Prior to Megha's work in impact and community development, Desai spent 15+ years in traditional advertising at some of the most prestigious firms in the world. Her work has been awarded five Cannes Lions, along with several other distinguished awards, and was a pioneer in the branded entertainment space. She also founded Marketing. Strategy. Dharma, a strategic branding firm working with brands that wanted to integrate social responsibility into their businesses. These brands included HP, Coca-Cola, NPR, ONE.ORG, 1 Hotels, award-winning musicians, and more.
In a recent WIE Suite Masterclass, Megha Desai dismantled one of the most persistent myths about philanthropy: that it's something you do later in life, after you've accumulated wealth and retired from your primary career. After 15 years working in the nonprofit and impact space, she had observed too many women, particularly high achievers, relegating philanthropy to a future chapter rather than recognizing its immediate strategic value.
The skills developed through nonprofit governance translate directly to corporate advancement. "When you sit on a board of a nonprofit, you are building visibility and credibility. You're sitting at a decision making table," Desai emphasized. Boards typically comprise fewer than twelve people, meaning each member holds significant influence in steering organizational direction. "You are seen as a peer, not as a junior, and it really sets you up for for profit boards. This is the decision making power that your bosses want to see, that your colleagues want to see, and that other future employers want to see."
The corporate skills honed through board service include strategic thinking, financial oversight, governance and risk judgment, community building, storytelling, and business development. "If you're thinking to yourself, well, I don't have some of these skills, that's okay. You sit on these boards and you learn," Desai noted. Her own education in financial oversight and governance expanded significantly when she joined a board in her thirties. "I don't know if I'd have the job I have today if I hadn't sat on that board."
Beyond skill development, nonprofit engagement creates access to networks that extend far beyond any single industry. As Desai pointed out, quoting Stanford Social Innovation Review: "Networks, not just money, are the true currency of philanthropy."
Board composition inherently creates cross-sector exposure. "One of the beautiful things about sitting on a nonprofit board is that it's folks across all different industries," Desai explained. "You're meeting CEOs, founders, investors, political leaders, local leaders that can really help change the game." This diversity of perspective and connection proves particularly valuable for professionals seeking to expand beyond their current sector or make lateral career moves.
Desai identified three major ways this network effect elevates careers. First, it builds reputation as a value driven leader, signaling purpose, building trust, and creating differentiation in competitive markets. Second, it provides practice with soft leadership skills including collaboration, conflict resolution, and decision making under constraint. "Usually when an issue rises to the board, by the time an issue rises to the board level, it's a real problem," she noted from her experience running a nonprofit. Board members must collectively navigate significant challenges, creating "a real art and learning playground for conflict resolutions and decision making."
Third, nonprofit engagement develops executive presence. "A lot of us aspire to build that executive presence, but it is not always innate to everyone. It has to be practiced, and this is a really beautiful platform to practice that," Desai said. Whether speaking with authority, navigating senior rooms, or holding your ground during budget negotiations where values come into play, board service provides low-stakes opportunities to develop high-stakes capabilities.
The network effect also generates unexpected opportunities. "Networks lead to career pivots, speaking platforms, advisory roles, new industries, paying for profit boards, new relationships, travel if you're working with an international organization," Desai enumerated. These opportunities often emerge laterally rather than vertically, making nonprofit engagement particularly valuable for professionals seeking to shift industries or explore adjacent sectors.
For professionals accustomed to data-driven decision making, identifying the right philanthropic focus can feel overwhelming. Desai offers a framework grounded in self-reflection and strategic alignment with career objectives.
Begin by listening to yourself. "What issues consistently grab my attention? Where do I really spend my time, my money, my emotional energy? What's tugging on your heartstrings?" she asked. Notice what resonates when reading news, what creates anger or hope, and what geographic areas matter to you. "Take some time, a couple of months, and just hear those signals, and that vertical of what you want to be passionate about will ring true."
While passion provides the foundation, career alignment amplifies impact. Desai noted that certain verticals lend themselves better to career acceleration in specific industries, though she emphasized these are suggestions, not rules. Professionals in technology might find that nonprofits focused on education, digital equity, or AI ethics place them in rooms with influential figures while allowing them to contribute expertise. Those in finance might connect with organizations working on women's economic empowerment, housing, or financial inclusion. Healthcare professionals might gravitate toward mental health or women's health organizations where their voice carries particular weight on policy matters.
Understanding the landscape of nonprofit types helps refine focus. Desai outlined twelve categories ranging from grassroots organizations like Lower Eastside Girls Club to programmatic NGOs like Desai Foundation, from grant-making entities like Gates Foundation to issue-based organizations like Charity: Water, from regional foundations to political advocacy groups like Planned Parenthood or ACLU, from research institutions to membership organizations like The WIE Suite, from social enterprises to academic institutions to global conveners like Clinton Global Initiative.
"I don't want you to look at this as in order of importance," she cautioned. "A grassroots organization can get you to the top really fast. And some of these global platforms, you have presidents that sit on these boards, it might be a little trickier to navigate." The right organizational type depends on personal goals, available time commitment, and desired exposure.
Once you've identified your philanthropic vertical and organizational type, vetting specific organizations requires examining both mission alignment and structural indicators of effectiveness and access.
Desai recommends investigating several key questions. Who leads the organization and what is their reputation? Who sits on the board, and do these individuals expand your exposure and represent people you're interested in meeting? How transparent is the organization about finances? Most nonprofits except family foundations must publicly display their Form 990, detailing how they spend money.
Assess whether board members actively contribute or serve primarily as decoration. "You'll be able to tell that really easily when you dig into the organizations," she noted. Determine whether the organization convenes people through events, board retreats, and gatherings. "If you want to advance your career, you're going to want an organization that brings people together."
Career-relevant indicators include board composition featuring senior leaders, funders, and cross-sectional influencers; clear governance structures with committees and fiduciary responsibilities; opportunities to contribute beyond financial donations through strategy and voice; and crucially, a culture of trust.
Measuring impact requires understanding how organizations define and track success. Read annual reports to assess storytelling, spending priorities, and community values. Compare approaches among organizations addressing the same issue. "One of the big fallacies around NGOs is that your mission has to be singular," Desai explained. "I love every organization that works in menstrual equity, because a rising tide lifts all boats." If no other organizations address a particular problem, "that's a red flag, because most of the issues are out there."
The language used to frame philanthropic engagement significantly impacts how others perceive its value. "When we frame our participation, it really matters. The language matters," Desai emphasized.
Desai closed with her father's guiding principle that has shaped her entire approach: "Give often. Give early and give more than your money." The choice facing professionals is not whether to engage in philanthropy eventually, but whether to leverage it strategically now. "Philanthropy is not something for old white men to do after they've retired," she stated. "It is for all of us, and specifically for women. It is really an opportunity to redefine your voice and sit at tables that you belong at.”
