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Nina Basu
//November 3, 2022
Nina Basu
President, CEO
Inner Arbor Trust Inc.
As president of Inner Arbor Trust Inc., the nonprofit organization that runs Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, Nina Basu is responsible for the popular, iconic, 51-acre arts and culture park in the heart of Columbia.
Basu took the Merriweather Post job in 2017 at the age of 36 after a decade working as a private attorney. Since she took over (and until the pandemic hit), Basu has doubled earned income at the venue.
Basu believes in “leadership through shared passion,” and said her style is to empower every member of her organization – from the board member who is the CEO of a large corporation to the teenager working their first job, it is important to invest in engagement and training at all levels.”
Her vision for Merriweather Post is to create and operate a “truly inclusive arts and culture park, where the audience and stage truly reflect the diversity of our community.”
As a person of color and child of immigrants, Basu said she realizes that “the diverse cultures of the community are simply not put on the main stage. I worked to create strong partnerships with the Asian communities and created events that became a massive sponsor- and earned income-drivers, celebrating Indian, Korean, Chinese and pan-Asian culture.”
Basu earned her bachelor’s degree in government and history from Dartmouth College and her law degree from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
