Interviewing Nina Sharma, the Newly Appointed Head of Programs for VC Include

We are thrilled to announce that Nina Sharma has joined the VC Include (VCI) team as Head of Programs! In this role, Nina will lead the design, development, and delivery of fund manager training and other educational programs from conception to implementation. Nina will be working closely with VCI leadership to bring forth a clear vision and North Star focused on the evolution of the alternative investment industry.

Below is a transcript of the conversation between Nina and Alia Einstein-Diez, VCI’s Director of Marketing and Communications.

Alia Einstein-Diez: Congratulations on your new position as Head of Programs for VCI! Your cultural background and upbringing are super interesting. Please walk us through some significant moments from your personal background that have paved the way for your career trajectory.

Nina Sharma: My career and my life have always been deeply intertwined.  

I was born and raised in northern New Jersey – just 6 miles from New York City. It wasn’t until I moved out of the area in my 30s that I recognized how much the diversity and density impacted my perspective on the world. But let me take a step back.

My parents are the most influential people in my life. My dad is an Indian immigrant who came to the States in the 60s to pursue a career in neuroscience research. My mom hails from Iowa, had a long career in community service, and has ancestors among the Founding Fathers. Growing up in a multicultural household was the most complicated gift I could have received, and as a result I’ve struggled with my own identity. I have the immense privilege of being passing white in America. Yet, while I belong to two cultures, I often feel disconnected from both.

In my early 30s, I left New York City for Denver – I thought I’d be there for a couple of years, but wound up staying for nine. It was in Denver that I first started grappling with my identity. In New York where diversity practically slaps you in the face, I could easily blend in. In a less densely populated city, I became hyper aware of my different lived experience, and I started exploring what that meant for me.

It was through my career in the nonprofit, academic, and social enterprise worlds that I found I could put my complicated vantage point to work. I have a unique perspective of the world, it has allowed me to find connection in difficult places, to explore opportunities to deepen my empathy, and to harness creativity to find solutions.

Alia Einstein-Diez: What are some major milestones in your career path? Were there any significant transitions during the journey of your career?

Nina Sharma: I started my career in nonprofit fundraising in New York City – the New York Public Library, Carnegie Hall, and the Ad Council were some of my first employers, and I am forever grateful for having learned from some of the best fundraisers in the business!

I knew that at some point I wanted to work internationally – trips to India at a young age made me keenly aware of poverty on a global scale, and I wanted to play a part in accelerating solutions. So, I went back to school and got my Master’s of Public Administration at NYU. I was volunteering with Acumen at the time, learning about patient capital. Eventually, I landed a job working for the Millennium Villages Project (alongside Dr. Jeffrey Sachs) and traveled to sub-Saharan African multiple times. Through those experiences, it started to click for me that launching a business could provide a clear path out of extreme poverty. My career in the startup ecosystem was born through that work.

While not a transition, an addition to my career has been teaching. While working at the University of Denver (DU -- more on that below) I became an adjunct professor, teaching an entrepreneurial mindset course in the business school. Since then, I’ve also taught in the Social Enterprise master’s program at DU. Recently, I’ve taught a Venture Validator program through the Institute for Entrepreneurship at the College of Business at Colorado State University. At CSU, I’m also an Entrepreneur-in-Residence where I support faculty who are interested in commercializing their research.

Staying connected to young and new entrepreneurs is important to me -- one of the biggest barriers to entry to launching a business is understanding how to validate your ideas. This goes for any business, from a brick-and-mortar to a new venture fund – knowing your customer and understanding your market are critical to success.

Alia Einstein-Diez: Can you share a little bit about the experiences in your career that led you to VC Include?

Nina Sharma: Over the course of my career, I have learned that I am most fulfilled when I’m building – I love combining data points and big ideas and turning them into action.

As mentioned, my big “a-ha!” moment was realizing how transformative entrepreneurship could be for historically overlooked communities. After a stint in the outdoor industry (it was Colorado after all), the University of Denver took a chance on me to build and run Project X-ITE, a proof-of-concept cross-disciplinary entrepreneurship program. That role was career-defining. I loved helping student entrepreneurs find their a-ha! moments. I thrived in designing programs, testing new ideas, and pivoting when needed.

For the past few years, I’ve been consulting – working with VC firms, nonprofits, and private sector companies on everything from program and curriculum design to fundraising and investor relations. Most recently I was an Operating Partner at Chloe Capital, a women-led venture capital firm that invests in women and diverse founders.

Joining the VC Include team was a natural next step – I bring insight from working for emerging managers, experience designing and testing programs, and cross-sector connections to help scale and leverage new opportunities.

Alia Einstein-Diez: What are you most excited about in this new role?

Nina Sharma: I am most excited about the sheer amount of potential in this role! VCI’s flagship Fellowship program provides an incredible foundation on which to build a continuum of programming and support for emerging managers. I am excited about meeting the VCI community, engaging our partners, and getting creative about how we can reimagine and expand our support for emerging managers who will create opportunity for generations to come.

Alia Einstein-Diez: As you step into this new position, what strengths or unique perspectives do you believe you bring to VC Include? 

Nina Sharma: My number one core value is abundance. The world is not pie – there is always more for everyone, and we can always make the table bigger. As VC Include aims to increase equity in private markets and expand opportunities for wealth creation and transfer, I hope my willingness to listen, to learn, and to include diverse perspectives will bring others into our orbit. That, plus getting sh*t done – there is so much to do, and I am excited to get started!

Alia Einstein-Diez: Ready for the rapid fire questions?

Nina Sharma: Let’s go!

Alia Einstein-Diez: Favorite food?

Nina Sharma: A charcuterie board. Snacks over meals!

Alia Einstein-Diez: Favorite vacation spot?

Nina Sharma: It’s a tie – Red Feather Lakes, Colorado or Lake Powell

Alia Einstein-Diez: Favorite genre of book or movie?

Nina Sharma: Movie – RomCom; Book – Mystery or Memoir

Alia Einstein-Diez: Favorite sport? 

Nina Sharma: To watch – any live sport, with a preference for the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). I’m a former Washington Spirit season ticket holder!  

Alia Einstein-Diez: Favorite hobby? 

Nina Sharma: Writing and singing! I recently had an essay published by Boston’s NPR outlet, where I wrote about singing!

Alia Einstein-Diez: Thank you, Nina, for pulling back the curtain on your personal and professional history for us. It was fascinating, and I look forward to seeing how your unique experience and perspective will shape VCI’s programs to help more women and diverse emerging fund managers succeed.

To learn more about Nina and the work of VC Include, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media. We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming events!