About Nilou
Photo by Leniece Flowers
Niloufar Khonsari (she, they) is an author, facilitator, coach, and interim executive leader with two decades of experience in social justice advocacy, movement lawyering, and organizational development. They support groups in building structures that reflect their values—whether through governance rooted in shared power, healing-centered leadership, or practices that center care and accountability.
Niloufar Khonsari is a movement leader, author, interim executive, coach, and facilitator with over two decades of experience at the intersection of justice work, collective governance, and organizational transformation. Her work is rooted in a lifelong commitment to equity and care – cultivated across global movements, community organizing, and immigrant justice struggles.
Born in Iran in the aftermath of revolution, Nilou was raised between Germany and the U.S., shaped by experiences of displacement, resistance, and resilience. She has lived and worked in six countries and speaks five languages. Her leadership reflects deep learning from global leaders, undocumented organizers, and community visionaries who’ve built liberation in practice, not just theory.
Photo by @movementphotographer
In 2012, Nilou co-founded Pangea Legal Services, a nonprofit immigrant justice organization that became a nationally recognized model for collaborative governance and care-centered culture. During her decade at Pangea, she helped close immigration detention centers, train thousands of advocates, win over $50 million in legal defense funding, and lead an organization where decisions were made collectively and undocumented staff members received full health benefits, including for their parents.
Nilou is the author of The Future Is Collective, a forthcoming book on how to create workplace structures that reflect our values, grounded in care, equity, and shared power. Her writing has been published in Nonprofit Quarterly, Common Dreams, the San Francisco Chronicle, and more.
Nilou lives in Berkeley, California, on unceded Ohlone land, where she dances, writes, facilitates, and parents a playful young daughter who teaches her every day about freedom, play, and imagination.
Today, Nilou is the founder and Executive Director of Bala Rising, a consulting and coaching practice where she supports nonprofit leaders, foundations, and social justice groups in building participatory systems, navigating transition, and creating spaces of values-aligned clarity. She also offers interim executive leadership, specializing in moments of complexity and change.
About Bala Rising
We are strategic partners in transformation — helping leaders, organizations, and movements build the structures, cultures, and practices they need to thrive.
Who We Support:
We work alongside:
individual leaders
social justice organizations
philanthropic partners
movements
Our Approach:
We cultivate holistic leadership, design intentional structures, and develop practical tools and systems for liberated, caring communities in the workplace and beyond.
How We Work:
Through consulting, coaching, training, facilitation, and workshops, we co-create liberatory governance models, resilient teams, and equitable decision-making systems. Let’s build something lasting, together. Work with us!
Nilou Khonsari interpreting for several client speakers at Mayor’s Press Conference, San Francisco City Hall, 2016
These honors reflect the work of many hands and hearts. I share them with all those who’ve shaped my path — mentors, movement partners, and community members who keep showing up for justice with courage and care.
Movement Awards and Honors
Testimonials
