Bio
Nan Stone received her PhD in American Studies at Harvard University, and spent almost two decades at the Harvard Business Review, where she ultimately served as editor-in-chief. In 2000, she joined The Bridgespan Group, a nonprofit startup incubated at Bain & Company, as its founding knowledge partner.
Current Research Topics
- Managing for social impact
- Constituent engagement and community revitalization
Professional Activities
Academic positions
- Adjunct Professor of Business Administration, Tuck School of Business, 2015-present
- Adjunct Professor, Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, 2013-14
- Senior Research Fellow, Harvard Business School, 1999-2000
- Lecturer, Simmons College, 1979-82
- Teaching Fellow, Harvard College, 1975-77
Nonacademic positions
- Senior Adviser, 2013-present, Founding Partner, 2002-13, The Bridgespan Group
Board memberships
- Overseer, Cambridge Community Foundation, 2000-present
- Advisory Board, City of Cambridge Human Services Commission, 2008-present
- Advisory Committee, Full Frame Initiative, 2007-present
- Advisory Committee, Center for Effective Philanthropy, 2006-present
- Founding Director, Claremont Graduate University, Peter F. Drucker Archive, 1999-2000
- Advisory Board, Claremont Graduate University, Peter F. Drucker Archive, 1996-2000
- Member, Global Business Network, 1995-2010
Editorial positions
Harvard Business Review
- Editor, 1994–99
- Managing Editor, 1990–93
- Senior Editor, 1986–89
- Associate Editor, 1982–85
Awards
- Boston YWCA Woman of Achievement Award, 2006
- Education Writers Association prize for “Does Business Have Any Business in Education,” in the Harvard Business Review, 1991
- Whiting Fellow in the Humanities, The Whiting Foundation, 1979
Selected Publications
- With R. Menezes, “Next Generation Community Revitalization, A Work in Progress,” The Bridgespan Group, 2011
- With T. Tierney and J.L. Fleischman, “Give Smart: Philanthropy that Gets Results,” Public Affairs, 2011
- With D. Howard, “Realizing the Promise of Promise Neighborhoods,” The Bridgespan Group, 2009
- With J. Bradach and T. Tierney, “Delivering on the Promise of Nonprofits,” Harvard Business Review, 2008
- “Thinking About Work,” The American Scholar, 2006
- “Growth of Youth-Serving Nonprofits,” The Bridgespan Group, 2005
- “Knowledge Sharing in the Social Sector,” The Bridgespan Group, 2003
- With S. Colby and P. Carttar, “Zeroing in on Impact,” Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2004
- With J. Magretta, "What Management Is, How it Works, and Why it’s Everyone’s Business," Free Press, 2002
- “The Original Management Guru," Wall Street Journal, 1999
- “Why Ideas Matter,” Outlook, 11(2), 1999
- With P. Drucker, "On the Profession of Management," HBS Press, 1998
- "Building Corporate Character: An Interview with Stride-Rite’s Arnold Hiatt," Harvard Business Review, 1992
- "Does Business Have any Business in Education?” Harvard Business Review, 1991
- “From National Champion to Global Competitor: An Interview with Thomson’s Alain Gomez,” Harvard Business Review, 1990
- “The Case of the Perplexing Promotion,” Harvard Business Review, 1990
- “The Globalization of Europe: An Interview with Wisse Dekker,” Harvard Business Review, 1989
- “Mother’s Work,” Harvard Business Review, 1989