Robert Lalka
Co-Founder and Managing Partner CommonWealth Advisors
- Alexandria VA
Advisor to the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, 5 Stone Green Capital, and Sleep with a Purpose
Social
Biography
At CommonWealth Advisors, Rob Lalka works with businesses and philanthropies to develop local, market-based solutions that yield strong financial returns while addressing social and environmental issues. Current clients include the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, 5 Stone Green Capital, and Sleep with a Purpose.
From 2008-2012, Rob served in the Secretary of State’s Office of Global Partnerships, where he coordinated Partners for a New Beginning, a global coalition led by Madeleine Albright, Walter Isaacson, and Muhtar Kent that invests in ten emerging markets based on local priorities. Rob worked closely with the White House to develop partnerships for numerous presidential initiatives, including the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, the President’s Forum with Young African Leaders, and the White House’s Interagency Task Force on Religion and Global Affairs. He co-wrote the White House Office of Social Innovation strategy for cross-sector collaboration, and he earned the State Department’s prestigious Superior Honor Award for authoring the State Department's first policy and legal guidelines for partnerships while serving on the Secretary's Policy Planning Staff.
Previously, Rob worked in international investment banking, consulted on partnerships at the World Bank and UN, and assisted with recovery efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. In 2011, Rob was named one of the Top 99 Leaders Under 33 by Diplomatic Courier and he became a World Economic Forum Global Shaper. Rob has been a Presidential Management Fellow and a Truman National Security Project Fellow. He is a graduate of Yale University and holds his master’s degree in global public policy from Duke University’s Terry Sanford School
From 2008-2012, Rob served in the Secretary of State’s Office of Global Partnerships, where he coordinated Partners for a New Beginning, a global coalition led by Madeleine Albright, Walter Isaacson, and Muhtar Kent that invests in ten emerging markets based on local priorities. Rob worked closely with the White House to develop partnerships for numerous presidential initiatives, including the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, the President’s Forum with Young African Leaders, and the White House’s Interagency Task Force on Religion and Global Affairs. He co-wrote the White House Office of Social Innovation strategy for cross-sector collaboration, and he earned the State Department’s prestigious Superior Honor Award for authoring the State Department's first policy and legal guidelines for partnerships while serving on the Secretary's Policy Planning Staff.
Previously, Rob worked in international investment banking, consulted on partnerships at the World Bank and UN, and assisted with recovery efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. In 2011, Rob was named one of the Top 99 Leaders Under 33 by Diplomatic Courier and he became a World Economic Forum Global Shaper. Rob has been a Presidential Management Fellow and a Truman National Security Project Fellow. He is a graduate of Yale University and holds his master’s degree in global public policy from Duke University’s Terry Sanford School
Industry Expertise
International Affairs
Capital Markets
Areas of Expertise
Mena
Private Sector Development
Venture Philanthropy
Public-Private Partnerships
Emerging Markets
Education
Yale University
BA
English and History
Graduated cum laude with distinction in both majors
Duke University
MPP
Global Public Policy
Thesis topic: Developing a US Public-Private Partnerships Policy Framework For State Legislatures
University of Oxford
Study Abroad
English and History
Links
Availability
- Keynote
- Moderator
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Corporate Training
Fees
$5000 to $10000