Dr. Mariko Silver is the president and CEO of the Henry Luce Foundation. With decades of experience in philanthropy, academia, and government, Dr. Silver is a leading voice on issues related to higher education transformation, Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) civil rights, STEM diversity and inclusion, foreign policy and national security, and civic engagement in a digital age. 

Previously she served as acting assistant secretary and deputy assistant secretary for international policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where she spearheaded the development of the department’s first strategic plan for international engagement. She also served as president of Bennington College. As policy advisor to Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano (2008–2009), she oversaw the Arizona Department of Commerce and guided policy implementation at the Arizona Economic Resource Organization, Science Foundation Arizona, and the Arizona Board of Regents. She held multiple roles at Arizona State University, where she designed and implemented local and international initiatives focused on economic development, interdisciplinary science, and student success. 

Dr. Silver is the chair of the Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art and serves on the boards of Philanthropy New York and the Migration Policy Institute. Prior board engagements include African Leadership University, Scholars at Risk, and the New England Commission on Higher Education. She is an advisor to multiple organizations, including the Academic Leadership Institute (ALI) and The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). She is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.  

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University, a master’s in science in science and technology policy from the University of Sussex, and a doctorate in economic geography from UCLA.