Reshma Saujani

Reshma Saujani
Saujani in 2026
Born (1975-11-18) November 18, 1975
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (BS)
Harvard University (MPP)
Yale University (JD)
Occupationslawyer, politician, nonprofit executive
Known forFounder of Girls Who Code and Moms First
SpouseNihal Mehta
Children2

Reshma Saujani is an American lawyer, activist, and entrepreneur known for founding Girls Who Code, a nonprofit organization focused on closing the gender disparity in computing, and Moms First, a nonprofit organization that advocates for policy changes to support mothers.

Saujani was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Indian immigrant parents who had left Uganda due to political unrest. She studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign before earning a master's degree from the Harvard Kennedy School and later a law degree from Yale Law School. Early in her career, she worked in law, public service, and finance.

She worked in city government as a deputy public advocate at the New York City Public Advocate's office.[1] In 2009, Saujani ran against Carolyn Maloney for the U.S. House of Representatives seat from New York's 14th congressional district, becoming the first Indian American woman to run for Congress.[2] In 2013, she ran as a Democratic candidate for Public Advocate, coming third in the primary.[3][4]

Saujani founded Girls Who Code in 2012, and was listed in Fortune’s 40 Under 40 list in 2015.[5] She was named one of Time's 2026 Women of the Year.[6]

Early life and education

Saujani was born in Chicago.[7] She is of Gujarati Indian descent.[8][9][10] Saujani's parents lived in Uganda, prior to being expelled along with other persons of Indian descent in the early 1970s by Idi Amin.[11][12] They settled in Chicago.[13]

Saujani attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she graduated in 1997 with majors in Political Science and Speech Communication. She attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where she received a Master of Public Policy in 1999, and Yale Law School, where she received her Juris Doctor in 2002.[13]

Career

Finance industry

Saujani worked at the law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, where she defended securities fraud cases,[14] and on a pro bono basis handled asylum cases.[15] In 2005, she joined the investment firm Carret Asset Management.[15] Subsequently, she joined Blue Wave Partners Management, a subsidiary of the Carlyle Group, the global alternative asset management firm specializing in private equity. She was an associate general counsel at Blue Wave, an equity multi-strategy hedge fund; it was closed in the aftermath of the 2008 market collapse.[14] Immediately prior to running for Congress, Saujani was a deputy general counsel at Fortress Investment Group.[16]

Politics

Saujani was on the National Finance Board for Hillary Clinton during Clinton's campaign for president in 2008. Following the primaries, she was named vice-chair of the New York delegation at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.

In September 2011, she was named one of City & State's "40 under 40" for being a young influential member of New York City politics.[17]

2010 House election

Saujani challenged incumbent Democratic Representative Carolyn Maloney for the New York's 14th congressional district in the 2010 House elections. She was the first Indian American woman to run for congress.[18] Saujani's previous work for and link to Wall Street firms was seen as a liability to her credibility and acceptance by Democratic primary voters.[19] Saujani won the support of Jack Dorsey, co-founder and chairman of Twitter;[20] Randi Zuckerberg, director of market development for Facebook and sister of Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg;[21] Alexis Maybank, co-founder of Gilt Groupe;[22] and Chris Hughes, co-founder of Facebook.[23] Saujani outraised Maloney by almost a 2-to-1 margin in the last quarter of 2009,[24] when Maloney had ceased fundraising following the death of her husband, Clifton Maloney, who in September had died unexpectedly on a mountain-climbing expedition in the Himalayas.[25] Saujani's candidacy received the backing of prominent Upper East Side political fundraisers, including Cathy Lasry, Maureen White, and White's husband, financier Steven Rattner.

A poll commissioned in the spring of 2010 by the Maloney campaign showed Saujani trailing Maloney by more than 68 points. The same poll found Maloney to hold a favorable rating of 86%.[26] Saujani's campaign mailed a flyer to voters implicating Maloney as one of eight House members investigated for taking donations from special interests.[27] Maloney won the primary by receiving 81% of the vote to Saujani's 19%, winning the Manhattan, Queens, and Roosevelt Island portions of the district across the board by decisive margins. Saujani received 6,231 votes,[28] despite her campaign's expenditure of $1.3 million,[29] spending more than $213 for every vote she received.

