Debika Shome

Mobilizing diverse audiences and tackling complex issues

Inspired by Frederick Douglass’ famed statement, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress,” Debika is committed to partnering with clients who share her passions for innovation and impact. Debika’s multidisciplinary approach to her work enables her to mobilize diverse audiences around a common goal, and subsequently put strategy into practice. With extensive experience in capacity building, strategy, communications, and evaluation, Debika has clients spanning the social sector including environment, health, media, and innovation.

At TCC Group:

• Wiregrass Foundation: With Wiregrass Foundation, Debika currently co-leads CapCONNECT, a multi-year capacity-building initiative serving over 40 organizations in southeastern Alabama. Debika works closely with the Foundation and grantee organizations to assess needs, develop programming, and provide resources and support that help these organizations achieve their mission.
• Charity Navigator (CN): After the arrival of Charity Navigator’s new CEO, Debika worked with the nonprofit evaluator to update its vision, mission, and goals. Through this process, CN better understood its role and responsibility within the social sector that led to meaningful partnerships with peers, empowering both donors and nonprofits to be more impactful within their communities. Debika also helped CN chart a course for growth and expansion.
• National Wildlife Federation (NWF): Debika led the development of a multi-state campaign plan strategy to create a Delaware River Watershed that is protected and sustainably stewarded by the general public and governors in the four basin states. At NWF, Debika brought together diverse partners to collaboratively craft a campaign plan for the Delaware River Watershed that focused on advocacy, strategy, communication, messaging, capacity, and evaluation.

Before TCC Group:

• Center for Research on Environmental Decisions (CRED): Debika co-authored The Psychology of Climate Change Communication: A Guide for Scientists, Journalists, Educators, Political Aides and the Interested Public. Since its publication in 2009, the guide is a leading resource on this topic—currently available in four languages with 40,000+ copies downloaded and in print.
• Harmony Institute: Through diversified funding and innovative partnerships (including the Ford Foundation, Crimson Hexagon, and MTV), Debika established the organization that forged a new field of research at the intersection of storytelling, impact measurement, data science, and technology.

Education:

• University of Washington, Evans School of Public Policy and Governance
  • MPA, Public Policy
• Barnard College
  • BA, Environmental Sciences