Deepa Purushothaman the author of The First, The Few, The Only: How Women of Color Redefine Power in Corporate America which will be published by Harper Business in March 2022. She interviewed over 500 senior WOC leaders and her book centers their needs and experiences. She is also the cofounder of nFormation which provides brave, safe, new space for professional women of color and she is a Women and Public Policy Program Leader in Practice at the Harvard Kennedy School. Prior to this, Deepa spent more than twenty years at Deloitte and was “a first” Indian American woman to make partner in the company’s history. She served as a National Managing Partner of Inclusion and was also the US Managing Partner of WIN (Women’s Initiative), Deloitte’s renowned program to recruit, retain, and advance women. She has degrees from Wellesley College, Harvard Kennedy School, and the London School of Economics. She is an Aspen Fellow. Deepa speaks extensively on women and leadership. Deepa is the author of The First, The Few, The Only: How Women of Color Redefine Power in Corporate America which will be published by Harper Business in March 2022. She interviewed over 500 senior WOC leaders and her book centers their needs and experiences. She is also the cofounder of nFormation which provides brave, safe, new space for professional women of color and she is a Women and Public Policy Program Leader in Practice at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Prior to this, Deepa spent more than twenty years at Deloitte and was “a first” Indian American woman to make partner in the company’s history. She served as a National Managing Partner of Inclusion and was also the US Managing Partner of WIN (Women’s Initiative), Deloitte’s renowned program to recruit, retain, and advance women.



Deepa has degrees from Wellesley College, Harvard Kennedy School, and the London School of Economics. She is as Aspen Fellow. Deepa speaks extensively on women and leadership. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx