Naveen Jha leads the Deshpande Foundations programs in India.

As CEO, Naveen furthers the Foundations larger vision around entrepreneurship, innovation and scale as drivers of change. nder his leadership, the Foundation has esta!lished a ro!ust grantma"ing program that supports nonprofits engaged in leveraging productivit#, unleashing entrepreneurship and !reeding innovative ideas for the larger $ell%!eing of people. As an education entrepreneur, Naveen has pioneered a series of #outh development programs that push the attitudes, efficienc#, and pro!lem%solving s"ills of #oung people. &hrough use of applied learning, intensive mentorship and inspiration, these programs ' the Deshpande Fello$ship (rogram, )Eaders Accelerating Development *)EAD+, and Entrepreneurship Academ# ' have created a movement that transforms #outh into leaders and social entrepreneurs. Also critical to his $or" is engagement $ith engineering and management institutes in the area, $here he is creating a ne$ model for ho$ institutes in second% and third%tier cities impact the larger educational s#stem. Naveen oversees the strategic gro$th and e,pansion of the Foundations $or" in the -and!o,, alongside the trustees and !oard of directors. sing the Foundations location%focused model, Naveen has $or"ed to !ring together the entrepreneurial net$or" of north$estern .arnata"a. &his net$or" no$ acts to strengthen local enterprises and to !uild initiatives essential to long%term economic development. Naveens $or" $ith entrepreneurs, !oth for% and non%profit, in the -and!o, has locali/ed investment, !uilt local leadership, and ignited colla!oration !et$een the t$o sectors. 0ith a focus on innovation and scale, this entrepreneurship%!ased approach has !een critical to helping to gro$ the -and!o, as a model of development. (rior to the Deshpande Foundation, Naveen $or"ed $ith (1ADAN for si, #ears, a leading non%governmental organi/ation !ased in northern India. At (1ADAN, Naveen led a team of professionals to promote livelihoods in the dr#, semi%arid regions of 1a2asthan. 3e has $or"ed e,tensivel# on livelihoods, $ater resource management, food securit#, trade and microfinance programs in India. A recipient of the prestigious International Ford Foundation Fello$ship *4556%57+, Naveen

completed his 8asters in International Development from 9randeis niversit#. Naveen is also (resident and a co%founding !oard mem!er of &iE 3u!li: founder of Action E,change, a -%!ased nonprofit organi/ation: and serves as !oard mem!er to several other organi/ations.