Olivia Benson is the Chief Operating Officer of The Forbes Funds, where she leads regional and global efforts to strengthen nonprofit capacity, advance equity, and drive systems change. Her leadership aligns community-based initiatives with the Social Determinants of Health and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on funding models that prioritize community wisdom, innovation, and sustainability. She also directs the Catalytic Community Cohorts (C3), one of TFF’s largest initiatives supporting grassroots-led solutions across Western Pennsylvania.

A lifelong advocate for justice, Olivia co-founded She Runs SWPA to support women pursuing elected office and previously served as Director of Youth Policy for the City of Pittsburgh. She earned a BS in Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University, an MBA from Point Park University, and an MS in Social Policy from the University of Pennsylvania. She’s also a graduate of the Black Venture Institute, TALI, and the London School of System Change, and has contributed to civic and social impact initiatives in the U.S., India, Malaysia, and Jamaica. She currently serves on several boards, including Spotlight PA, Adagio Health, the Mid-Atlantic Mothers Milk Bank, and the Black Equity Coalition (BEC).

Olivia believes in building ecosystems where communities not only survive but thrive. Her personal motto? “Always Learning.”