Pam Omidyar

Pam is a philanthropist, mom, and ocean lover. She and her husband Pierre share the belief that all people can improve their lives and that of their community, if given the right access and opportunities. To fulfill their mission, they created organizations and supported initiatives in a wide range of philanthropic areas across The Omidyar Group.

Omidyar Network, a part of The Omidyar Group, engages across several continents and strives to change conditions that enable people to have fair and expanded access to resources in sectors such as education, property rights, governance and citizen engagement, emerging tech, and financial inclusion. Omidyar Network is a philanthropic investment firm, funding both for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations to create opportunity for individuals around the world to improve their own lives. As a member of the board, Pam plays an ongoing role in steering the organization's work.

Soon after the creation of Omidyar Network, there was a clear realization that there are some people who are unable to take advantage of the economic opportunities Omidyar Network creates. As a result, Pam had a vision for the creation of Humanity United – a foundation dedicated to bringing new approaches to intractable global problems like mass atrocities and genocide, and the exploitation and enslavement of people around the world. Pam believes that everyone has the right to a life that is peaceful and free and she is actively engaged with Humanity United as its board chair.

Pam also founded Hopelab, a non-for-profit created with the idea that young people who have chronic illnesses can make positive behavior changes to improve their treatment. HopeLab is now embarking upon a deeper exploration of how science, technology, and the power of play can be harnessed to support resilience in young people as a way to improve health. Pam remains a guiding visionary at HopeLab, serving as chair of the Board of Directors.

Pam has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Tufts University and studied plant molecular genetics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, but is in constant learning mode. She serves on other advisory boards and loves to surf with friends when she can.