Dr. Rani Parker is an immigrant from India and has been a U.S. citizen for more than 45 years. Her family came to the U.S. after having been beneficiaries of international development assistance, primarily through missionaries in India. In her talk, Rani will reflect on her life as an immigrant and its overarching influence at every stage of her life.

Rani began her professional life working with international non-profit agencies because she believed that her personal experience gave her a unique view on making development better. As the Director of Woman/Child Impact at Save the Children, her work focused on the impact of its international programs on women’s status and child rights. In 2003 she started her own business, an award-winning international research and advisory firm specializing in corporate-community engagement and investment, which she led profitably for over twenty years. 

Since moving to Amherst in 2021, and her retirement in 2024, she has pursued her lifelong commitments in support of food security and human rights.