. I live in Washington, DC, with my family.