MARIANNE STONE

Creative leader, big thinker, operational maverick, and artist.

I know what it takes to build successful teams, develop impactful products, scale audacious projects, and deliver meaningful results. I don’t believe in “right answers”—only in asking the best questions, curating an environment and cultivating good people to create impact and bring beauty into the world.

For over 15 years, I’ve been doing “big work”—directing, designing, advising, consulting, forecasting, and pioneering solutions that make a difference.

I collaborated with global organizations like Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee, partnering with governments, multilateral and public sector actors, private sector partners, and academic institutions to deliver double the impact across diverse international contexts.

Explore more about my work, my approach, how we can collaborate, and what drives my vision, below.

Experience

For the past 15 years, experience focused on leadership roles, team management, organizational design, strategy, product design and business development. Find more details in Select Works.

Ahlan Simsim | Project Director - International Rescue Committee | 2018 - 2024

Amman, Jordan

International Rescue Committee | Deputy Country Director, Programs | 2016 - 2018

Beirut, Lebanon

International Rescue Committee | Deputy Country Director, Programs | 2014 - 2016

Erbil, Iraq

International Rescue Committee | Business Development and Grant Management Lead | 2012 - 2014

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Various Design and Strategy Projects

OMGyno | Strategic Advisor | 2024 | Athens

Asiance Marketing | Design Thinking - Data | 2022 | S. Korea

UN Climate | Design Thinking - Sustainability | 2022 | New York

Education 

B.A - Humanities Honors

2001 - 2004 | University of Texas, Austin

M.A - Securite Internationale

2008 - 2009 | Sciences Po, Paris

M.A - International Security

2009 - 2010 | Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA)

M.S - Strategic Design & Leadership

2021 - 2023 | Parsons School of Design, The New School

Select Works

Media, Promotion, Awards

in action

Parsons School of Design

Article - “Shaping the Humanitarian Sector through Design”

Alliance Magazine

Panel - Audacious Philanthropy - Risk and Partnership in Education

Clip - The Importance of Social Emotional Learning

MacArthur Foundation

WISE Awards, 2023

Clip - Ahlan Simsim - Winner of 2023 WISE Awards

The Impact Room Podcast

Episode - The TV Show Helping Kids Affected by war and displacement

Reports

Impact Report, 2024, Co-Author

Innovative Solutions for Children in Crisis: Learning from Ahlan Simsim’s experience in the MENA region

Investment and Cost Report, 2024, Co-Author

What the Ahlan Simsim initiative tells us about the cost of delivering early childhood development programs to crisis-affected children

Systems and Scale Report, 2024, Contributor

INSPIRED IMPACT

When I'm not leading large teams toward audacious visions, supporting businesses with creative consulting for impact-focused ventures across the globe or doing research on the future of impact, resilient communities and sustainability I’m writing, painting, designing jewelry or curating other artistic endeavors to create Art, for Impact.

“Persephone in the Bardo”

Current Projects: Peculiar Grace: A field guide for Grace Seekers | 2025. Curated Essentials: From beauty to science - a review on the approach to Impact across disciplines | 2025.