Ben Binswanger

Ben Binswanger serves as the Skoll Foundation’s Vice President, Program and Impact. He oversees the Foundation's strategic grantmaking program, identifying and supporting the work of social entrepreneurs worldwide who are driving large-scale change on pressing social and environmental issues. As part of the executive team, he helps shape the Foundation's overall strategy to maximize the leverage of its philanthropic capital.

Ben has held a range of senior positions across the business, government, and social change sectors. Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer and Senior Advisor to the Case Foundation, working directly with Jean and Steve Case to develop the programs, initiatives, and support systems for the foundation. He helped develop the Case Foundation’s national reputation for leadership in online civic engagement initiatives and citizen centered community problem solving.

 Before entering the philanthropic sector, Ben was Vice President, Community and Employee Engagement at Time Warner, heading up efforts to establish the company as a global leader in employee engagement. Earlier, he served as Vice President, Corporate Communications, for America Online, handling many of the company’s internal and external strategic communications initiatives. He also held the lead corporate communications role at TeleSpectrum Worldwide, a direct marketing company, and served as Director, Business Development at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

Ben began his career in the political realm, serving as a political advisor and campaign manager for Senator Edward Kennedy between 1987 and1995. He managed national political issues for the Senator and assisted legislative staff with implementation of political, communications, and legislative strategies on a wide range of domestic policy issues. He co-managed Senator Kennedy’s 1988 re-election campaign and also worked for several other candidates, including Senators George Mitchell and John Kerry, in a variety of management and communication roles.

Ben serves on the board of Demos, a non-partisan public policy research and advocacy organization.

Ben received a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and was a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs.