Ruthie Gottesman is a Master in Public Policy candidate at Harvard Kennedy School. This summer, Ruthie will work with the Government Innovation Team at the Tony Blair Institute, reimagining digital public infrastructure for developing countries in Africa, as well as researching the role AI will play on Asian and African labor markets, and the implications of the technological revolution on local governments. Prior to graduate school, Ruthie spent her early career working with older adults in the nonprofit sector, first at DOROT running a high-touch technology coaching program, and more recently at AARP, where she equips organizations around the country to deliver world-class technology training curricula. Through her experience, she has been struck by the issues facing older adults, particularly those who also belong to other marginalized groups. They are culturally sidelined, and it translates to real hardships across housing, labor, and technology. Ruthie hopes to strengthen her ability to leverage cross-sector partnerships through the Gergen Summer Fellowship in advance of a career in aging advocacy. Ruthie holds a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University, where she facilitated workshops with thousands of first-year students on sexual violence response and advocacy, developed anti-hate curricula as an Anti-Defamation League intern, and led a Jewish current events publication. She is originally from New York and currently lives in Cambridge, MA.
Read Ruthie's Gergen Summer Fellowship Reflection.