All six finalists have amazing track records of collaboration and making a significant impact in the communities they serve. And they’re pretty incredible individuals, too!

We’re giving each finalist the opportunity to tell you a bit more about themselves and what’s important to them.

So here’s your chance to get to know Monisha Kapila with ProInspire – who’s providing leadership development opportunities to help equip new leaders to take on society’s toughest challenges.

Q: Who or what most inspires you – and why?

MK: I am most inspired by people who live their values through sacrifice for the greater good. From them, I am inspired to believe that individuals and organizations can truly transform society.

Q: What does changemaker mean to you?

MK: To me, a changemaker is someone who is willing to push for change to create a more just and equitable world. These efforts can come from ways large and small and all add up to something bigger.

Q: Other than the announcement of the winner of the NGen Leadership Award, what are you most looking forward to at Upswell?

MK: I am most looking forward to unexpected connections that can lead to longer term collaborations. I find the best conversations happen at the bar after all the sessions are done!

Q: What is the most personally meaningful action/protest/campaign that you have participated in?

MK: Last year, I co-authored an article with my colleagues about “How to talk about white supremacy at work” after Charlottesville. This was personally meaningful because a lot of people were talking about what happened, but not sure how to have conversations at work. We followed up this year with “How to talk about migrant family separations at work.” I realized that helping colleagues think about how these issues connect to our work in the nonprofit sector can lead to broader change.

Q: In one sentence, how would you capture your core values?

MK: My core values are to lead with courage and authenticity, create strong relationships, and advance equity.