Penny Abeywardena is a globally recognized leader with over two decades of experience affecting change across philanthropy, government, and international institutions. As New York City’s former Commissioner for International Affairs, she launched award-winning initiatives like the Voluntary Local Review, now adopted by hundreds of international, local governments advancing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. A Knight of France’s National Order of Merit, Penny is Founder & CEO of Soft Power Strategies and a Fellow-inResidence at NYU’s McSilver Institute, where she explores strategies of persuasion and influence when formal power is limited. She advises organizations including PwC and The Elders and shares leadership insights as a Forbes columnist.

The McSilver Institute, New York University’s largest research arm, is dedicated to disrupting generational poverty through research, policy, and action. It investigates the root causes of poverty and inequality, and in particular at the intersection of race, gender, and systemic oppression. The institute isn’t siloed in academic theory alone, it also focuses on applied interventions; translating research into tools, programs, and training for frontline practitioners, community organizations, and policymakers. The McSilver Institute aims to change systems — not just study them. It’s an ideal home for a podcast exploring soft power, working at the institutional crossroads of influence, evidence, and collective change.

Power Play: Soft Power Unpacked appeals to those seeking greater power and influence; those looking to affect change at home, in the workplace, in communities, and across global institutions. From students and young professionals to women leaders and global policy makers, this podcast is for anyone who wants to learn how influence works, from those individuals who embody it.