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SIPA Faculty
Betty W. Adams
International Affairs Building, 13th Floor
Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs
Phone: 212-854-3213
bbw2013@columbia.edu
Biography:
Mrs. Betty Wu Adams is a seasoned senior executive in both the private and public sectors. Her professional experience provides her with a unique skill set for solving public policy and management issues.
Over the past two years, she served as Senior Adviser, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Program Performance and Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grants at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Prior to her service at HHS, Mrs. Adams chaired the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and advised the President and the Administration on policy to increase economic opportunities for and improve the quality of life of approximately fourteen million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders living in the United States and the U.S. - and Pacific Island jurisdictions.
Previously, she served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Employment, and received acclaim for redefining the scope of the Department as an economic development agency, and moved the Department toward increased efficiency, customer focus, and productivity.
In the private sector, Mrs. Adams held senior executive positions at Bloomberg L.P. and numerous global financial services firms. She has served on several boards, including the Workforce Development Council of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the New York City Workforce Investment Board and Teach for America.
Mrs. Adams received a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Washington and earned a master's degree in Public Administration from the School of International Public Affairs at Columbia University.
Mrs. Adams now lives in New York City with her husband and their daughter.