working on things | @mcgillu alum | ex-@coeff_giving and @idinsight | fan of Irish goodbyes followed by thank you notes. tweets mine, rts ≠ endorsements

Joined May 2022
can’t text; crying on a plane
45
Kayla Demarest retweeted
AI has huge implications for global health and economic wellbeing. So we @coeff_giving are putting out a $10-30M RFP to fund work that helps us prepare for and respond to the potential impacts of AI on economies, health systems, scientific research, and more. 🧵
1
26
2
93
19,774
Kayla Demarest retweeted
I'm joining the OpenAI Foundation to lead the Life Sciences & Curing Diseases program. We're starting with three areas of grantmaking: * AI for Alzheimer's * Public Data for Health * Accelerating Progress on High-Mortality and High-Burden Diseases Time to get to work!
95
78
22
1,059
215,436
that feeling when you’re at a bar and just know you’re watching a work function hit the point of no return
46
Kayla Demarest retweeted
.@coeff_giving directed over $1b in 2025, the most in our history. I wrote a more personal annual letter this year, focusing on what a decade of grantmaking has taught me, how I'm thinking about AI, and how we're grappling with giving at this scale. 🧵
18
39
8
263
36,178
Kayla Demarest retweeted
kindness toward beginners when you are an expert is a sign of good character
148
12,440
384
79,960
1,493,871
Kayla Demarest retweeted
Cool story about snakebite in the @nytimes — high burden and very limited work on it overall. Finding more universal antivenin and/or drugs that help slow or limit venom effects is high return and something @coeff_giving is working on (gift link in next post)
1
2
13
1,064
Kayla Demarest retweeted
The world is a museum of passion projects.
I’m honestly astounded anything kinda works. Very remarkable. Everyone should be more grateful
13
168
9
1,607
82,851
US spending on new data centers is set to outpace spending on new office space:
4
9
5
37
10,233
Kayla Demarest retweeted
Some news: Open Philanthropy is now Coefficient Giving! Our mission is unchanged but the new name reflects our growing work with other donors to multiply the impact of their giving. 🧵 on our work to make philanthropy a more efficient "market" and plans going forward:
30
69
52
434
215,686
Kayla Demarest retweeted
In rich countries, people spend less than 10% of their money on food. In poor countries, people spend more than 50% of their money on food.
24
75
8
636
27,959
Kayla Demarest retweeted
New in the NYT: pesticides like paraquat cause >100k deaths to suicide per year, and means restriction works - following bans in China, their pesticide suicide rate fell ~60%. Props to @jsnwden and @GiveWell for their early work here; @open_phil is proud to continue it.
3
18
78
5,319
Kayla Demarest retweeted
Cool to see Cari and Dustin highlighted in TIME100 Philanthropy today. They don't toot their own horns much, but they've given over $4b so far - I believe they're the youngest billionaires to have given such a high proportion of their wealth away.
8
20
3
219
8,981
Kayla Demarest retweeted
Big announcement today from @billgates that he'll sunset his foundation in 20 years. I think he and the Gates Foundation get more credit than any other individual or foundation for the massive reduction in child mortality over the last 25yrs - very excited to see their final 20!
2
28
3
404
25,911
Kayla Demarest retweeted
TB is one of the deadliest infectious diseases on earth –killing 1 million+ every year. @open_phil has long supported TB vaccine research, including Dr. Sarah Fortune's. This week, we were able to step in on 24 hrs notice to ensure her work continues >> bostonglobe.com/2025/04/18/b…
1
7
36
3,497
Kayla Demarest retweeted
New post about a few "big if true" health interventions that might be much more important than we think. They’re strange, they’re striking - and they need more research.
1
7
3
20
3,384
Kayla Demarest retweeted
What competition? There is no competition. Which African countries trade more with the U.S. vs China? via @carnegieafrica
21
193
14
563
49,280
feeling nj proud of @CoryBooker !!
Booker: "I confess that I have been imperfect. I confess that I've been inadequate to the moment. I've confess that the Democratic Party has made terrible mistakes that gave a lane to this demagogue. I confess we all must look in the mirror and say 'we will do better.'"
2
137
got to see @ezraklein and @DKThomp talk about Abundance today with @deenamousa! i’m in for more science, more housing, and more clean energy!
1
14
576