Xanthe Scharff

Xanthe Scharff, PhD, has a diverse and extensive work experience. Xanthe is currently the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of The Fuller Project, a global nonprofit newsroom focused on reporting about women to raise awareness and spur accountability. In this role, they shape the organization's vision, leads a dedicated team, represents their work, and fundraises to support their outcomes.

Prior to joining The Fuller Project, Xanthe founded and served as the Executive Director, Founder, and Board Chair Emeritus of AGE Africa: Advancing Girls' Education. Xanthe established this nonprofit in 2005 after reporting on Malawian girls who were denied education, and built it with the help of various stakeholders in Malawi and supportive partnerships.

Xanthe also has experience working at The Brookings Institution, where they served as an Associate Director and Associate Fellow for the Center for Universal Education. Xanthe played a crucial role in growing the center's size, managing executive functions, and overseeing research projects, public events, and international fellows programs for women leaders.

Additionally, Xanthe has worked as a consultant for Rise Global, providing research, consulting, and advising services. Xanthe has served as a Philanthropic Advisor at Arabella Advisors, offering strategy, evaluation, and project implementation support to foundations such as the Gates Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and the Hewlett Foundation.

Furthermore, Xanthe has been involved with organizations such as the DC Public Education Fund as an Education Pioneers Fellow, and the United States Institute of Peace as a Peace Scholar in residence. During their time at the United States Institute of Peace, they designed and conducted trainings for civil-military affairs officers on international education best practices while pursuing their doctoral dissertation.

Overall, Xanthe Scharff, PhD's work experience demonstrates their commitment to advocating for women's rights, advancing girls' education, and contributing to important research and policy initiatives in the field of education.

Xanthe Scharff, PhD has an extensive education history. In 1998, they completed their BA in International Affairs and Latin American Politics from New York University. Xanthe furthered their studies by pursuing a Master of Arts (M.A.) in International Relations and Affairs from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, which they completed in 2006. During this time, in 2000-2001, Xanthe also attended Universidad de Palermo to focus on Political Economy. Xanthe's passion for academia led their to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at The Fletcher School at Tufts University. Xanthe earned their PhD in 2011, specializing in International Security, Human Security, and International Development. Xanthe continued their education by attending Harvard University's Harvard Kennedy School - Executive Education from 2017 to 2018, where they studied Exponential Fundraising. In 2019, Xanthe joined Harvard Business School for an Executive Education program called Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management. Most recently, in 2021 and 2022, they enrolled in the Sulzberger Executive Leadership Program at the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University.