United States

Margaret Hempel

Director New York

Margaret Hempel is the foundation's director for Sexuality, and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Her portfolio focuses on advancing sexual and reproductive rights, addressing socioeconomic vulnerabilities that lead to poor SRHR outcomes, expanding access to quality sexuality education and supporting sexuality research. Her team makes grants in Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, China, Indonesia, India and the United States.

Margaret spent nine years at the Ford Foundation, from 1990 to 1999, first as a program officer and then as deputy director of the human development and reproductive health unit. She returned in 2008 to direct the foundation's SRHR work.

For two years prior to this position, Margaret was vice president for programs at American Jewish World Service, an international development organization where she managed the grant making, international service and advocacy programs. She also spent seven years as vice president for programs at the Ms. Foundation for Women and was responsible for grant making, training and advocacy work focused on strengthening policies and programs that benefit low-income women and their families in the United States.

Margaret has also worked for several international agencies and lived and worked in China and Burma. She has a master's degree from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University and a bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University.

Issues and Initiatives

Margaret Hempel manages the strategy, foundationwide for the following initiatives:

Issue	Initiative
Sexuality and Reproductive Health and Rights	Supporting Sexuality Research Promoting Reproductive Rights and the Right to Sexual Health Youth Sexuality, Reproductive Health, and Rights