Carlsbad resident Krishna Kabra said her life changed last year when she went to Thailand to work with the Wildlife for Friends Foundation. Kabra, who spent 20 years in the for-profit world, said it was time to make a change.
“I felt it was time to put into action a long-standing intention that I’ve held, which is to purpose my skills and experience into the nonprofit world,” Kabra said. “I suppose for the second half of my career, I am keen to make a measurable impact on the immediate community around me. As Gandhi always said, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’”
Now, Kabra is doing just that — and she’s starting with the region’s youngest residents to make her impact. Kabra, who holds a master’s in international relations from the University of Bristol, was recently appointed executive director for the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum in Escondido. She previously served on the museum’s board of directors.
Recognizing the unique challenges that currently face her and the rest of the world, Kabra said she hopes her for-profit experience will benefit the museum and its members.
“We live in challenging times so I believe it’s critical for nonprofits to be able to pivot with an entrepreneurial spirit and creative mindset,” said Kabra, a mother of two children. “I’ve often found that there is a sense of being on the back foot with nonprofits — it really ought to be quite the opposite, we are the change agents who do noble work for the missions we serve, so hopefully we can be braver and bolder in doing all that we do.”
Kabra said her immediate goals are to build the museum’s virtual programming to assist parents and their children. She also hopes to bring in more donors and partners.
“The Board anticipates that working with Krishna will be a joy-filled exercise in discovery,” said Kimberlie Dunham, board chair of San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum. “Krishna is the epitome of a creative thinker. Combined with her passion for reimagining and transformation, Krishna’s innovative nature bodes well for the future of not just San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, but the entire children’s museum community. We are excited to work with her through this and all future phases of the Museum’s existence.”
Kabra replaces Wendy Taylor, the museum’s outgoing Executive Director, who has accepted a position in her home state of Texas as executive director of the Don Harrington Discovery Center in Amarillo.
“I’m excited,” Kabra said. “There is tremendous scope for growth at the museum and I can’t wait to be at the helm of a much-needed renaissance.”
For more information about Krishna Kabra or the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, go to sdcdm.org/.
