SAALT BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jayesh Rathod, the current Chair of SAALT’s Board of Directors, is a Practitioner-in-Residence with the International Human Rights Law Clinic at American University Washington College of Law (WCL). Prior to joining the WCL faculty, he was a Staff Attorney at CASA of Maryland, representing low-wage immigrant workers on employment law and immigration matters, and participating in worker education, organizing, and advocacy efforts. He also practiced in the litigation section at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering LLP, and was law clerk to the Honorable Louis F. Oberdorfer, of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Over the course of his career, he has worked with numerous non-governmental organizations to advance the civil and human rights of communities in the United States and abroad. His areas of specialty and scholarly interests include immigrants' rights, labor and employment, occupational safety and health, and the intersection of law and organizing. He is a graduate of Columbia Law School and Harvard University.

Anouska Cheddie, Secretary, is a Senior Major Gifts Officer with Planned Parenthood of America (PPFA). She works with donors who give $5,000 + annually to PPFA and/or to Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the advocacy and political arm of PPFA. Prior to PPFA, Anouska was the Development Director for the North Star Fund, a non-endowed community foundation that funds community organizing in New York City. She got her start in development as a political fundraiser where she worked for such progressive candidates as New York State Senator Liz Krueger and former New York City Councilmember Stephen DiBrienza. She has also volunteered with the Sithabile Child and Youth Center in Johannesburg, South Africa and the Seagull Arts and Media Center in Calcutta, India. Anouska is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany and School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)London UK.

Maryah Qureshi, Treasurer, is a graduate student in Marital and Family Therapy at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. A Chicago-lifer, Maryah is a graduate of the University of Chicago with a BA in Economics and Public Policy and worked in economic development consulting prior to beginning her master's in September 2007. Active in Chicago's community development scene with a special focus on South Asian and Muslim community empowerment, Maryah is a core member of the South Asian Progressive Action Collective (SAPAC) and serves on the board of the Leadership Council of Asian Pacific Americans and the Young Women's Leadership Council of the Chicago Foundation for Women.

Ankur Agarwal is a Member of Technical Staff at Spansion, a flash memory spin-off of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), in Silicon Valley. He holds various patents in process technology development from his many years at AMD. He has been an active leader in the community through his management of SAALT's national day of service project, “Be The Change”, over many years. Ankur has worked with over 200 organizations and many volunteers in organizing the annual project each. Ankur’s work in the South Asian community stems from his involvement with South Asian organizations and events as an undergraduate and graduate student at the University of Michigan. He currently resides in the Bay Area and is active in the local community.

Deepak Bansal is a Senior Information Technology Consultant, for Deloitte & Touche LLP, focusing on the Intelligence Community. He is a Certified Public Accountant who obtained his B.S. in Accounting from the University of Maryland at College Park, and a Masters in Information Technology from The George Washington University. Over the years, Deepak has also been involved in Montgomery County and Maryland state level political and economic community. In 2008 he was appointed by Governor Martin O’Malley to the Business and Economic Development Commission, where he was responsible for fostering a positive business climate to enhance economic development in Maryland. In 2007, he was also appointed to the Ethnic Affairs Commission, by Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, where he was responsible for advising the County Executive on public policy that relates to ethnic affairs and promoting maximum involvement of all ethnicity groups in government, business and community affairs. On a personal note, Deepak is an amateur magician and a member of the elite Magic Castle in Los Angeles, who volunteers his time performing for local elementary schools and children’s hospitals.

Sunil Oommen is the co-chair of SAALT's Fundraising Committee. He is the Development Director at South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!) in Queens, New York. Sunil manages the fundraising and marketing functions for SAYA!, the country’s only nonsectarian youth development organization for South Asian youth. Previous to joining SAYA!, Sunil was a Major Gifts Officer at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), where he served as the East Coast liaison for the Alliance Circle, GLAAD's premier major donor program. Prior to GLAAD, Sunil focused on corporate giving and community relations at the New York Blood Center. Sunil entered the fundraising field after years in public relations and marketing for a variety of nonprofit organizations and corporations. He developed communications strategies and executed media relations for organizations such as Heidrick & Struggles, Project People Foundation, KPMG, Cendant Corporation, CV Therapeutics, Cross-Cultural Solutions and the New Jersey Department of Health & Senior Services. A proud resident of New York City, Sunil earned a Master of Science degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics and a Bachelor of Arts degree from American University in French language/Western European Area Studies.

Rishi Reddi is a writer and attorney living near Boston, MA. Her first book of fiction about the Indian immigrant experience, Karma and Other Stories, was published by Ecco/HarperCollins and won the 2008 PEN New England / L.L. Winship Award. Her work has appeared in Best American Short Stories, on National Public Radio’s "Selected Shorts" series and earned an honorable mention in the Pushcart Prize. She has practiced environmental law for both federal and state government, working in the areas of policy and enforcement. She currently works at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection on issues relating to climate change and the regulation of greenhouse gases. She has also served as the Massachusetts Legislative Coordinator for Amnesty International USA. She is a graduate of Swarthmore College and Northeastern University School of Law, was born in Hyderabad, India, and has lived in both England and the United States.

Lavanya Sithanandam, M.D, is a board certified pediatrician & partner at Takoma Park Pediatrics & Takoma Park Travel Clinic in Takoma Park, Md. Dr. Sithanandam graduated from the seven year accelerated Honors Program in Medical Education (HPME) from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, with a bachelors degree in African History in 1997, followed by a medical degree in 2001. She completed her pediatric residency training at Childrens National Medical Center in Washington, DC, in June 2004. Throughout her career as a student and professional, Dr. Sithanandam has maintained a strong commitment to social justice causes. She was president of Northwestern University's first South Asian American Organization- LOTUS (Leading Opportunities Towards Understanding & Solutions), president of SPSR (Student Physicians for Social Responsibility), and Chicago Youth Programs & Health Fair (a mentoring program for children living in Chicago's Public Housing System). Dr. Sithanandam brings her strong devotion to social justice to her work currently. She is a fierce advocate for her mostly immigrant pediatric patients, both inside and outside the exam room. Dr. Sithanandam is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, International Society of Travel Medicine, and Physicians for Social Responsibility.