Natasia de Silva, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of The Inspired Ascent, brings over 15 years of experience as an attorney, nonprofit executive, and social justice advocate. She supports nonprofit leaders through strategic planning, board development, and capacity building—with a strong focus on advancing organizational sustainability and promoting personal well-being for those at the helm, particularly for women and leaders of color.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai‘i by immigrant parents, Natasia is deeply grounded in the values of equity, inclusion, and community-centered advocacy. Throughout her career, she has worked to amplify diverse voices and create lasting, meaningful impact in historically underserved communities.

Most recently, Natasia served as Executive Director of Girls on the Run San Diego, where she led the organization through transformative growth. Her leadership included launching key partnerships with professional sports teams and educational institutions, undertaking an operations assessment to streamline systems, and expanding access to inclusive programming. She also guided the board of directors through long-term strategic planning and implemented new financial oversight practices.

Prior to that role, Natasia held leadership positions in government and nonprofit organizations, including Assistant Counsel for Housing to New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Deputy Director of the Tenant Rights Coalition at Legal Services NYC. In these roles, she developed housing policy, led cross-functional teams, managed large-scale budgets, and oversaw initiatives designed to protect affordable housing for low-income residents.

A strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Natasia has designed training programs and developed resources to foster inclusive workplace environments. She is also a dedicated mentor to students from underrepresented communities, an ambassador at Hera Hub, a female-focused coworking space and business accelerator, and the Acting Vice President for the International Association of Women’s San Diego Chapter.

She holds a J.D./M.B.A. from the University of San Francisco with a concentration in nonprofit management, and a B.A. from Harvard University. Now based in San Diego with her family, Natasia enjoys cooking, yoga, and collaborating with mission-driven leaders who are navigating the complex challenges of today’s nonprofit sector.