Saujani's campaign was the first political campaign to use technology tools such as Square, Inc.[30]

2013 Public Advocate election

Saujani ran for the role of New York Public Advocate in 2013, coming third in the Democratic primary.[31] Her campaign manager in 2013 was Michael Blake, who later served as a New York State Assemblyman, and then ran for the Public Advocate seat himself in 2018.[32][33]

In January 2013, Saujani's Wikipedia page was heavily edited to remove traces of Saujani working for Wall Street firms such as hedge funds. Her campaign admitted to this,[34] arguing they did it because they disagreed with the stated facts.[35]

Girls Who Code

Photo from Girls Who Code Launch Day

In 2012, Saujani founded Girls Who Code, a nonprofit organization focused on reducing the gender gap in technology by promoting opportunities for women in STEM, especially by encouraging young girls to explore computer science from an early age.[36][37] Saujani became aware of the extent of gender gap while visiting schools during her 2010 campaign for the U.S. Congress. While visiting schools, she noticed that computer science classrooms were overwhelmingly male. Despite the rapid growth of the technology industry, women have remained underrepresented in fields like software engineering and coding.[38]

In 2015, she collected a salary of $224,913 from the organization, according to Internal Revenue Service filings.[39] In 2015, Reshma Saujani was named to Fortune Magazine's 40 Under 40 list.[40] Saujani was a speaker at the 2016 TED Conference, with her talk focusing on encouraging young girls to take risks and learn to program.[41]

Moms First

Saujani is the founder[6] and CEO of Moms First, a non-profit organization established to address economic inequalities and social disparities that affect mothers in the United States.[42] The initiative was founded in 2021 as the "Marshall Plan for Moms" before being renamed Moms First.[43]

In January 2021, she placed advertisements in The New York Times and The Washington Post calling on the Biden administration to support the passage of a "Marshall Plan for Moms" in the form of a resolution introduced by Representative Grace Meng and pass a series of financial relief executive actions benefiting mothers and women in the workforce.[44][45]

At a campaign event at the Economic Club of New York in November 2024, Saujani asked then-presidential candidate Donald Trump if he would prioritize child care if elected. Trump’s response, that "child care is child care" and that tariff revenue would fund it, went viral.[46]

She is executive producer of No Country for Mothers, a documentary about the experience of motherhood in the United States, which was released in June 2026.[47] The film was produced by Culture House Media, Tan France's French Tuck Media, and Bobbie.[48]

Podcast

In 2024, Saujani became host of the podcast My So-Called Midlife. On the show, she interviewed women from various backgrounds about their experience of middle age,[49] including astronaut Christina Koch, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Gloria Steinem, and Margaret Cho. The show was named one of Time's Best Podcasts of the Year.[50]

Other activities

She was elected to a six-year term on the Harvard Board of Overseers, in 2019.[51]

Books

Saujani is the author of Women Who Don't Wait in Line: Break the Mold, Lead the Way, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2013,[52] and Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World, published by Viking in August 2017,[53] and Brave, Not Perfect: Fear Less, Fail More, and Live Bolder in 2018.[54]

She is the author of the book Pay Up: The Future of Women and Work (and Why It’s Different Than You Think) published in March 2022.[55]

Personal life

Saujani is married to entrepreneur Nihal Mehta, who was a co-founder of ad tech startup LocalResponse and now is a co-founding partner of Eniac Ventures, a seed stage venture capital firm.[56] Saujani is a practicing Hindu.[57] They have two children.[58][59]

Electoral history

2010 United States House of Representatives election in New York's 14th congressional district[60]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Carolyn Maloney 26,303 80.85
Democratic Reshma Saujani 6,231 19.15
Total votes 32,534 100.00
2013 New York City Public Advocate election Democratic primary results [61]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Letitia James 191,347 36.10
Democratic Daniel Squadron 178,151 33.61
Democratic Reshma Saujani 76,983 14.52
Democratic Cathy Guerriero 69,025 13.02
Democratic Sidique Wai 14,409 2.72
Democratic Write-in 174 0.03
Total votes 530,089 100.00

