Mary joined the Young Foundation in April 2009 and is a Programme Leader working on Youth Transitions.

Mary's work looks at the transition that young people make to adulthood, with specific focus on adolescence and young adulthood (12-25). Her work intersects with projects across the Young Foundation, and she works primarily on The Youth of Today programme, a major initiative aiming to increase the quality, quantity and diversity of opportunities for young people as leaders of change in their communities. The Youth of Today is led by a consortium of leading third sector organisations. Mary also advises the UpRising programme and is involved in public sector innovation advisory work. She has a particular interest in innovation in higher education.

Before joining the Foundation, Mary was a consultant with a boutique McKinsey spin-off called Portas Consulting, providing advice to organisations involved in the world of sport, including the UK's largest charities and governing bodies. Her prior experience includes directing a popular grassroots literacy programme in Los Angeles called Reading to Kids as well as working with Ashoka, Accion International, the Feminist Majority and a number of other U.S. foundations and non-governmental institutions.

Mary has a Masters of Public Policy (2007) from the Harvard Kennedy School. While at Harvard she chaired the International Bridge Builders Conference, which hosted grassroots leaders from developing countries. She has a Masters (2003) in European Studies from the College of Europe, which she attended as a Fulbright Fellow. She has a Bachelors summa cum laude (2002) in Cinema with minors in Politics and French from the University of Southern California.

Mary lives in east London with her partner James Crabtree and their beloved cats, Miss Albert and Humphrey.

Contact

mary.abdo@youngfoundation.org or call 020 8980 6263