Jakada Imani

Jakada is co-author of “Management in Changing World: How to Manage for Equity, Sustainability, and Results” (Wiley 2023), and CEO of The Management Center, a nonprofit that helps nonprofit and social change leaders build and run equitable, sustainable and results-driven organizations. A spiritually-rooted coach and trainer, Jakada has more than 30 years of experience working in racial, social, and economic justice movements. Prior to stepping into the CEO role, he was a senior coach and leadership team member at The Management Center, where he supported clients including Stacey Abrams’ Fair Fight and the California Immigrant Policy Center. He previously served for six years as Executive Director of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, taking over from the center’s founder, Van Jones. In his 13 years there, he was the lead strategist for some of the organization’s most high-profile campaigns and was a lead team member in the successful efforts to stop the construction of one of the nation’s largest juvenile halls—an enormous “Super Jail for Kids.” He also led two successful statewide ballot measure campaigns (No on Prop 6 in 2008 and No on Prop 23 in 2010). Over the three decades, Jakada has worked on a range of issues, including racial and economic justice, workers’ rights, tenant organizing, and green jobs. In 2013, he received a ChangeMaker Fellowship from Pacific School of Religion, where he served for two years leading a center for spiritual and social transformation. With his colleagues Monna Wong and Bex Ahuja, Jakada recently co-authored the Amazon bestselling book “Management In A Changing World,” which provides actionable steps managers can take to build an equitable and inclusive culture based on consensus and alignment. He is blessed to share his life with his partner Laura, and their blended family of 6 powerful and creative children.