Michelle D’Sa
Associate Partner
michelle@thirdsectorpartners.com
A corporate crossover with over 17 years of experience, Michelle is deeply passionate about supporting the impact sector in identifying the right leader and enabling sustainable change. Michelle’s experience ranges across avenues like talent acquisition, training and development, operations, business development and client relationship management in corporate and the social sector. She has worked with leading names like HSBC Electronic Data Processing Pvt. Ltd. and a global shipping company P&O Nedlloyd. While on a sabbatical post-motherhood, Michelle volunteered at a school for children with special needs and her stint ignited her passion for enabling the community by working towards social impact.
In 2015, she transitioned to the social sector as a Co-founder of a search firm. She is currently co-leading Third Sector Partners as Associate Partner, facilitating important C-Suite mandates and client engagements across domains of climate action, sustainability, agriculture, tertiary education, public health, arts & culture.
Given her transition to the development sector from a corporate background, Michelle has proven expertise in advising corporate crossovers. Resilient and high-spirited with a drive for excellence, Michelle is proficient in hiring leaders who catalyze the entire vision of the organisation. Some significant search mandates to her credit include hiring leadership positions for reputed organisations like Environmental Defence Fund, CIFF, Oak Foundation, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, Care India, Nutrition International, Plan India, Save the Children, Ashoka University, STiR Education, Solidaridad, Krea University, Arogya World, NCPA and GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, to name a few.
A strong advocate for women’s financial independence and comeback careers, Michelle enables women to break inhibitions and return to the workforce, no matter at what stage of life. She holds a Master’s Degree in Personnel Management from Pune University and is a certified Extended DISC Administrator- Level 1. Michelle is a basketball enthusiast and enjoys creative pursuits like recycling and DIY as well as performing arts like theatre.
Adya Kumar
Associate Partner
adya@thirdsectorpartners.com
Meet Adya, a believer at heart and an ardent environmentalist who dreams of an Earth propelled by people’s love for nature and for their community. She envisions a green world where men and women can lead their lives equitably, in the lap of nature and does her bit by donating regularly to various Environmental health organizations, in addition to enabling development sector leaders in finding their rightful place under the sun.
Intensely focused on aspects such as animal welfare, children’s wellbeing, civil rights, social action, healthcare access and poverty alleviation, Adya joined Third Sector Partners as an Associate Partner in 2022 because she wanted to commit to an organization which “contributes to the contributors of the society, from its heart and soul”.
Adya currently co-leads Third Sector Partners and is engaged in managing various CSR Foundations, and sectors like Financial Inclusion and Social Impact. She is bolstered by her 12 plus years of experience in varied industries like hospitality, education, and executive research. She has led teams in Sales and business development in hotels and operations in Start-ups.
Based out of Delhi, Adya transitioned into the executive search industry in 2012, following an adventurous ride with hotel brands like Oberoi and Marriott and has since worked with companies like ABC Consultants Pvt Ltd and Grassik Search Pvt Ltd.
Adya is a hotelier by professional qualification and a social impact proponent in spirit and this dichotomy helps her navigate the varied complications in the development sector. She holds a Master’s degree in Business Management from New Delhi.
A travel enthusiast and a follower of naturopathy, Adya practices Yoga regularly to help her stay rooted as she traverses the material world to create space for visionary social leaders.