Carly Straus Chan is a Director on Third Plateau’s Democracy Team, where she supports leaders, organizations, and funders focused on building a brighter future for American democracy. Currently, Carly’s role focuses on supporting safety, security, and resilience infrastructure for civil society and democracy defenders. She has also previously led work around political violence prevention and response, media and journalism, and more for a network focused on learning and relationship-building for funders concerned about the health of American democracy.

Carly joined Third Plateau with a background in philanthropy, public health, and community development. Most recently, she worked at Metta Fund, where she supported the foundation’s public health and older adult grantmaking program. Over the course of her career, she has enjoyed building both relationships and organizational systems to support positive social impact.

Carly holds a B.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies with a minor in Human Rights from U.C. Berkeley. She is an Oakland resident and native Californian who grew up mostly in Arizona. She enjoys hiking, baking, and exploring her wonderful home state.