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Nakita Naik

Senior Community Manager, Founders Pledge (as of December 2023)

Former Position at CEP
Senior Analyst, Assessment and Advisory Services

Length of Tenure at CEP
2 years

What are you up to these days?
I am a Senior Community Manager at Founders Pledge, a startup non-profit that brings together a community of entrepreneurs passionate about finding and funding solutions to the most pressing global challenges. Since its inception in 2015, the Founders Pledge community has collectively pledged more than $10 billion towards social causes. In my role, I currently manage a portfolio of 300+ tech founders based in California who have taken the pledge and committed a percentage of their personal wealth to charity.

How did your time at CEP prepare you for what you are doing now?
My tenure at CEP, particularly in my role as a Senior Analyst, served as a catalyst for my continued dedication to the philanthropic sector and deepened my resolve to foster systemic change in resource and power distribution. From being on the receiving end of grants, to consulting with foundations, to working directly with donors, my belief in listening to those who we seek to help has only strengthened and I owe CEP for instilling the importance of that in me.

On a practical level, my experience at CEP also provided invaluable insights into the kind of leader and colleague I aspire to be. It shaped my professional and organizational style, upskilled my relationship management abilities, honed my basic Excel skills, and contributed significantly to my understanding of effective work practices.

What do you miss most about working at CEP?
I miss the stellar people the most!

What advice would you give someone about working at CEP?

I would advise them to 1) embrace the culture of continuous learning and collaboration 2) appreciate the supportive environment where employees are cared for 3) take advantage of any and all growth opportunities within the role.

As others on this page can attest to – it’s a special place to work that fosters a culture of learning, support, and continuous improvement.

Describe your perfect Sunday.
My perfect, aspirational Sunday is living life at the intersection of fun, yummy food, and productivity. I wake up early and am able to corner off tasks from my to-do list. Riding this wave of accomplishment, I go to brunch with my girlfriends where we laugh and debrief our weeks. We meet other friends at Dolores Park and soak in the sun and grab birthday cake ice cream at Bi-Rite. Returning home as the day winds down, I nestle into the couch with my husband where we talk about what we’re excited for with the upcoming week!

Recent Blogs

Navigating the Equity Journey at Lean Foundations
Navigating the Equity Journey at Lean Foundations

In the evolving landscape of philanthropy, lean funders — those operating with few or no staff — are playing a crucial role in advancing racial equity. The latest edition of Racial Equity in Lean Foundations, an annual report from Exponent Philanthropy, sheds light on...

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Insights from Grantees: A CEP Blog Series
Insights from Grantees: A CEP Blog Series

Funders have used CEP's Grantee Perception Report to gather candid, comparative feedback from their grantees for more than two decades. In addition to sharing confidential reports with individual funders to enable them to continually improve their own work with...

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