Purpose-Led CEO Interview Series, Nisha Anand, CEO, Dream.Org

Nisha Anand is a boundary-buster, common ground creator, non-violent culture-creator, outside-the-box experimenter, and national leader for social and racial justice. Once a grassroots activist arrested in Burma for pro-democracy demonstrations, Nisha is known today as a leader in cultivating unlikely and unconventional partnerships to create change. As the CEO of Dream.Org, a non-profit founded by Van Jones, her organization leads programs that will reduce mass incarceration, fight climate change and reduce people and families living in poverty.

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

My first job was at the record store called ‘Record Town’ at the mall. I was a big music nerd and that's why I wanted it. I learned that there are good people everywhere. I worked with a diverse cast of characters, whom I would have never met in my regular day-to-day life. They were very different from me, and I felt like I had a lot in common with them, even though they weren't people that I would normally interact with. My boss was an older, middle aged black man from Washington, DC. There was a fun party kid who would go out and do wild drugs every night and then come in and work at the store. I had never encountered anyone like that. I loved it.

I was a big snob about music, but I started to listen to different types of music and appreciate the things other people liked. I stopped being less snobby because I could appreciate the differences we had. To this day, I have a large, diverse record collection and my daughter also collects records now, as well.

As you look back on your career, what were the pivotal moments that led you to your role today?

My career path was never predetermined; it could have gone in many directions. Raised as a first-generation kid in America, there were certain expectations as a good Indian daughter - marry well and be a dutiful daughter. The alternative expectations were to either become a doctor or follow my father into engineering, paths I had no interest in. However, I wanted to break the mould.

My academic journey included studies in international relations, women and gender studies, and a master's degree in international peace and conflict resolution. Fighting for what I believed in, particularly making a difference in the world, became my goal. I embraced activism, advocating for those left out and left behind.

The first pivotal moment that shaped my current path stands out - being arrested during a pro-democracy protest in the military dictatorship of Myanmar in 1998. Alongside 18 international activists, we distributed leaflets expressing support for human rights and democracy. In a military regime, this act was illegal, leading to our arrest, a week in custody, a sham trial, and a five-year hard labour sentence. Although harrowing, the experience highlighted the power of collective action.

A US congressman, Representative Chris Smith, a Republican from New Jersey, flew to Thailand to aid our release during the Myanmar incident. Initially expecting to confront him about perceived wrongs during this 20-hour flight home, the conversation took an unexpected turn. Representative Smith, then the head of the Human Rights Commission, discussed various global human rights abuses, revealing shared concerns.

This experience underscored the idea that individuals in different positions of power might share common interests. Despite disagreements on numerous issues, finding common ground on even one matter can foster collaboration. He came across the world because he cared about this issue that I had been arrested and sentenced for. I didn't realize then how pivotal that moment was, but it really put me on a bit of a different path than I had been on. It brought me to a realization that said, ‘I can work with unlikely allies.’ I can find people who wouldn't necessarily care about this cause and get them involved.

Second, is a part of my family history - a story from the partition era when my family had to flee from Pakistan to India. This migration, one of the largest in history, had my parents, who were Hindu, on the Pakistan side – the Muslim side. Our family faced danger; and thankfully were hidden from the authorities by another family. The story often told was about my dad – a baby - was crying, and the sound would give away their location.  Everyone could have been killed. My grandfather had to decide whether to kill him to save the whole family. My grandmother shook my father – her baby – just enough to get him to stop crying, just in time.

What I later discovered on a trip to India was that the family that saved mine during this perilous time was Muslim. The revelation was a powerful reminder that shared humanity and neighbourliness transcend divisions, even in the face of historical prejudices.

A third pivotal moment that I recall was an incident after college. I was working at an international peace organization with an 80-year history, known for its established and bureaucratic nature. While in the national office, someone mentioned that, in nonprofits, the person in charge of fundraising holds substantial power, second only to the executive director.

