Payal Maheshwari holds a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University in New York. She is an experienced professional with over two decades of experience in partnerships, fundraising, and career services, primarily in the education and non-profit sectors. She has a strong background in building and managing relationships with corporate partners and universities and has organised key initiatives to support student career development and higher education pathways. She is passionate about mentoring, raising her two teenage daughters, and contributing to the educational empowerment of communities.

Prior to Krea, Payal was the Head of Partnerships & Fundraising at Muktangan, an NGO focused on providing quality education to underserved communities. She successfully raised significant funds through corporate partnerships and events and played a pivotal role in enhancing the organisation’s outreach and teacher training programmes. She also worked with McKinsey & Company on the School of Excellence Programme to improve educational standards in Mumbai’s municipal schools, and with the United Nations Capital Development Fund, where she contributed to the evaluation of microfinance projects in least-developed countries