Tanuja Dehne

Tanuja Dehne is a public company director, the former President and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and a former C-level executive of NRG Energy, Inc., a Fortune 200 power company. She brings perspective and experience from her cross-disciplinary roles to the C-suite and boardroom. Tanuja is a purpose-driven leader, cultivator of talent, and proven strategist. She is also an award-winning corporate attorney, human resources professional, and community volunteer who thrives when making a positive difference in the lives of others. Tanuja is frequently called upon to share her expertise across the globe from New York, Austin, San Francisco, Brussels, and Davos.

Tanuja’s leadership as the President and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation was transformative. Leading the organization through numerous national and statewide crises, from a global pandemic to natural disasters like Hurricane Ida, Tanuja remained steadfast in her vision to ‘Imagine a New Way.’ She strategically reallocated the Dodge Foundation’s resources towards leaders, movements, and organizations addressing the root cause and repair of structural racism in New Jersey. After five years at the helm, the Foundation moved the majority of its funding to support social justice nonprofits tackling some of the most challenging and pervasive root causes of inequities.

As a public company director, Tanuja is a member of the Board of Directors of Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc. (NYSE: GPMT) and Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. She previously served on the Boards of Directors of Advanced Disposal Services (NYSE: ADSW) where she was Chair of the Compensation Committee (2017 –2020); Silver Bay Realty Trust Corp. (NYSE: SBY) where she served as the Chair of the Compensation Committee and Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (2012 – 2017); and Climate Real Impact Solutions II Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: CLIM.U) where she served as Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (2021 – 2022).

Tanuja is an Executive Fellow at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, where she teaches topics such as organizational transformation, governance, and human capital strategy. She is also part of the faculty for the NACD’s Board Advisory Services. Tanuja previously served as a Senior Advisor on corporate governance for The B Team, an NGO dedicated to mobilizing global leaders to drive a better way of doing business for the well-being of people and the planet. An active community member, Tanuja has volunteered her expertise on various non-profit boards, including New York Public Radio, Philanthropy New York, and the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund. She sits on the Boards of Trustees for Lafayette College, the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, and AAPIP (Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy), and she is the Chair of the Advisory Board for Drexel University’s Gupta Governance Institute.

Tanuja’s tenure at NRG Energy, Inc. spanned 12 years, during which she held various roles of increasing responsibility. As Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, and Chief of Staff, she demonstrated her versatility by overseeing NRG’s Human Resources (11k+ employees), Information Technology, Communications, Sustainability and Corporate Marketing departments, the company’s charitable giving program, M&A integrations, as well as the construction of NRG’s sustainable, corporate headquarters in Princeton, N.J. Before these promotions, she led NRG’s Human Resources department and served as Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Her career at NRG is a testament to her leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to drive impactful change. Tanuja’s legal career began at Saul Ewing in Philadelphia, where she practiced corporate and securities law.

Tanuja is an NACD Board Leadership Fellow, and was recognized as one of the “2018 NACD Directorship 100.” In 2017, she was named a “Director to Watch” by Directors & Boards. Tanuja is also a part of BigSpeak Speakers Bureau. She earned her undergraduate degree from Lafayette College, her Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania, and her Juris Doctor degree with honors from Syracuse University College of Law. She is a 200 hour (RYT) Certified Yoga Instructor who integrates mindfulness and movement in her personal and professional lives.