Vera Mshana

Vera Mshana is the global program officer on Ford’s Civic Engagement and Government team. She leads the foundation’s work on encouraging greater government transparency; promoting more participatory and progressive tax and budget systems; helping to establish rules and norms to reduce global tax avoidance and evasion; and responding to the challenge of closing civic space by supporting human rights defenders and strengthening the capabilities and legitimacy of civil society organizations in their own communities.

Prior to joining Ford, Vera was a program officer in the Open Society Foundations’ Fiscal Governance Program, where she was charged with cultivating the foundation’s investment portfolio in tax reform support efforts in developing countries. She has also held senior positions within civil society and the private sector.

Vera holds an LLM in law and development from the University of Warwick and is a member of the English and Tanzanian bar associations.