Indra Nooyi Indra Nooyi is President and Chief Financial Officer for PepsiCo, Inc. In this position, she is responsible for all of PepsiCo’s corporate functions, including finance, strategy, business process optimization, corporate platforms and innovation, procurement, investor relations and information technology. Indra is proud of her South Asian origin and has high regards for the appreciation for one’s heritage. Ms. Nooyi attends formal PepsiCo events dressed in a Saree – the traditional Indian dress for women - as she greatly values being oneself. From the land of Idly-Sambar to the land of dreams, Indra Nooyi has come a long way to prove herself. Ms. Nooyi has been ranked as one of the 50 most powerful women in America by the Fortune Magazine and is the highest-ranking Indian born woman in corporate America.
	Vijay Mehta Dr. Vijay Mehta is an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Texas A & M Medical School. He is the founder and was the president of the Gujarati Samaj of Central Texas for 18 years. With his personal experience of counseling South Asian youth and parents for several years, he has developed a better understanding of issues ranging from marriage to the generational gap. Vijay Mehta is one of the most sought after motivational speakers at South Asian events and frequently speaks at Universities all over the country. On October 19, 1999 he started a grass root movement to educate and inspire the South Asian community to register for the national marrow donor program to encourage South Asians to donate bone marrow and save a life. He has given presentations at SASA 2000-2004, Young Jaina Association Convention 2000, Telugu Association of North America Convention 2003 to name a few. Some of the topics he has addressed include: "Confused Desi, who is really confused- Parents or Children?", "Desi Dating and Mating- yes, they do date and mate!", "Parenting in the new millennium - bridging the gap." and "Arranged marriage or deranged marriage"
	D'Lo D'Lo is a jolt of creative and comedic energy. Growing up Tamil-Sri-Lankan, this artist has been a featured performer at various conferences, showcases, political events and poetry readings. From comedy, music, dance, theatre and poetry, her material revolves around socio-political issues (war, race, class, gender, sexuality) that affect the communities she identifies with. Most importantly, her work comes from a youth urban perspective. D'Lo's hip-hop/b-boy flavor creates a dialogue of expression with the audience, using empowerment as a vehicle of this performative conversation. She attended UCLA and graduated with a B.A. in Ethnomusicology. D’Lo has established herself as both a solo and collaborative performer internationally including shows at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, NYU, Yale, Def Poetry Jam and many South Asian events. Her work continues to create spaces for open dialogue and creative exchange.
	DJ Rekha Nominated best DJ by New York Magazine, selected by the New York Times Magazine as "one of the ten women of downtown music (3/17/02)" and named one of the most influential South Asians in the United States by Newsweek magazine (3/22/04), DJ Rekha is a cultural instigator that has put bhangra music on the map in North America. Not just an authority and scene creator for South Asian dance music, Rekha, is recognized as a selector with an extraordinary musical range. She was recently tapped for her eclectic musical palate by Sarah Jones for her Obie Award winning one woman show Bridge and Tunnel (produced by Meryl Streep). Rekha was a 2004 Lincoln Center Artist in the world premiere of Transmetropolitan, a multi-media collaboration of international artist curated by DJ Spooky. When not playing alongside, Outkast, The Roots, LeTigre, Devo, Rah Digga, or hosting her legendary Basement Bhangra and Bollywood Disco nights, DJ Rekha, the activist, is raising funds and awareness for a diverse range of causes. Rekha serves on the boards of Breakthrough, a human rights organization, and Pop and Politics. Her production company, Sangament (sangam is Hindi for confluence -- a place where two rivers flow together), produces live concerts and provides music consulting services to record labels, cultural institutions, media companies, and corporations. Rekha also lectures extensively at colleges and institutions about DJing and cultural production.
	Vijai Nathan Five years ago, Vijai mortified her parents by giving up a career in journalism, canceling her wedding, and becoming a stand-up comedian- and she hasn't looked back since! Her unique perspective offers a new spin on dating, childhood, pop-culture, politics and racism. Vijai's irreverent humor springs from her experiences of growing up as a "foreigner" in America- despite the fact she was born and raised in a suburb of Washington D.C. Much of her stand-up comedy is about growing up as a South Asian in America, cultural clashes with her parents, and the racism she's dealt with as a child and now as a comedian. Vijai has performed at a number of universities including U Penn, Williams College, Columbia University, Princeton, Bryn Mawr and Loyola University in Chicago. She has also been the featured comedian on many sitcoms including ABC’s 20/20, Oxygen Network’s Pure Oxygen.
	Raj Goyle is a Senior Policy Analyst for Domestic Policy at the Center for American Progress. He recently left the ACLU of Maryland, where he focused on post-9/11 immigration issues, voting rights, and civil liberties. Prior to that, he worked on election reform on the national level and with community groups in Florida, and helped lead a project on juvenile justice reform in Mississippi. Raj has also worked for Public Citizen and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and served as a researcher for South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, contributing to the Commission's Final Report released in 1998. Earlier, he also worked for Clinton-Gore '96, the Democratic National Committee, and other political campaigns. Raj is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Duke University.
	Dr. Haren S. Gandhi is a Ford Technical Fellow at Ford Motor Company's Research Laboratory in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S.A. He was appointed to this senior management position, created within Ford for recognition of technology expertise, in December 1994. Dr. Gandhi joined Ford in 1967 as a research engineer and has held a number of research engineering and staff scientist positions within the company. Dr. Gandhi has published more than 70 technical papers worldwide, and has authored more than 40 U.S. Patents. Among many other awards, Dr. Gandhi won the 2002 President's National Medal of Technology for research, development and commercialization of automotive exhaust catalyst technology. This marks the first time a researcher for Ford Motor Company, or any automotive manufacturer, has won this prestigious award.
