Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Executive Education is delighted to announce that Nathalie Laidler-Kylander will assume the role of Program Chair for the HKS executive program, Senior Executive Fellows (SEF), when she re-joins HKS on August 19. Nathalie was previously a Lecturer in Public Policy at HKS between 2010 and 2016, teaching in the Management Leadership and Decision Sciences (MLD) area and chairing several successful Executive Programs. Current SEF Faculty Chair Dana Born has announced she will retire from HKS this September.
Nathalie’s experience spans both the public and private sectors. She was previously the CEO of the international nonprofit Trickle Up, and a Managing Director at the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation. She has served with the United Nations Development Program in Senegal, Doctors Without Borders in Armenia, and in senior management roles at Medtronic Inc. A leading expert in the international nonprofit sector, Nathalie has served on the boards of dozens of social enterprises. Additional prior teaching experience includes the Fletcher School, Tufts University (2009 – 2011) and Boston University School of Management (2007-2009). We know her best as a dynamic and committed teacher.
Nathalie understands how to lead change across sectors, with a passion for creating and scaling social and environmental innovation and impact. A servant leader, she has vast experience building purpose-driven teams and businesses to create a more just and sustainable world, a core mission of HKS. Her broad multi-sector background, working within and between teams to develop strategies, people, partnerships, networks, and organizations, is sure to serve future cohorts of SEF well during their time at HKS and beyond.
Senior Associate Dean for Executive Education Debra Iles says, ‘When we heard Dana was ready for her next chapter, I couldn’t imagine who might fill her shoes. I’m thrilled that we’ve been able to lure Nathalie back to HKS – she will bring her own unique strengths as a leader, teacher, and friend to the next generation of Senior Executive Fellows.”
When asked about her new role, Nathalie shared her excitement, saying “I could not be more pleased to come home to HKS and build on Dana’s impactful legacy. It is an honor and a privilege to be entrusted with chairing SEF, a flagship executive education program.”
As we welcome Nathalie, we also say good-bye and thank you to Dana Born for her nine years of stewardship of the SEF program. Under Dana’s leadership, the SEF tradition and reputation for excellence flourished. We extend to Dana our very best wishes for joy and impact on her authentic journey.