Chetna Tandon

Empowerment, healing, and wellness define Chetna’s journey—both personally and professionally. As the Director of People and Culture at Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF), she is dedicated to nurturing talent while fostering a values-driven, inclusive organizational culture. A leader in the philanthropic sector, Chetna actively advocates for equity and reimagines how philanthropies engage with their staff and communities.

Her diverse cultural background deeply influences her work. Born in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, she spent her formative years in India and later lived as an expatriate in Singapore for over four years. With travels to more than 35 countries, her global experiences inspire her commitment to creating workplaces that honor diverse lived experiences and perspectives.

Chetna believes in leading with empathy and authenticity, fostering workplaces where well-being, belonging, and purpose are at the center. She integrates holistic leadership principles into her work, blending mindfulness, somatic practices, and organizational strategy to cultivate thriving teams and sustainable workplace cultures.

Chetna holds a master’s degree in organizational development and change leadership and a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. She serves as a board member for Camp Fire Minnesota and is also a meditation guide, committed to bridging personal healing with collective transformation.