Rahaf Harfoush

I am a Strategist, Author, and Speaker who has a deep passion for exploring how technology is affecting the way we communicate, work and play.  I specialize in helping organizations align their Social Media initiatives with their strategic vision to build authentic relationships with consumers, employees and other stakeholders.  I have worked with organizations such as The Web Foundation, ING Direct, and Staples. I am currently working with the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland.

Technology is a subject that fascinates me and I have published white papers on the impacts of technology on youth today through Don Tapscott’s think-tank nGenera. I have also contributed to several business books:

• I was the Research Coordinator for “Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything,” (Tapscott 2006)

• I was on the Writing and Research team for “Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing Your World.” (Tapscott 2008)

• I was the Lead Writer and researcher for  “Everything I Needed to Know About Business I Learned from a Canadian.” (Brody 2008)

In 2008, I published “Yes We Did: An Insider’s Look at How Social Media Built the Obama Brand,” about my experiences as a part of Barack Obama’s New Media team during his Presidential election campaign.

I have been speaking about New Media and Technology since 2006 and am currently exclusively represented by The Lavin Speaking Agency.

One of my favorite things about Toronto is  the incredibly talented people that make up the Technology and Innovation community.  I actively participate in associations such as  The Movement, an organization of people committed to collaborating on projects for social good.  I was the 2009 Co-Chair for The Overlap, a community that combines cross-disciplinary expertise to tackle the challenges of sustainable innovation. (We were covered in BusinessWeek) You can occasionally find me as a guest on technology podcast,  CommandN with my good friend Amber MacArthur.

For examples of my work please see the following sections:

Writing

Speaking

Consulting