Jane Wei-Skillern

Jane Wei-Skillern is an internationally recognized pioneer in network leadership and nonprofit collaboration, with over two decades of research, teaching, and fieldwork experience. She has served on the faculty at Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, and London Business School, and is currently a Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Center for Social Sector Leadership.

Her widely cited research explores how social impact leaders — funders, executives, staff, and board members— can achieve greater mission impact by fostering trust-based networks and building on existing community assets rather than focusing primarily on organizational growth. Her 2013 article outlining the “Four Principles of Network Leadership”(Mission before Organization; Trust not Control; Humility not Brand; Constellations not Stars) is the most downloaded article in The Foundation Review’s 15-year history, with over 31,000 downloads.  She has also published several popular Stanford Social Innovation Review articles and white papers in partnership with Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO) and Board Source.

Jane now works directly with nonprofits, boards, funders, and collaboratives to apply these principles and strengthen trust-based community partnerships. She regularly delivers keynotes, webinars, and workshops to support leaders building high-impact networks.