Hilary Taft
Academic Director
Belmont Innovation Labs, Belmont Innovation Labs
Biography
Hilary Hambrick Taft is the Academic Director of the Belmont Innovation Labs for Social Impact. A proud alumna of Belmont University (Class of ’13), Hilary began her global impact journey as a recipient of the Lumos Student Travel Award. Through this opportunity, she launched her career in rural Guatemala, working as an educator at a community development center and founding two social enterprises focused on sustainability and empowerment.
Upon her return to the U.S., Hilary collaborated with the Mayor’s Office of Nashville to develop the city’s first summer youth employment program. She went on to support global social entrepreneurship through her work with Ashoka, contributing to strategic business development for country offices.
Most recently, Hilary served as the Technical Specialist for Youth Issues at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), where she represented the U.S. government in advancing youth-focused initiatives across low- and middle-income countries.
Hilary holds an M.A. in International Development Studies from the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University and a B.A. in International Business from Belmont University. She lives in Nashville’s Glencliff neighborhood with her husband, daughter, and their rescue dog, Bow.