Roma Kapoor joined United Way, a well-known philanthropic organization in 1999. United Way was founded in Denver, Colorado in 1887. As she puts it she learnt how United Way works in local communities as a “well oiled machine.” The organization identifies challenges of a community then mobilizes resources and allocates them where needed most to achieve measurable, long-term impact.

In 2007 Roma was asked to head United Way’s India initiative. Mr. J. Barry Griswell and The Principal Financial Group made the initial grant to jumpstart the India initiative in 2007 and Roma went on to raise $1 million last year. In a short span of a year Roma has managed to achieve quite a bit in organizing United Way’s presence in Bangalore, Delhi and Hubli-Dharwad. She is charged with raising another $1million and bringing United Way to additional eight cities of India, with Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune as priorities.

Roma credits the success of United Way’s India initiative to her board members and members of the leadership community that includes Mr. Griswell and others.

In this interview Roma talks about how United Way works and the kind of work they are doing in India. She also shares some surprising connections that Mr. Griswell and Bill Gates have with United Way and how the organization played a key role in their success.

Roma lives with her husband near Washington DC.