Nasra Ismail

Founder of Generative Connections, former Executive Director at Alight US

For over two decades, Nasra Ismail has dedicated her career to reshaping philanthropy, driving humanitarian impact, and building systemic change. She is the Founder of Generative Connections, a platform designed to help mission-driven organizations sharpen their vision, scale responsibly, and create lasting transformation. With a deep belief in the power of bold ideas, she has spent the past three years working closely with leaders across philanthropy, humanitarian response, and global development to turn ambitious goals into actionable impact.

Nasra’s journey is deeply personal. Born in Somaliland and having lived in the U.S. for three decades, she brings a unique perspective shaped by displacement, resilience, and a relentless commitment to justice. Her career has unfolded in three distinct chapters—each reinforcing her ability to navigate complexity, challenge entrenched systems, and move resources toward real change.

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She started in public service, overseeing and administering hundreds of millions of dollars in global investments, ensuring that funding was not just allocated but actually made a difference. She then moved into the humanitarian sector, working in conflict zones and fragile democracies, implementing emergency aid for displaced communities and shaping responses that centered dignity and sustainability. In her current chapter, she is at the heart of strategic philanthropy and systems thinking, using her leadership to shift how resources flow, who gets to shape solutions, and how we define impact.

A graduate of Harvard Kennedy School, Nasra earned a certification in Leadership, Organization, and Action under the esteemed Dr. Marshall Ganz. She was also awarded the 2022 Aspen Fellowship for Global Development and Foreign Affairs.

Alongside her work with Generative Connections, Nasra serves on the boards of Abaarso and RefugePoint and is a member of the Advisory Council for the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. She has been a judge and evaluator for some of the most influential philanthropic initiatives, including Yield Giving, the Elevate Prize Foundation, and Lever for Change/MacArthur Foundation.

Her work is not just professional—it’s personal. Having witnessed firsthand the power of community-led solutions, she is driven by the belief that real change happens when resources meet lived expertise, when philanthropy shifts from charity to justice, and when bold ideas are met with the right tools to thrive.

Nasra is committed to building generative connections, shaping bold ideas, and ensuring that those with the vision to create change are supported in making it happen.