Michele L. Jawando ’05, has spent her career building communities and coalitions to ensure that people often left out of consequential conversations have a seat at the table. A civil rights lawyer and former Google executive, she now brings that conviction to one of the most influential philanthropic organizations in the world.

Jawando has been appointed chief executive officer of Omidyar Network, a philanthropic organization founded by Pierre and Pam Omidyar that works to expand access to economic opportunity within the digital revolution. She will lead one of the best-funded organizations working to shape how artificial intelligence is developed, deployed and regulated beyond Silicon Valley.

“Michele Jawando embodies Carolina Law’s mission of excellence in law and public service,” said Interim Dean Andy Hessick. “Her work as CEO will help ensure the responsible development and deployment of AI and other technologies. We are incredibly proud to claim her as an alum.”

She joined Omidyar Network in 2021 as senior vice president of programs, was elevated to president in 2025, and now steps into the CEO role succeeding Mike Kubzansky, who led the organization for more than eight years.

The appointment comes as the philanthropic sector grapples with AI’s rapid expansion and a policy landscape increasingly shaped by a small number of powerful technology companies. Omidyar Network has committed more than $1.9 billion to organizations working to ensure technology serves society broadly and recently launched a $30 million generative AI portfolio to address gaps in philanthropy’s engagement with the technology. Jawando has argued that decisions about AI’s guardrails cannot be left to any single company or sector and plans to build broader coalitions that center the voices of underrepresented communities in AI policy. She also serves as co-chair of a philanthropic coalition committing $500 million to AI initiatives that prioritize the public interest, and has brought new funders into the space, including the Doris Duke Foundation and the Lumina Foundation.

It is precisely the kind of work her legal training prepared her for. Before joining Omidyar Network, Jawando served as U.S. head of strategic engagement and public policy partnerships at Google, where she co-led the 2020 Global Election Integrity team. Prior to Google, she was vice president at the Center for American Progress, where she also co-hosted Thinking CAP, a nationally recognized political news podcast on Sirius/XM. Before that, she served as general counsel and senior advisor to U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, playing a leading role in landmark legislative work including the passage of the 9/11 health bill, the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. She also served as counsel to Rep. Gregory Meeks.

A regular commentator for MSNBC, CNN and Fox News, Jawando is a sought-after voice on AI policy, law and governance, democracy and social impact. She serves on the Aspen Institute’s AI Elections Initiative Advisory Council and on the boards of Hampton University and Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and The Links, Incorporated.

She earned her J.D. from Carolina Law in 2005 and her B.A. from Hampton University.