Uma Kalkar is a governance strategist focusing on international AI alignment and diplomacy. As Chief of Staff to Nicolas Miailhe, she supports initiatives to advance AI safety and governance across Asia-Pacific and Western contexts. She is the Strategy Lead for the flagship AI Safety Connect event series, convened during the 2024 Paris AI Action Summit and the 2025 UN General Assembly.

Previously, Uma worked with the OECD on strategic foresight for AI futures and with the NYU Governance Lab on data and AI governance frameworks. Uma has also supported a 4.5M project at Youthful Cities to investigate the impact of COVID-19 and technological disruptions on skills development and the future of work for Canadian youth. In 2020, she relaunched 18by Vote (part of New Voters as of 2025), a U.S. nonprofit dedicated to engaging young and rising voters, serving as Director of Strategy & Innovation. To date, 18by Vote has reached over 3.5 million people and has been featured in various media outlets, including The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.

She holds a Master's in Public Policy from Sciences Po Paris and a Master's in Global Affairs from the University of Toronto.