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bilton, Nick (June 26, 2012). "Tech Companies Announce 'Girls Who Code' Initiative". The New York Times.
  2. ↑ "'Every Girl Has to Learn How to Code.' Reshma Saujani Wants to Make Space for Young Women in Tech". money.yahoo.com. 11 August 2020.
  3. ↑ Paybarah, Azi (2012-11-20). "Gillibrand headlines a fund-raiser for Reshma Saujani". Capital New York. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  4. ↑ Colvin, Jill (2012-03-05). "Reshma Saujani Leaving Public Advocate's Office to Explore Potential Run". DNAinfo.com New York. Archived from the original on 2013-12-14. Retrieved 2013-10-09.
  5. ↑ "Reshma Saujani". Fortune. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  6. 1 2 "How Reshma Saujani's Viral Moment Led to a Win for Affordable Childcare". TIME. 2026-02-26. Retrieved 2026-06-08.
  7. ↑ "Reshma Saujani, Challenger to Carolyn Maloney, Hires a Campaign Manager". The New York Observer. Retrieved 2011-08-24.
  8. ↑ "Gujarati Woman Aims for House", The Times of India, January 1, 2010.
  9. ↑ Uttara Choudhury. "Creating history: Reshma Saujani to run for US Congress". www.dnaindia.com. Retrieved 20 October 2015. Saujani's bid has all the ingredients of a weak opponent beating a stronger one scenario. The daughter of Gujarati immigrants, Saujani's story embodies the promise of the American Dream. Her parents came to the US as political refugees after Idi Amin expelled Indians from Uganda in the 1970s. A qualified mechanical engineer, Saujani's father found work in a machine shop... Living as one of the first Indian families in suburban Chicago, Saujani faced discrimination. But as a gutsy freshman at the local public high school, Saujani started PRISM — the Prejudice Reduction Interested Students Movement. She said "it was a defining moment" in her life that sparked her commitment to community activism
  10. ↑ Palash Ghosh (10 September 2013). "Reshma Saujani, New York Candidate For Public Advocate: Daughter Of Indians Expelled From Idi Amin's Uganda". www.ibtimes.com. Retrieved 20 October 2015. Reshma Saujani, a candidate for the position of public advocate of the City of New York, is the descendant of Indian immigrants – but with an unusual family history. Saujani, who was born in Illinois, is the daughter of Gujarati parents who were expelled from the East African nation of Uganda by then-dictator Idi Amin in 1972...The so-called "Ugandan Asians" have since carved out their own particular destinies over the past four decades in India itself, Great Britain, Europe, Canada, Australia, the United States and elsewhere as one of the most well-educated and prosperous groups of refugees that world has ever seen.
  11. ↑ Halbfinger, David. "Pro-Wall Street Democrat Takes On a House Veteran", The New York Times, January 26, 2010.
  12. ↑ Paybarah, Azi. "Hillary Lawyer Reshma Saujani to Challenge Maloney", New York Observer, October 21, 2009.
  13. 1 2 Shontell, Alyson (August 23, 2013). "RESHMA: How A Daughter Of Refugees Taught Girls To Code, Won Over Tech Millionaires, And Pushed Her Way Into Politics". Business Insider.
  14. 1 2 Robbins, Tom. "Wall Street Runs for Congress", Village Voice, May 18, 2010.
  15. 1 2 Halbfinger, David. "Pro-Wall St. Democrat Takes on Veteran", The New York Times, January 24, 2010.
  16. ↑ "The Immigrant Connection", Forbes, February 8, 2008.
  17. ↑ "Rising Stars 40 Under 40: Reshma Saujani" Deprecated link archived 2013-01-19 at archive.today, City & State, September 19, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Indian-American voters excited by Harris but see appeal of Trump". BBC. 2024-10-29. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  19. ↑ Halbfinger, David. "Links to Wall St. Become Liability in Primary Races", The New York Times, September 8, 2010.
  20. ↑ "NY Tech Scene Gets Political With Cocktail Benefit For Reshma Saujani", GuestofaGuest.com, January 14, 2010.
  21. ↑ Tweet, Twitter account of Randi Zuckerberg, March 19, 2010.
  22. ↑ Resto-Montero, Gabriela, "Reshma Saujani Breakfast Fundraiser Brings Out Big Female Backers" Archived 2010-03-12 at the Wayback Machine, DNAinfo, March 8, 2010.
  23. ↑ Video of Chris Hughes Endorsing Reshma Saujani on Start-Up America Archived 2024-11-26 at the Wayback Machine, Reshma2010 website, March 8, 2010.
  24. ↑ Haberman, Maggie. "Maloney Challenger Brings In $403G", New York Post, January 19, 2010.
  25. ↑ Healy, Jack, "Rep. Maloney's Husband Dies on Tibet Trek," The New York Times, September 26, 2009.
  26. ↑ Saul, Michael Howard. "Rep. Carolyn Maloney's Poll Shows Big Lead", Wall Street Journal, May 19, 2010
  27. ↑ "BREAKING NEWS: CAROLYN MALONEY TAKES MONEY from the Special Interests She Is Supposed to Regulate," Saujani flyer sent to voters Sept. 2010.