This intrigued me, and I expressed my interest to a board member, one of the few people of colour in the predominantly white organization. Despite having connections, a master's degree, and a genuine desire to learn fundraising, this board member said to me, “people like us don't do that. That's not going to be a role for you here. You need to stick with organizing”. I just need one person to tell me “no” and then, I’m like, "Oh, watch me." So, I decided I was going to learn fundraising. I lived in New York at the time, and I got offered a job in California to be the development director, head of fundraising at the The Ruckus Society. I had not done any fundraising and they were offering me director of development.

They got me a mentor, and the head of the organization was a great fundraiser. I took all the training courses. They really invested in me learning fundraising, which is a necessary function for running any nonprofit organization, or any business.

I'm out here in Silicon Valley, and all of the CEOs of the Silicon Valley firms must fundraise constantly. The ability to talk about money, not fear money, talk to other people about their money issues, that is critically important in the world we live in. I consider myself fortunate to have had this opportunity. It was all from one person telling me no, that I was like, I'm going to take that job where they're going to.

Feeling the need to play a bigger game after having children, I sought opportunities beyond traditional movement work. I compiled a list of organizations and names associated with impactful work, including Van Jones. Surprisingly, a week later, I received a job description for the head of the fundraising team at his organization, Rebuild the Dream.

I applied and secured the role, starting with a five-person team. I transitioned from development and fundraising to become Van's Chief of Staff. In 2019, when Van departed for a position at Reform in New York, he suggested I take on the role of CEO. Initially hesitant, I realized the opportunity would give me the chance to make a significant impact and I accepted the CEO position in 2019.

The initial year as CEO, 2019, was a period of adjustment, akin to navigating with "Bambi legs." Handling funders, addressing staff turnovers, and re-evaluating plans were challenges I faced. The subsequent year, 2020, marked my second year as CEO, and it was unexpectedly tumultuous due to unforeseen global events. Despite the challenges, we experienced significant growth, increasing our staff from about 20 to over 60.

It really took me stepping in and saying, “now it's my turn, and this is what I'm going to do with the mission”, and really embracing that. It has been a wild ride.

If you think back on leaders who inspired you in your career or leadership style, who were they and why were they inspiring?

When I was young, our house welcomed anyone from India, providing an open door for support. Moving from New York to Georgia at age two, our neighbour’s daughter Sheri Lewis moved with us becoming a constant in my life. She cared for me, and I consider her my sister. Growing up with her taught me the importance of compassion and love, especially during uncertain times. Watching Sherry become a mother influenced my perspective on motherhood, which I consider the most significant aspect of my life. Being a mother to my kids is how I think about leadership. Everything I've learned in life goes to them. I owe a lot to Sherry for her unwavering support and love.

I want to mention some women who continue to shape me every day, starting with Heidi Zak, the CEO and founder of ThirdLove. She is a fellow member of my learning community at YPO. She embodies the idea of leadership that embraces both the feminine and the masculine. She has demonstrated the importance of having a diverse set of tools in your leadership toolbox. Knowing when to be assertive and when to be nurturing is essential for effective leadership. Observing her navigate her bra company, incorporating what we traditionally label as more masculine traits when needed, has been insightful. Learning from her has reinforced the idea that leadership requires flexibility and the ability to adapt to different situations.

I wouldn't want to overlook the remarkable women leaders in my organization, specifically Michelle Romero, our Chief Strategy Officer, and Rachel Pierce, our Chief People Officer. Michelle's exceptional intelligence serves as a crucial barometer for me. When she senses unease about something, it demands my attention. Her ability to identify and address issues is invaluable. She is incredibly smart.

Rachel, our Chief People Officer, effectively balances heart and compassion, aligning with our core value of dignity at Dream.Org. As a nurturer by nature, I appreciate her skill in telling me when to shift gears, put on the legal and HR hats, and focus on running the business. It's vital to recognize and respect those boundaries.

What motivates you every day?

My kids are a strong motivation. I like to tell people that motherhood is an act of hope. It is that piece of optimism. You don't have kids unless you think the world can be better because they're in it or that the kids can help make it better. You have to have hope. That's a big piece of my optimism - my mothering.

Another important part of my day is my daily planner. One of the questions, and I can't remember which journal this came from originally, was, 'Who needs you at your best today?' I love this question. I've always been a person who's more motivated by other people than by myself. This question has helped me so much. Sometimes it's family, sometimes it's someone in the office, but realizing that they're committed to the mission like I am, and they're depending on me to bring it home or whatever is needed that day, it motivates me.

