Leadership
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
A dynamic team of board members, staff, volunteers, and generous supporters collaborate to ensure that the South Asian community has access to high quality and comprehensive programs which include domestic abuse survival services, elderly care services, free legal aid, mental health support and many others.
SAHARA is lucky to have a diverse, highly dedicated and qualified team of board members. With the help of their guidance and leadership, SAHARA can provide life-changing assistance to community members.
Krutika Pranav
President & Board Chair
Vice President- Highglow Jewelers
Kinnari Bhavsar
Vice President
Committee for Education
Assistant Professor- Riverside City College
Miji Vellakkatel, Esq.
General Secretary
Deputy DA, LA County District Attorney’s Office
Vibuthi Bhuta
Tresurer
Consultant- CPA
Dr. Rubina Najeeb, MD
Past President
Adult, Child, & Adolescent and Forensic Psychiatrist
Diviya Loomba Sharma
Gala/Fundraising Chair
Vice President- Eagle Fabrics
Ajita Chopra
Gala/Fundraising Co-chair
Founder- Ajita Chopra Events
Rohini Bedi
Community Advocate
Founder- Fashion by Rohini
President- Artesia Chamber of Commerce
Surekha Acharya
Committee for Education
Associate Professor- Riverside City College
Dr, Nitin Bajaj
IT & Website Development
Founder & Host- The Industry Show
Janak Patel
Fundraising
President- Ultimate Paperbox
Dr, Shubha Jain
Community Advocate
Pain Physician
President of LA Chapter of TVMIA
Smita Bagla
Community Advocate
Executive Technology Management
Strategist & Artist
Wazma Taheri
Red Cross Blood Drive Leader
OUR PROFESSIONALS
BHASKER SHAH, M.A. ACCOUNTING
SENIOR ACCOUNTANT
Bhaskar has worked in the non-profit sector for the past 12 years and joined SAHARA in 2012. He enjoys working at SAHARA as he believes in its mission and brings a lot of experience, energy and expertise to the table. Being at SAHARA allows Bhaskar to meet and network with community leaders. Email Bhaskar
FARHANA SHAHID, B.A. POLITICAL SCIENCE
COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SERVICES SPECIALIST
Farhana has worked for South Asian Organizations as a Lead Community Advocate for over 16 years. Farhana is passionate about serving anyone who walks into SAHARA. Growing up in a family that was always helping others, taught her the importance and value of uplifting the community. Today, she has dedicated her life to helping others. The accomplishments, the courage and success of her clients remain her strongest motivation to continue her work in the fields of social service. Email Farhana: fshahid@saharacares.org.
NEETA DAYAL, B.S. LVN
DIRECTOR OF GRANTS, COMPLIANCE, AND OPERATIONS
Neeta brings 16 years of dedicated services at SAHARA in a multitude of roles from serving as our first staff administrative manager and currently as Program Director. Attention to detail and sound judgement she continues to provide executive assistance to the administrative team. As a Program Director and senior team member she plays an active role in strengthening the impact and long-term sustainability of SAHARA. Providing oversight of all programs she follows compliance regulations manages federal, state and county grants and contracts, and assist in all organizational policies and practices. She is very passionate about helping society at large and her motivation and enthusiasm in meeting and supporting SAHARA in all challenges and demands has been unprecedented.
YUSRA KHAN
MARKETING COORDINATOR & COMMUNITY ADVOCATE
Yusra’s passion for digital marketing shines through her dedicated role as a marketing coordinator with nearly 6 years of experience under her belt. Her profound expertise in this dynamic field has propelled her career forward, positioning her as a valuable asset to her team. Not content with just her remarkable professional journey so far, Yusra’s relentless pursuit of knowledge and growth is evident as she currently pursues her bachelor’s degree, demonstrating her commitment to advancing not only her own career but also the organization she serves. One of Yusra’s remarkable qualities is her collaborative spirit. She actively embraces the responsibilities that come with being part of a team, eagerly taking on caseloads and collaborating seamlessly with her colleagues. Her approach to problem-solving is a true embodiment of SAHARA’s ideology, as she consistently contributes fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to overcome challenges and drive the organization forward.
MEHNAZ KHAN, B.A. BUSINESS ADMINSTRATION
ABUSE PROGRAM SPCIALIST
Mehnaz has been well involved within the community for over 8 years and has great ties to her roots and deep connection to her background in Pakistan. Born and raised in Kuwait she takes pride in continued efforts in promoting culture and history that ties her to her deep family roots. Working with many people from all around the world and seeing them grow and change over the years is what motivates her to continue to work with people. Seeing a smile and relief on her clients’ face helps her to move forward and bring about a better change within the community. A proud immigrant and American at heart Mehnaz values her work by helping clients apply for their citizenship and full fill their American dream with SAHARA.
EKTA SINGH, M.B.A
Domestic Violence Counselor
Ekta Singh; holds an MBA and Business Analyst Certification from UCI. She is 40 hours DV trained and very dedicated to work for people suffering with issues connected to immigration and marginalization. She has an extensive experience of working in operations management and business support. Ekta is a Domestic Violence and Housing Specialist at SAHARA, she works with DV survivors closely and support them with their housing needs with dedicated case management.
SIDRA KHAN B.A. BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
VICTIM ADVOCATE
Sidra shines as a talented and community-driven individual. Holding a bachelor’s degree in business administration and over 5 years of experience, she aspires to strengthen her roots into Social Work, showcasing her dedication to positive change. As a robust communicator, she employs a distinct and gentle style to connect deeply with clients at SAHARA. This unique approach fosters trust and empathy, nurturing profound interactions. Her natural traits make her a remarkable relationship builder, revitalizing the organization’s mission through impactful connections. Sidra’s journey embodies versatility, commitment, and a desire to make a genuine impact. She uses her talents to help clients as a Victim Advocate empowering survivors in the next steps of their journey.
SEJAL DAFTARY Bsc. MICROBIOLOGY
Grants, Operations, and Compliance Coordinator
PAULOMI PANDIT, BSc. MA FINE ARTS
CITIZENSHIP COORDINATOR & ABUSE ADVOCATE
She is often the first face/voice that community members encounter when they are seeking services. Aside from managing our office operations, she connects community members with the appropriate SAHARA team member to facilitate optimal support. Paulomi brings her expertise in multilingual communication and event management to the team. Additionally, she is a renowned dancer and teacher, trained in Indian classical dance. She is passionate about her art to bring about social reform. She inspires youth to use their artistic talents to catalyze positive social change in our communities. Paulomi enjoys being at Sahara where she can extend her experience and knowledge furthering the mission of SAHARA.
SENIOR SOCIAL WORKER, M.A.
SOCIAL WORK
The Senior Social Worker has 20 years of experience working as a social worker. She first volunteered with SAHARA during its infancy and eventually became a full-time employee in 2008. She finds it very rewarding when she sees the growth of SAHARA from its inception till now- 24 years later. The Senior Social Worker is passionate about helping her clients achieve their goals and to see them take steps every day to better themselves, is the most fulfilling part of her job.
DIRECTOR OF SHELTER
She has worked with nonprofit organizations for over 16 years. She has been a Health Care Coordinator since 2003 and a Shelter Coordinator since 2013. She is currently working as the Shelter Director for SAHARA’s TLH (Transitional Living Home). Her focus is working with survivors of domestic violence within the South Asian community. She can speak, read and write Hindi and Gujarati. She feels fortunate and satisfied to help people in need and bring a smile on their face.
Help Our Team Support The Community
We need your help. Our team can only provide the best care and services for the survivors in our community with the generosity that comes from donors like you. Make a difference today by supporting SAHARA.
