Lori McGlinchey is the director of the Technology and Society program. She leads Ford’s efforts to support organizations working to ensure that the internet and digital technologies are designed and governed in ways that advance social and economic justice, particularly for those experiencing persistent discrimination.
She previously served as a senior program officer at Ford, where she led key grantmaking efforts to expand broadband equity and challenge harmful corporate and government surveillance, extractive data practices, and discriminatory predictive technologies. She also developed funding strategies to advance free expression and address information disorder and disinformation.
Before joining Ford in 2014, Lori was senior program officer for the U.S. Democracy Fund of the Open Society Foundations (OSF), responsible for developing and leading funding strategies on U.S. media and internet policy, government accountability, journalism, and documentary film. She also served as assistant director of OSF’s U.S. programs and developed a special initiative to address the politicization of science-based U.S. policymaking and its impact on free expression, reproductive justice, climate policy, and whistleblower protections. She also developed a program to strengthen communications, governance, fundraising, leadership, and technology capacity for OSF grantees.
Earlier in her career, Lori studied Eastern European Jewish history, serving as program director of the Yiddish Book Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to modern Jewish literature and culture. She conceived and produced public programs including conferences, performances, and exhibitions. She also produced a radio series for NPR called Jewish Short Stories from Eastern Europe and Beyond, hosted by Leonard Nimoy and featuring work by Isaac Babel, Grace Paley, and Isaac Bashevis Singer.
Lori serves on the steering committee of the Media Democracy Fund, a pooled grantmaking initiative and catalyst for an open, secure, and equitable internet. She holds a bachelor’s degree in American studies from Amherst College.
