K. Riva Levinson is a political and business strategist with experience advising clients across governments and continents. Her primary focus is Sub-Saharan Africa, where she works on issues including political risk and election strategy. Her notable achievements include advising former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first democratically elected female president, and counseling Joyce Banda, former president of Malawi, during her time in exile.
Riva began her career in international consulting at Black, Manafort, Stone & Kelly, Washington’s first bipartisan lobbying firm. In this role, she witnessed key global turning points, including Angola during the early 1990s peace process, South Africa at the end of apartheid, and Iraq following the fall of Saddam Hussein. She later served as Managing Director at BKSH & Associates, a subsidiary of Young & Rubicam.
In 2006, Riva founded KRL International, and since then has led projects in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, South Asia, and Europe.
Riva contributes regularly to The Hill and is the author of the award-winning memoir Choosing the Hero: My Improbable Journey and the Rise of Africa’s First Woman President, which chronicles her career and partnership with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, The New York Times, Financial Times, The Washington Post, and NPR’s All Things Considered.
She also serves on the advisory council of Last Mile Health and Afrobarometer.
Riva holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and international affairs from Tufts University, a Master’s in Security Studies from Georgetown University, and an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Ghana.