Olivia Benson likes to say that her personal motto is, “Always Learning.” 

Today serves as the COO of The Forbes Funds (TFF). At TFF, Olivia leads the implementation of the organization’s social impact goals – including program alignment to global and public health metrics, AI technology, and the development of humanity-centered training for partners. She also manages the organization’s largest funding portfolio, designed to develop best practices for the nonprofit sector through collaboration. 

Olivia served as a thought partner for one of the first green infrastructure, pay-for-success projects in the Pittsburgh region and also helped co-found She Runs SWPA to help more women run for and get elected to public office.    

Before TFF, Olivia worked for the Women and Girls Foundation of SWPA (WGF). Prior to WGF, Olivia managed smart city technology implementation programs throughout the country. Olivia has also worked for the US Congress and on a number of political campaigns in Pennsylvania. From 2011 – 2013, Olivia served as the Director of Youth Policy for the City of Pittsburgh.. 

Olivia regularly speaks on national and local political trends, women seeking election to public office, civic engagement, and social impact policies. She has appeared on TVOne and she served as a featured op-ed columnist for the Toronto Sun Times covering the 2016 election cycle for national and international audiences.   

Olivia is active in the nonprofit community, volunteers with a number of organizations, and has been a featured speaker and panelist at events throughout Pennsylvania and the nation. She has won numerous other honors for her work and volunteer activities.  

Olivia is a graduate of London School of Systems Change, International Bateson Institute based in Stockholm, Sweden, and The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI) based at Carnegie Mellon University. She has had the pleasure of serving as a consultant on capacity building programming for nonprofits across the US, youth advocacy projects in Malaysia, social impact initiatives in India, and civic technology programs in Jamaica. 

Olivia currently serves as a boardmember of Spotlight PA, the Mid Atlantic Mothers Milk Bank, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania Women United’s, Diversity Leadership Team, and The Boys and Girls Club of Western PA – Aliquippa Clubhouse Advisory Board Member.  

Olivia holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, Point Park University, and the University of Pennsylvania. Olivia and her husband Andrew have two children Henry and Celia and a dog, Bruce Wayne (“The Bark Knight”).