The Next Chapter for Dream.Org
After nearly 13 years leading Dream.Org, I have decided it is time to begin the transition from my role as CEO and into the next chapter of my leadership.
Over the coming year, our Board of Directors will lead a national search for Dream.Org’s next CEO. I will remain in my role during this period to support the team, advance our work, and ensure a strong and steady transition. Following that, I will be exploring new ways for me to contribute to the movements that have shaped so much of my life.
Leadership is about building what can last beyond you. Strong organizations plan for leadership transitions with intention, ensuring that what comes next is built with care.
When I stepped into this role, we were a team of six people operating as a house of brands, with distinct efforts across criminal justice, tech, and climate. Over time, we grew into a national organization of more than 60 staff and made the decision to unify into one organization. Today, Dream.Org is more focused, more aligned, and positioned for impact at scale. That evolution was not cosmetic. It was about becoming more effective in delivering real results for people who need them most.
During my time as CEO, I have had the privilege of working alongside extraordinary people to turn values into outcomes. Together, we have helped pass more than 40 pieces of legislation and contributed to nearly 60,000 people returning home from prison. We have expanded access to opportunity in the tech economy and advanced climate solutions that center equity and shared prosperity. We have shown that it is possible to bring people together across lines of difference to solve hard problems. Progress without polarization is not just an idea. It is something we have worked to prove every day.
None of this work belongs to any one person. It reflects the commitment of staff, past and present, who have given their time, talent, and belief to this mission. It reflects the leadership of board members who have guided the organization through moments of growth and challenge. It reflects the trust of funders and partners who have invested in this work over many years. It reflects a broader community that continues to show up and push forward, even when the path is not easy.
I am deeply grateful for all of it.
This transition is also personal. I am about to become an empty nester. That moment has led me to reflect on how I want to contribute in the years ahead. For most of my life, I have been in a position of building and leading organizations. I am ready to step into a different role, one that allows me to support the work from a different vantage point and create space for new leadership.
The timing matters. The country is in a period of real strain. People feel divided, uncertain, and often disconnected from the institutions that are meant to serve them. At Dream.Org, we have always believed that democracy is something we practice, not something we inherit. We have a responsibility to show that it is still possible to come together, to solve problems, and to build a future that works for more people.
That is why this transition will be thoughtful and disciplined. Our Board will lead a national search and take the time needed to get this right. I will remain engaged during this period to support the organization and ensure a strong transition. The work continues. The leadership evolves. The mission stays the same.
I am proud of what we have built together and confident in what comes next. There is still a great deal to do, and this work has never mattered more.
Dream.Org was never meant to be carried by one person. It was built to endure, to evolve, and to meet each moment with purpose.
I hope you will continue to stand with us and be part of what comes next.
With Gratitude,
Nisha
