Sharmila Rao Thakkar MPH, MPA, CAP
Sharmila Rao Thakkar, MPH, MPA, CAP®, is a philanthropy and nonprofit consultant at SRT Advising & Consulting in New York City. With 25+ years of dedicated experience in the nonprofit sector, Sharmila helps philanthropic leaders make the most impactful use of their resources. She is passionate about aligning people and organizations with their values, interests, and motivations, and this brings her immense joy.
Sharmila's expertise lies in leadership development, program implementation, resource development, and communications. She advises and coaches donors, families, and organizations on a range of activities, including operations, strategy, board governance, multigenerational engagement, equity, and inclusion. She conducts workshops and trainings, presents at nonprofit and philanthropy forums, and serves as a mentor for leadership development programs. Recently, she achieved the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) designation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sharmila served as the executive director of the Staten Island Not for Profit Association. She oversaw the Staten Island Community Organizations Active in Disaster-Medical Ecosystem coalition, providing strategic direction, resources, and leadership to strengthen the nonprofit sector. Her contributions included key roles in crisis preparedness, partnership with local agencies, advocacy, securing resources, and enhancing emergency response and communication efforts.
Prior to this, Sharmila was the first non-family executive director of the Siragusa Family Foundation in Chicago. In this role, she directed the operational, programmatic, and administrative functions of the organization. She provided capacity building to nonprofit partners, enhanced board professionalism, and directed grantmaking initiatives.
Sharmila holds leadership roles on several boards and committees, focusing on issues related to women, children, immigrant communities, education, and public health. She is also an alum of several leadership development programs, holds a Master of Public Health from Columbia University, a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University, and a BA in International Relations from Brown University. A native New Yorker, Sharmila returned to Staten Island in 2016 after 17 years in Chicago.
