Liz Wald, Founder and Managing Partner of EDImports

Liz Wald founded Economic Development Imports (EDImports) in 2003 with the mission of using the tools of business to provide income-generating opportunities to women living in marginal socioeconomic conditions. In 2008 she transitioned out of importing and launched a consultancy, Economic Development Impacts (EDImpacts), focused on helping socially-minded businesses achieve both their financial and mission related goals.

Prior to founding EDImports, Liz Wald spent ten years in strategic consulting and retail management. With two partners, Liz built, managed and sold a consulting firm that focused on classic strategy disciplines (e.g., business planning, market and financial analysis, partnership structure, and organization management) for Internet businesses and traditional companies looking to move into e-commerce. While honing these skills, she simultaneously gained valuable entrepreneurship and operating experience by building a company, hiring and managing a team, and forging client-relationships with junior staffers and senior executives alike.

After five years, two acquisitions and a public offering, Liz left her firm and stepped out of the workforce to explore the world. A year of travel to the remote regions of India, Pakistan, Bhutan, China, and Central Asia enhanced her global perspectives and helped shape her desire to use her business talents to effect change both domestically and abroad.

In 2002 Liz returned to New York where she volunteered as the Chief Operating Officer for a nonprofit service organization, MBA Corps, whose mission is to create jobs and stimulate sustainable development in financially disadvantaged communities throughout the U.S. This experience both solidified her resolve to focus on economic development and further equipped her with the skills necessary to accomplish her goals.

Liz's professional history also includes work with The Disney Stores and Nike Inc., where she opened the first Nike Town superstore and developed procedures for launching and managing retail outlets nationwide.

Liz holds a master's of business administration (MBA) in marketing and finance from Northwestern University's Kellogg School, and a BA in sociology from Harvard University. A natural explorer, she has traveled to more than 40 countries, and enjoys adventure activities, softball, skiing, and crossword puzzles.