What is the purpose and vision of Dream.Org?

Dream.Org is an organization that believes in freedom, opportunity, and dignity for all. What is unique about us is that we will work with absolutely anyone to make a future that works for everyone. It's in our taglines, you'll see it everywhere. We commit to addressing these concerns in a way that brings people together, not tearing them apart. We aim to build common ground and work towards a future that includes everyone, not just some. We chose climate and criminal justice reform because those were big problem sets for us. We thought if we could use this model of finding common ground to make a real difference in climate and criminal justice reforms, we could do it anywhere.

Our mission is closing prison doors and opening doors of opportunity into the green economy. It's a mouthful, but the most important piece is that if you want a future that really works for everybody, you have to be willing to listen to all the voices around the table and stay true to who you are. We don't hide our progressive values. When I say, "I'm not hiding who I am when I come to the table with you," it's an invitation for you to do the same. This transparency is the reason we have many conservative partners because I rely on them to be uniquely themselves, just as they can rely on me to be authentic. We recognize each other's blind spots and, by respecting one another's perspectives, we create an environment where we can highlight overlooked aspects. In doing so, we collaboratively arrive at more comprehensive and effective solutions.

How has being clear on your purpose and vision benefited you as a leader?

It took us several years to find our groove and our strengths. During our early growth, before I became CEO, we undertook the task of defining our core values. Jeremy Hays, our former staff member, led us through a year-long process to define our core values. Despite my initial frustration and impatience, wanting to jot them down quickly, Jeremy insisted on a methodical approach. We engaged in various activities, thought experiments, and group gatherings over the year. In the end, the values we crafted during this process have proven to be the right ones and it still serve us today.

Our values are servant leadership, solutions, and soul. Being clear has made our decision-making and hiring process easier. While organizing events, we are thinking, “how are we making sure that our values are embodied?” Staying aligned with purpose means that we're more consistent, as the individuals stay longer at Dream.Org. If a team member lacks one of our core values, it's more detrimental to the organization's essence than if they lack a skill that could be learned. If you don't believe in common ground and working with unlikely allies, you might express a desire to do it because we pass a lot of bills into policy. However, if you don't genuinely believe it's the right strategy, you won't do well here. You'll resent it.

So, by doing that year long process, even though initially I was against it, I learned a lot.

What one piece of advice would you give other CEOs and leaders regarding leading with purpose?

It's all about definition and consistency. Having a clear understanding of who you are, and being consistently authentic is crucial. Acting differently from one day to the next, especially for purpose-driven leaders during fundraising moments, might be tempting, but it's never worth it in the end. Being authentically yourself is vital because you want the same community around you, whether it's funders or board members or people you're organizing or the legislature.

I also want to emphasize the importance of being willing to grow. It's essential to be open to being called out because we're all flawed. If I'm not living within my purpose, they should feel comfortable calling me out. Therefore, developing leaders around you that you trust, individuals who can point out areas where you're falling short, shouldn't be threatening. It should be rewarded, fostering a circle of trust around you.

What one question would you like to ask other purpose-led CEOs?

What would they tell their younger selves about finding their inner purpose? What do they wish that they had known back then?

One question from the CEO we interviewed before you, Emily McMillan, Executive Director, of Nature Canada.

How do you maintain a balance between internal organizational tasks and ensuring a focus on the larger impact and mission (the big picture)? It’s easy to get caught up in day-to-day tasks?

I can totally relate to it. Having been on the fundraising team, previously serving as Chief of Staff, and worked on the communications team, I often find myself drawn into internal matters. To address this, my leadership team, including myself, engages in a process to define our role and goals for the year, ensuring that we all prioritize the broader mission. At the beginning of each year, we answer these two questions, “What is my role? What are my goals?” Accountability is crucial, and my team helps me stay focused on the external impact.

Defining your role and saying it out loud is important. Our approach involves my team pinpointing when and where my input is required, creating a solid framework for us to stay aligned and not lose sight of the big picture. If you are fortunate to have a team, then you should build trust and empower them to take charge.