Dr. Maliheh Paryavi is a Harvard Ph.D. behavioral economist, thought partner, and advisor dedicated to redesigning our world to better support women’s needs, creativity, and advancement, while also helping women overcome the internal and external challenges our existing world presents.

As the creator of The Impact Elevator™, Dr. Paryavi offers a one-of-a-kind advising experience to women founders, innovators, and leaders who are pioneering solutions for women’s advancement, empowerment, and thriving—seamlessly bridging multidimensional analysis, transformational insights, and strategic advising to catalyze higher levels of impact. She has advised a diverse portfolio of global founders, entrepreneurs, and executives, guiding them through pivotal transitions and expansive growth.

Beyond her advisory work, Dr. Paryavi is a respected voice in the global conversation on women’s economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals, contributing to the fields of behavioral and experimental economics and international development.

She is the host of The Dr. Maliheh Paryavi Podcast, featuring in-depth conversations with world-renowned pioneers, including the first female private space explorer, former senior advisor to President Obama, New York Times bestselling authors, and distinguished scholars and thought leaders. Her conversations illuminate the intersections of personal growth, leadership, and systemic transformation, expanding the dialogue on women’s empowerment and impact.

Dr. Paryavi is also the author of The Womenifesto: A Call for Women to Remember, Come Together, and Birth a New World Order and the creator of Thrive Letters, a monthly publication where she provides inspired guidance to help women thrive and lead with greater clarity, unshakable confidence, and ease.

Additionally, spanning over two decades, Dr. Paryavi has worked extensively with the World Bank Group, advancing women’s entrepreneurship and economic empowerment, leading high-impact international teams, and tackling complex human and economic development challenges across multiple regions around the world.

She holds a Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government from Harvard University, with expertise in behavioral and experimental economics and gender differences in decision-making. She also earned a Master in Public Administration in International Development (MPA/ID) from the Harvard Kennedy School and undergraduate degrees in economics and finance from the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Paryavi has served as a Fellow at the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School and was the Editor-in-Chief of the Women's Policy Journal of Harvard.

Today, Dr. Paryavi continues to drive systemic change in the women’s innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic empowerment space while equipping women with the inspiration, insights, and strategies to transform their lives, organizations, and industries—shaping the future as powerful designers of our world.