Tanuja Dehne
President & CEO
Tanuja Dehne is President & CEO of the Dodge Foundation where, alongside her team, she is leading the Foundation’s transformation into an anti-racist organization dedicated to realizing a just and equitable New Jersey.

Tanuja Dehne (she/her/hers) is the President & CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation based in New Jersey. Established in 1974, the Dodge Foundation has distributed more than $500 million in grants and technical support to New Jersey nonprofits. With her team, Tanuja is leading Imagine a New Way, the Dodge Foundation’s transformation to become an antiracist organization, centering its work on racial equity and justice while designing a new model of philanthropy that democratizes power, redistributes wealth, and shifts economic control to communities in ways that are just and regenerative for people and the planet.
Tanuja is also a public company director and former C-level executive of NRG Energy, Inc., a Fortune 250 power company. Tanuja brings perspective and experience from her cross-discipline roles to the C-suite and board room. She is a purpose-driven leader, cultivator of talent, and proven strategist. Tanuja is 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 is a member of the Board of Directors of Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc. (NYSE: GPMT) where she serves as the Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and Climate Real Impact Solutions II Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: CLIM.U). 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, during her tenure, she served as 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) (2021-2022).
Tanuja recently served as a Senior Advisor on corporate governance matters for The B Team, an NGO focused on mobilizing global leaders to drive a better way of doing business for the well-being of people and the planet. An active member of her community, Tanuja has served on several non-profit boards including the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund. She currently serves on the Boards of Trustees of Lafayette College, New York Public Radio, AAPIP (Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy), and Philanthropy New York.
At NRG for 12 years, Tanuja served in various roles of increasing responsibility. As Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief of Staff, she oversaw NRG’s Human Resources (11,000+ 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. Prior to these positions, she led NRG’s Human Resources department and served as Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Tanuja previously practiced corporate law at Saul Ewing in Philadelphia.
Tanuja is the Chair of the Advisory Board of Drexel University’s Gupta Governance Institute. She is on the Faculty of NACD’s Board Advisory Services, 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.
Tanuja 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.
Tanuja is a 200HR RYT certified yoga instructor who integrates mindfulness and movement in her personal and professional lives.
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Latest Articles by Tanuja Dehne
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Dodge Foundation Launches First-Ever Open Call for Racial Justice Organizations
by Tanuja DehneWe are creating a new pathway for connection with racial justice-focused organizations that have not previously had access to the Dodge Foundation through our first-ever “Open Call.” We have been working and building towards this moment for years because we believe that this process is critical to achieving a just and equitable New Jersey.
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New Program Priorities in Action: Dodge Foundation Announces New Grants and Learnings to Drive Towards Racial Justice
by Tanuja DehneIn January of this year, the Dodge Foundation announced our new program priorities centered on racial justice, which is the focus of our grantmaking now and into the future. Today, we are pleased to announce our first grants of 2023, which are our first grants under our new program priorities, to organizations across New Jersey.
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The Path Forward: Dodge Foundation Launches New Program Priorities Centered on Racial Justice
by Tanuja DehneIn 2016, the Dodge Foundation began its equity journey in earnest, culminating in a strategic plan centered on a vision for an equitable New Jersey. Building on the lessons learned over the past few years, we are entering into 2023 with a strengthened commitment and launching new program priorities centered on racial justice, which is the focus of the Dodge Foundation going forward.