Cecilia Conrad facts for kids

Cecilia Ann Conrad, born on January 4, 1955, is a very important leader in the world of economics and helping others. She is the CEO of Lever for Change, an organization that helps give money to good causes. She is also a senior advisor to the MacArthur Foundation, which supports creative people and projects.

Before her current roles, Dr. Conrad was a professor of economics at Pomona College. She also helped manage big programs at the MacArthur Foundation, like the MacArthur Fellows program. This program gives special awards to very talented individuals. She studied at Wellesley College and Stanford University. Her work often looks at how a person's background affects their financial situation.

Early Life and Family

Cecilia Conrad was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her parents were Emmett James Conrad and Eleanor Nelson Conrad. Her family later moved to Dallas, Texas.

Her father, Dr. Emmett Conrad, was a surgeon. He was the first African American surgeon to join the staff at St. Paul's Hospital in Dallas. He also made history by being the first African American elected to a city-wide office in Dallas. He was appointed to the Texas State Board of Education in 1984. Cecilia's mother, Eleanor, helped manage his election campaigns. Cecilia was their only child.

Education and Learning

Dr. Conrad became interested in economics by watching the news. She saw reports about the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and how money worked between countries. These topics made her curious about how the economy affects people's lives.

Her high school math teacher helped her explore this interest. She joined a special summer math program. There, she learned about different types of math and computer programming.

College and University Studies

Cecilia Conrad graduated from Wellesley College in 1976. She earned a degree in economics. She then continued her studies at Stanford University. She received her master's and doctorate degrees in 1982. Her studies focused on how people earn money, how businesses are organized, and how governments use money.

While at Stanford, she was part of a program at Bell Laboratories. This program helped women and minority students get advanced degrees. She also worked as an economist for the Federal Trade Commission. This government group helps make sure businesses are fair.

Wellesley College, Massachusetts. This is where Cecilia Conrad went to college.

Dr. Conrad has also received special honorary doctorates. These are like special awards from universities.

Career Highlights

After finishing her studies, Dr. Conrad taught at Barnard College and Duke University.

Teaching and Leadership at Pomona College

In 1995, Dr. Conrad joined the faculty at Pomona College. She held important roles there, including a special teaching chair in economics. In 2002, she was named California's Carnegie Professor of the Year. This award recognizes excellent teachers.

From 2004 to 2007, she was the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at Pomona. In this role, she helped expand a summer research program for students. She also worked to make the campus more diverse and welcoming for everyone.

Leading at Other Institutions

From 2007 to 2009, Dr. Conrad was the interim Dean of Faculty at Scripps College. During this time, she also led several important economic groups. She was president of the International Association for Feminist Economics. She also led the National Economic Association.

In 2009, Dr. Conrad returned to Pomona College. She became the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the college. She held this position until 2012. For one academic year, she also served as the Acting President of the college.

Work with the MacArthur Foundation

In 2010, Dr. Conrad joined a committee for the National Science Foundation. This committee works to create equal opportunities in science and engineering. She served as the chair of this committee.

In 2013, Dr. Conrad left Pomona College to work for the MacArthur Foundation. She became a managing director there. She managed the famous MacArthur Fellows program. This program gives large grants to "extraordinarily creative and inspiring individuals." She also managed the 100&Change program, which gives big grants to solve important problems.

Today, Dr. Conrad is the CEO of Lever for Change. This organization is connected to the MacArthur Foundation. It helps connect people who want to give money with groups that are working for social change.

Dr. Conrad is also a member of the Board of Trustees for several colleges. She helps guide these schools. She also helps edit important economic journals.

Awards and Special Recognition

Cecilia Conrad has received many awards for her work:

• 2018: Samuel Z. Westerfield Award from the National Economic Association.
• 2008: Woman of Power Award from the National Urban League.
• 2005: Outstanding Academic Title for her book African Americans in the U.S. Economy.
• 2002: Carnegie Professor of the Year.
• 2002: Wig Distinguished Professorship Award for Excellence in Teaching from Pomona College.

Selected Writings

Dr. Conrad has written many articles and chapters in books. Her work often explores how economics affects different groups of people.

Books and Chapters

• Conrad, Cecilia A (2018). "Feminist Economics: Second Wave, Tidal Wave, or Barely a Ripple?" This chapter is in a book about the history of feminism in American politics.

Research Articles

• Conrad, Cecilia A; Dixson, Adrienne; Sloan Green, Clementine "Tina" (2014). "A Discussion on Gender Equity and Women of Color." This article talks about fairness for women of color.
• Conrad, Cecilia A (2018). "How to Mobilize Philanthropy to Advance Racial Equity? A Call to Action." This article discusses how to use donations to help achieve fairness for all races.
• Conrad, Cecilia A (August 6, 2019). "Big Grant, Big Learnings." This article shares lessons learned from giving large grants.

Other Appearances

Dr. Conrad has also written articles for popular magazines and newspapers. She has shared her ideas on creativity and innovation. She has also given interviews about her work at the MacArthur Foundation.

• Conrad, Cecilia A (September 3, 2014). "The Geography of Genius: New Data About MacArthur Fellows Shows That Creative People Move More," Time.
• Conrad, Cecilia A (September 16, 2013). "Our Society Discourages Innovation," Op-Ed, Room for Debate, The New York Times.
• Conrad, Cecilia A (September 20, 2013). "Five Myths About the MacArthur ‘Genius Grants’," The Washington Post.
• Conrad, Cecilia A (September 26, 2017). "Giving Away $100 Million: A Peek behind the Curtain at MacArthur Foundation," Nonprofit Quarterly.
• Interview with Priss Benbow, Stanford Social Innovation Review podcast, “MacArthur Foundation Program Program Leader Reflects on Lessons From 100&Change Grant Competition” April 23, 2019.
• Is there a bubble in the liberal arts college market? (transcription), Pomona College Vice President and Dean of the college, Cecilia Conrad, speech at the 1 September 2009 Convocation.

See Also

• Feminist economics