Alexander Berger is an American researcher and grantmaker, and the co-founder and co-CEO of Open Philanthropy. He leads Open Philanthropy’s global health and wellbeing program.

Background

Berger has a BA in philosophy and an MA in education from Stanford University. After reading a book by Peter Singer as a college student, he decided to take time off his studies and live in India for a while. During his stay there, he discovered GiveWell. Upon returning to the United States, Berger contacted Elie Hassenfeld, and ended up volunteering during a summer break. He joined GiveWell in July 2011 after completing his studies, as that organization's fifth employee.

In 2011, Berger donated a kidney to a stranger, and later wrote a New York Times editorial arguing for a regulated legal market for kidneys (Berger 2011).