Kady Chiu Swartz

Kady Chiu Swartz is an advocate for startups, innovation, and youth development, with extensive experience across both the public and private sectors. She is currently the Global Business Development and Partner Engagement Advisor for Blacklin Associates, where she supports global partnerships and innovation-led development initiatives.

Swartz served as the Partnership Engagement Lead for USAID’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), where she secured a $15M partnership investment and managed a growing alumni network of 30,000 changemakers across Africa. She also held roles as a Knowledge Management Advisor and Engagement Officer for USAID’s Africa Program Team, and as a Communications Officer in Malawi. These roles have shaped her global perspective, having worked across the U.S., Africa, and internationally.

Prior to her public sector work, Swartz spent a decade in Silicon Valley at HP, focusing on business development and global market expansion, where she was responsible for growing a $100M software portfolio. After leaving HP, she founded her own digital marketing consultancy, mentoring startups on pitch delivery, branding, and investor access.

Her deep commitment to supporting youth, innovation, and entrepreneurial ecosystems drives her current focus: building programs and mentorship initiatives to address unemployment gaps worldwide. She works to bridge partnerships between global tech companies, educational institutions, and local startups—promoting digital solutions and facilitating connections with impact investors to foster growth, investment, and sustainable development.

Swartz holds a BS in International Business, and master’s degree in Information System Management from the University of Maryland. She is fluent in Mandarin and speaks basic French and Spanish. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, exploring, and learning, and is also a yoga teacher and wellness enthusiast.