Caroline Barlerin

Caroline Barlerin (she/her/hers) is an innovative thought leader with a deep passion for unlocking positive change through cross sector partnerships to create a more just and equitable world. She founded Platypus Advisors with the purpose of accelerating social impact through philanthropy, impact investing, technology and social innovation.

Her experience ranges from running Level Playing Field Institute, designing a bicycle powered rice thresher for small-acre farmers in Burma, and creating the blueprint for Taproot Foundation which connects nonprofits and passionate, skilled volunteers who share their expertise pro bono. To date Taproot has delivered $152M of pro bono services in marketing, strategy, HR and IT solutions that orgs need to achieve their missions.

Earlier in her career, Caroline built game-changing programs such as HP’s “Matter to a Million” partnership with Kiva, which has made over $12m of loans to over 350,000 people globally. As Head of Philanthropy and Community Outreach at Twitter, she launched the Twitter NeighborNest, a neighborhood learning center supporting low-income families by providing access to technology, classes and childcare. Wherever she goes, Caroline brings a deep commitment to helping stakeholders across sectors collaborate for maximum impact all while using an equity lens.

Her work has earned her recognition including: Most Influential Women in Business List (2016, SF Business Times), 40 Under 40 (Silicon Valley Business Journal), and The Hoffman Prize from the State of California. She was an Aspen Institute First Mover and currently sits on the Global Fund for Women board and Kiva's Leadership Advisory board. Previous boards include the US Fund for UNICEF NW Chapter, World Affairs Council and Pacific Primary. Caroline received her BA from Vassar College and was a Sloan Fellow at Stanford University Business School.