SHARE Charlotte Announces New Board Member: Deepa Naik
Family Foundation Leader & Nonprofit Expert to Help Drive Growth
SHARE Charlotte is excited to announce a new board member to help continue our growth trajectory. Our mission is to build a better Charlotte by EMPOWERING NONPROFITS AND HELPING PEOPLE invest in their communities in ways that matter most to them. Over the past 12 years, we have inspired over $67M+ in giving back to local nonprofits. Today we are proud to announce a new board member, Deepa Naik .
Deepa is the Senior Director of Impact for The Merancas Foundation, a family foundation which invests in local nonprofits that support those in crisis, provide pathways for adults to achieve self-sufficiency, and help children reach their greatest potential. She is also an Adjunct Professor at UNC Charlotte teaching an undergrad course in Criminal Justice and Nonprofit Organizations.
Formerly, Deepa cultivated external relations for Upstream USA as a Regional Director of Partnerships, expanding contraceptive access across NC. In addition, she consulted for nonprofit organizations throughout the Carolinas for over a decade. Earlier in her career, she gained knowledge and expertise from program and development work in a substance abuse treatment center and domestic violence organizations. Deepa is highly motivated and thoroughly enjoys building stakeholder relations, project management, creative thinking, and facing diverse challenges.
Deepa completed her undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a double major in Criminal Justice and Sociology. She received a Masters of Law (LLM) in International Criminal Justice and Armed Conflict from the University of Nottingham, England.
“We are so excited to have Deepa join our board! She brings a rich history of nonprofit expertise that will truly benefit SHARE Charlotte and our partners. Deepa is deeply committed to supporting the needs of the nonprofit community, addressing complex community challenges and a champion for collaboration. She is also deeply respected in the philanthropy sector and her experience is critical for SHARE Charlotte’s next phase of growth,” said Melissa Hovey, Managing Director of SHARE Charlotte.
“I want to thank SHARE Charlotte for their tremendous commitment to philanthropy, and for this invitation to join the board. I hope this next evolution for SHARE Charlotte allows a deeper integration of family foundations, corporate philanthropy, and community giving. I am excited to get started!” said Deepa Naik.
Current SHARE Charlotte Board Members Include:
- Board President: Rob Phocas, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility at AvidXchange
- Treasurer: Melissa Dunn, Assurance Partner at Aprio
- Secretary: Cameron Householder, Associate at Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP
- April Whitlock, Head of Corporate Citizenship at LendingTree
- Holly Eskridge, Deputy Economic Development Director at City of Charlotte
- Julie Cross, Community Impact Director at TIAA
- Tamara Johnson Ph.D., Director of Engaged Scholarship at UNC Charlotte
- Jia Lin-Bothe, Director of Family Empowerment at ShermCo