Affiliation: Strategic Advisor, Bretton Woods Committee

Archana Kumar is a strategic communications consultant with four decades of wide-ranging professional experience, including as a strategic, operational, and people leader in the field. Archana has mentored and coached staff and managers, and served as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, for almost two decades. In both capacities, Archana currently works with select organizations and individuals who strive to make a meaningful impact.

Archana’s recent work experience (2002–2023) was at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC. Archana retired from the IMF as a Deputy Director in the Communications Department. During her tenure, Archana worked on publications and content creation; led digital communications and internal communications; oversaw media relations and public affairs; developed and led opinion research; and oversaw, from the communications side, some of the IMF’s regional and policy work. In all of these roles, Archana sought to drive innovation in helping shape communications for influential external stakeholders, the general public, and internal audiences.

Prior to joining the IMF, Archana was a Senior Manuscript Editor in the Journals Division of the University of Chicago Press, and before that an Assistant Editor at the Journal of Communication. Before coming to the United States, Archana was a journalist for two premier Indian newspapers: staff correspondent at The Times of India and, before that, a copyeditor at The Hindustan Times.

Archana holds a doctorate in communication from the University of Maryland, College Park, and Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English Literature from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi, India.