Nan Stone

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

• Clinical Professor of Management, Tuck School of Business, 2017–present
• Adjunct Professor of Business Administration, Tuck School of Business, 2015–17
• 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