  28. ↑ "New York 14th District Race Profile - Election 2010", The New York Times, September 15, 2010.
  29. ↑ Reshma M. Saujani (D) OpenSecrets
  30. ↑ "Square Now Being Used For Mobile Payments At Political Fundraisers". TechCrunch. 2010-03-18. Retrieved 2011-08-24.
  31. ↑ Hernández, Javier C. (September 11, 2013). "Democratic Runoff Is Likely in Contest for Public Advocate". The New York Times.
  32. ↑ "Hilltop hires sitting Democratic assemblyman Michael Blake". Politico. December 11, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  33. ↑ Max, Ben. "In Run for New York City Public Advocate, Blake Offers Federal and State Experience". Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  34. ↑ Wall Street Dem covers up her past and runs again Salon, April 11, 2013
  35. ↑ Saujani's campaign wipes hedge fund history from her Wiki page Crain's New York Business, February 11, 2013
  36. ↑ Shontell, Alyson. "RESHMA: How A Daughter Of Refugees Taught Girls To Code, Won Over Tech Millionaires, And Pushed Her Way Into Politics". Business Insider. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  37. ↑ Guynn, Jessica. "No boys allowed: Girls Who Code takes on gender gap". USA TODAY.
  38. ↑ Stewart, Briana K. (2016-02-01). "This Company Is Making It Cool For Girls to Become Coders". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  39. ↑ Guidestar. "IRS Form 990 Girls Who Code Inc" (PDF). Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  40. ↑ "Reshma Saujani". Fortune. Archived from the original on 2018-12-08. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
  41. ↑ Saujani, Reshma (7 March 2016). "Teach girls bravery, not perfection".
  42. ↑ Schneid, Rebecca (2026-03-08). "Reshma Saujani on Why Childcare Is an Economic Issue". TIME. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  43. ↑ Patel, Jaime (2025-07-01). "How Reshma Saujani Makes the Invisible Work of Motherhood Impossible to Ignore". Ms. Magazine. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  44. ↑ Connley, Courtney (25 February 2021). "Why this tech CEO is calling on Biden to give $2,400 monthly stimulus checks to moms". CNBC.
  45. ↑ "How can we help working women? This proposal calls for a 'Marshall Plan for Moms'". TODAY.com. 8 March 2021.
  46. ↑ "'Incoherent word salad': Trump stumbles when asked how he'd tackle child care". NBC News. 2024-09-06. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  47. ↑ Leingang, Rachel (2026-07-06). "'Impossible to be a mom': new film shines light on how America fails its mothers". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  48. ↑ "No Country for Mothers". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  49. ↑ "Reshma Saujani Is Taking on the 'Con' of the 'Midlife Crisis' With a Gutsy New Podcast". Marie Claire. 2024-10-02. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  50. ↑ Dockterman, Eliana (2024-11-18). "The 10 Best Podcasts of 2024". TIME. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
  51. ↑ Parsons, Lian (2019-05-30). "Seven Harvard Overseers, six Alumni Association directors elected". Harvard Gazette. Retrieved 2025-11-13.
  52. ↑ Saujani, Reshma (2013). Women who don't wait in line : break the mold, lead the way. Boston. ISBN 978-0-544-02778-7. OCLC 809613763.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  53. ↑ Saujani, Reshma (2017). Girls who code : learn to code and change the world. Andrea Tsurumi. New York, New York. ISBN 978-0-425-28753-8. OCLC 990266486.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  54. ↑ Saujani, Reshma (2020). Brave, not perfect : how celebrating imperfection helps you live your best, most joyful life (Currency Trade Paperback ed.). New York: Random House. ISBN 978-1-5247-6235-3. OCLC 1134781910.
  55. ↑ Grose, Jessica (2022-03-02). "Opinion | Remote Work Doesn't Have to Be the 'Mommy Track'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  56. ↑ Paulina Karpis (February 26, 2018). "What This Serial Investor Wants All First Time Founders To Know". Forbes.
  57. ↑ Garcia, Alfredo. "Is Converting a Part of Politics?" Albany Times-Union, July 3, 2010.
  58. ↑ Liriel Higa (July 10, 2015). "How Reshma Saujani, Founder of Girls Who Code, Spends Her Sundays". New York Times. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  59. ↑ "Reshma Saujani | World Bank Live".
  60. ↑ "New York 14th District Profile". New York Times.
  61. ↑ "Statement and Return Report for Certification, Primary Election 2013 - 09/10/2013, Crossover - Democratic Party, Democratic Public Advocate, Citywide" (PDF). New York City Board of Elections. September 30, 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 18, 2021.
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