Beyond Borders: Pawan Zenda on Leading Immigration with Heart and Strategy
Mahaprasad & Atal
22 Apr
The world of corporate immigration is often perceived through the lens of complex forms, stringent regulations, and high-stakes deadlines. It’s a realm where legal precision meets business necessity. But what happens when you infuse this intricate system with deep empathy, personal history, and an unwavering commitment to the human beings navigating it? You get the approach of Pawan Zenda, a global mobility leader whose journey is as compelling as the lives she impacts.
Growing up as a first-generation American with immigrant parents from India, Zenda’s understanding of the immigrant experience wasn't academic; it was lived. She grew up in a predominantly Hispanic town in central California, where she witnessed firsthand the aspirations and anxieties of people trying to build a life in a new country, many of them undocumented. "I always wanted to be an immigration attorney," she recalls, driven by a desire to help the communities she knew. This early ambition set her on a path, but not precisely the one she initially envisioned.
From Law Books to Human Connection
Her first step into the professional world was as a paralegal at Fragomen, a global immigration law powerhouse. It was meant to be a stepping stone towards law school, a chance to get her "foot in the door." But, it quickly became a pivotal turning point. Immersed in the day-to-day realities of immigration cases and interacting directly with individuals and families, Zenda felt a powerful pull towards the human side of the work. Mentors within the firm recognized this innate quality. "A lot of attorneys advised against pursuing a legal career, offering their candid experiences,” she shares, noting they saw her people-centric strengths might be limited in a purely legal role.
Instead, an opportunity arose to go onsite at Uber, supporting their growing business immigration needs. It was a plunge into the fast-paced world of tech, managing high volumes, university recruitment, and the complexities of hyper-growth during Uber's pre- and post-IPO phases. Here, Zenda not only honed her programmatic skills but also flexed her muscles in automation, seeking efficiencies in candidate assessments – an early indicator of her forward-thinking approach. But the role also exposed her to some of the tougher realities: navigating the uncertainty of the Trump administration's travel bans and, perhaps most critically, advocating for foreign nationals during difficult post-IPO layoffs. "That was one of the biggest challenges that I actually went through," she admits. The experience solidified her resolve: her true passion lay not just in facilitating immigration processes, but in influencing the policies and corporate cultures that directly shape the lives of foreign nationals.
Navigating Scale and Seeking Deeper Impact at Netflix
Zenda's next move took her to Netflix, a global entertainment giant. Her role expanded significantly, shifting from program support to program leadership. She found herself tackling complex cross-border travel issues across the different business lines, a unique challenge that became even more amplified when COVID-19 hit. "Everything we knew was no longer the same," she explains, recalling the immense difficulty of navigating global shutdowns and ensuring essential personnel could move safely.
At Netflix, Zenda had a larger platform. She led the "Dream@" Employee Resource Group (ERG) for immigrants, advocating for their needs and fostering a sense of community. She engaged in industry roundtables, leveraging Netflix's influence to push for higher standards across the tech sector. With access to vast resources and the weight of a well-known brand, she gained invaluable experience operating at a massive scale, including navigating with the intricacies of celebrity immigration.
Yet, amidst the high-profile work, a different realization began to take shape. "Working with a well-known company allowed for ease of getting things done, without obstacles," she reflects candidly. "I wanted to go somewhere where I felt like I could make a bigger impact." The relative ease afforded by Netflix's scale and prominence, while beneficial for its employees, left her yearning for a role where her efforts felt more direct, more fundamental. This introspection led her to co-write an article on supporting foreign national colleagues, crystallizing her thoughts on the often-overlooked stresses and needs of this population.
Building with Purpose: A New Chapter at ServiceTitan
Zenda made a deliberate choice for her next step. "I really wanted to join a company that mirrored my background and values... one that invested back into everyday people," she states. She found that alignment at ServiceTitan, a software company serving the trades industries – plumbing, HVAC, electrical. It resonated deeply with her background. "Where I grew up, that's what most of the local job market looked like," she notes. ServiceTitan's mission to empower these often family-run, sometimes immigrant-owned businesses struck a powerful chord.
Creating Impact Through Immigration Advocacy
In her role as an immigration professional, Zenda found herself in a position to make meaningful change. Having worked with a diverse workforce, she encountered a wide range of immigration needs – from traditional H-1Bs and L-1s to DACA recipients, TPS holders, asylum seekers, and individuals under the United for Ukraine (U4U) parole program.
Throughout her career, Zenda has thrived in environments that value inclusive immigration policies. She has successfully advocated for robust support systems and found success working with leadership teams that share her people-first philosophy. "I've seen how important it is to have leaders willing to support contingency planning and strategies for at-risk individuals, which I feel like a lot of companies right now don't do," she highlights. Despite the risks and costs associated with sponsoring individuals under programs like DACA or U4U, she has worked to promote approaches that balance business continuity with meaningful human impact. "As much as we need to consider the business aspects, it's crucial to put employees and foreign nationals first as well." This perspective marks a significant contrast to environments where the financial bottom line might solely dictate such decisions.
Leading Through Complexity: Technology, Empathy, and Advocacy
Today, Zenda brings together her diverse experiences, blending strategic program building with heartfelt advocacy. She champions technology not as a replacement for human judgment, but as a tool for efficiency. She leverages Workday dashboards for better tracking and has implemented a specialized AI platform that significantly speeds up the complex process of "batching" PERM applications for green cards. "Instead of having to manually go in... I just plug it in... it checks against my library of open batches... and it tells me which open batch is available," she explains, acknowledging the time savings while remaining mindful of the need for legal oversight. She sees potential for more automation, particularly in candidate assessment, but stresses the importance of navigating legal risks and challenging outdated industry mindsets resistant to change.
Her approach to relocation further reflects her philosophy. While working with budgets that may not match those of larger tech giants, Zenda focuses intensely on the crucial assimilation phase. "What I do focus on is that first immersion into the United States," she says. This involves connecting newcomers with vendors for neighborhood searches, providing guidance on essentials like banking and social security, and, importantly, linking them with peers who have already navigated the same path. It’s about building community and easing the transition beyond just the logistics.
Zenda remains a fierce advocate, urging the industry toward more human-centered practices. She encourages companies to support laid-off immigrants creatively – utilizing garden leaves to extend their job-search window or refraining from withdrawing approved I-140 petitions. She also challenges the tendency to dismiss candidates solely due to complex immigration histories, emphasizing the immense value they bring.
Perhaps most importantly, she champions awareness of the unique burdens carried by foreign nationals. "There's an extra stress for immigrants," she explains, urging managers to recognize these pressures and actively celebrate milestones. "When somebody gets their green card, I tell them to go celebrate it... make sure that's a milestone that you celebrate... because it is so impactful." It’s this blend of strategic insight, technological savvy, and profound empathy that defines her leadership.
Pawan Zenda's journey illustrates that leading global mobility and immigration effectively requires more than just mastering policies and procedures. It demands seeing the individuals behind the applications, understanding their fears and aspirations, and building systems that support them not just as employees, but as whole human beings navigating one of life’s most significant transitions. Her work is a testament to the power of leading with both head and heart in a field that shapes lives and futures.
This article is part of LegalBridge's ongoing series featuring immigration law practitioners who bring unique perspectives to the field. Follow us for more insights from legal professionals shaping the future of immigration law.We invite law firms, corporate leaders, and immigration professionals to join us in these discussions. Your unique perspectives and experiences can help shape the future of immigration law and policy.If you're an immigration law firm or Leader of In house Global Mobility, interested in sharing your insights and being featured in our next interview, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us to be part of this important conversation about the future of global mobility.
