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Laura McDonald

Technology, strategy, aid and equity.

Laura Walker McDonald is a senior advisor for Digital Technology and Data Protection at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Washington DC.14 She has dedicated her career to humanitarian and international aid, focusing on the intersection of technology and social impact.12

Career Highlights

  • Current Role: Senior Advisor at ICRC since October 2021, where she analyzes the impact of technology on people affected by conflict worldwide.4
  • Previous Positions:
    • Senior Director of Insights & Outreach at the Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL)14
    • Director of Innovation at the Global Alliance for Humanitarian Innovation (GAHI)4
    • CEO of Social Impact Lab (SIMLab)34
    • Co-ran FrontlineSMS, which was named the world's top tech NGO in 20133

Education and Early Career

  • Holds an LLM in International Development Law and Human Rights from the University of Warwick14
  • Started her career at the British Red Cross, working on issues such as civil-military relations and accountability in humanitarian aid1

Expertise and Focus Areas

Walker McDonald specializes in understanding how technology can both help and potentially harm people in humanitarian contexts.12 Her work covers areas such as:

  • Cybersecurity
  • Misinformation and hate speech
  • Biotechnology
  • Data protection
  • Cloud computing
  • Artificial Intelligence4

She is known for her commitment to inclusive technology and bridging the digital divide in humanitarian efforts.3

Highlights

Oct 19 · blogs.icrc.org
Diving Into Digital Dilemmas - Intercross: The Podcast
Aug 18 · aspeninstitute.org
The Ever-Growing Network Helping to #AccelerateDigitalEquity
Dec 31 · simlab.org
Laura Walker McDonald - SIMLab
Jan 1 · arwick.ac.uk
Laura Walker McDonald - University of Warwick
Oct 20 · technical.ly
Laura Walker McDonald is a DC technologist you should know
Laura Walker McDonald is a DC technologist you should know

Related Questions

What are some of the biggest challenges Laura Walker McDonald faces in her role at the ICRC?
How does Laura Walker McDonald's work at the ICRC impact global humanitarian efforts?
What inspired Laura Walker McDonald to transition from FrontlineSMS to the ICRC?
How does Laura Walker McDonald ensure that technology is used inclusively in humanitarian aid?
What are some notable projects Laura Walker McDonald has worked on at the ICRC?
Laura McDonald
Laura McDonald, photo 1
Laura McDonald, photo 2
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Location

Washington, District of Columbia, United States