Shanti Nayak

Shanti leads Incandescent's Systems Change practice. In that role, she "majors" in working with philanthropic and nonprofit leaders to shape strategy for complex systems change, and -- once a strategy has been shaped -- to build both the disciplines and the powerful "we" necessary to bring that strategy to life. She enjoys thinking deeply with clients about how culture can reinforce the fundamental strategic “why” of an organization, and is particularly interested in helping leaders and teams at the top navigate key inflection moments in their organizations.

Shanti has built and led teams across sectors. Before joining Incandescent nearly a decade ago, Shanti served as the Chief Operating Officer for the New York State Office of the Attorney General, and as the Chief of Staff & Operations for the Roosevelt Institute. Earlier, Shanti spent seven years at the advisory firm Katzenbach Partners serving corporate clients across industries. She then became the firm's Chief People Officer and was a member of the firm’s management team.

Shanti earned an A.B. from Smith College and an M.P.P. from Harvard's Kennedy School. She loves exploring the wild & green places within and beyond New York City, tinkering in her Brooklyn kitchen, and having all manner of adventures with her two teenagers and two rescue dogs.