	Anisha Abraham, M.D., MPH, is Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Georgetown University Hospital. She is also an attending physician in Adolescent Medicine at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Anisha served as Health Director for ASHA (Asian Women's Self-Help Association). Anisha was also a Board member of the Rape Crisis Clinic in Fayetteville, NC, and helped to develop targeted adolescent victim services. She was stationed as a Major in the US Army at Ft Bragg, NC where she created a comprehensive youth health clinic. She subsequently served as Chief of Adolescent Medicine at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Anisha is the recipient of the Faculty Teaching Award, the Army Meritorious Service Medal, and the Army Achievement Medal. She was also a National Finalist for White House Fellowship Program.
	Hilal Nakiboglu is a doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania. She recently defended her dissertation, entitled:" 'Being down with the brown' and other enactments of hybridity: Indian American college students come of age." Hilal is interested in the complexities around being a desi youth in America today.
	Amber Khan is the Executive Director of The Communications Network, a nonprofit organization that promotes the effective use of strategic communications in philanthropy. She has over 10 years of experience in the public interest sector working on issue advocacy, coalition building, communications and grassroots organizing with a variety of national advocacy organizations, including the Muslim Public Affairs Council. Prior to her work at the Network, Khan served as the Director of Communications for The Interfaith Alliance Foundation. She also serves on the board of the South Asian American Leaders of Tomorrow board.
	Razia F. Kosi, LCSW-C, is the founder of Counselors Helping (South) Asians/ Indians, Inc. (CHAI) a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the South Asian community about mental health and wellness issues. CHAI provides referrals to the South Asian community in search of therapists sensitive to the needs of South Asians. CHAI has also created two resource books to help the community understand issues about mental health and wellness. Ms. Kosi contributed several articles and edited the resource books. The books have been translated into Urdu and will be translated into Hindi and Tamil. She is also a contributing writer to Divanee Magazine and responds to the “Dear Desi Sisters” section on relationship issues. Ms. Kosi has over a decade of experience in individual, family counseling and group therapy. She currently works in the Maryland public school system as a resource school mental health therapist. Her previous workshops have focused on the following subjects: strategies for school related behavior problems, healthy youth development, post 9/11 mental health issues, cultural diversity, culture of poverty, anger management and cultural competence with the Muslim and the South Asian communities. Ms. Kosi graduated with honors from the University of Maryland School of Social Work with a specialization in children and families and concentration in clinical and administration.
	Hari Sreenivasan is an anchor on ABC News Now, the 24-hour digital TV and online news operation of ABC News, making him one of a handful of South Asians with a national television profile. While Sreenivasan isn't covering breaking news and national events, you might find him quietly contemplating the potential of the perfect samosa in his old Bata sandals (which he wears - even while anchoring). So far he has boiled his meaning of life into three rather simple (yet complex) phrases: wrinkle-free, non-stick and individually wrapped. He finds these to be qualities he appreciates in almost every case; clothing, house wares, food, and people. In addition to his TV work, Sreenivasan, writes satirical (but sometimes serious) columns for various publications; topics range from his perpetual Single Indian Guy status to questioning the sanctity of his sacred thread. Sreenivasan moved to the United States at the age of eight, but travels to India almost yearly, to soak in sounds, capture images, catalog smells, and exercise tastes. Sreenivasan has been an active member of SAJA, serving as co-coordinator of the Bay Area chapter, coordinator of broadcast outreach and as an elected board member.
	Dr. Ram Mahalingam has been a member of the Univesrity of Michigan faculty since 1998. Professor Mahalingam's research interests focus on the influence of power and social hierarchy on folk theories about social groups (race, class and gender) and knowledge representation in different cultural contexts such as USA and India. He is also interested in cultural psychological and health consequences of gender disparities. In recognition of his mentoring of minority students and outstanding contribution to the University community, Professor Mahalingam was awarded the 2002 Faculty Career Development Award at the University of Michigan.
	Ismat Mangla A graduate of the University of Michigan, Ismat loves poring over every magazine she can get her hands on, traveling to far-reaching corners of the world and eating Thai food as frequently as possible. Ismat is the assistant editor of the Michigan Alumunus Magazine and is very involved with the University of Michigan Alumni Association. Ismat is also the editor of Nirali Magazine, an online magazine that reflects the identity, needs and interests of South Asian American women all over the United States.
	Miral Sattar, editor of Divanee Magazine and a 2000 graduate of Columbia University, has been working with the South Asian and Muslim communities in New York and New Jersey for 8 years. Her passion for her work led her to establish Divanee (http://www.divanee.com) in October 2003, an online magazine for South Asian women living in North America that now reaches over 10,000 readers. Divanee Magazine delves into issues and concerns unique to the young desi woman, exploring topics ranging from careers to relationships to beauty to politics.
	Praveen Suthrum, originally from Hyderabad, India, is the Founder and Chief Operating Officer of NextServices, a healthcare solutions company based in Ann Arbor, MI. After obtaining his BS in electrical engineering from the Mangalore University in 1996, Praveen worked for six years with Satyam Computer Services in various capacities and more recently as a business manager serving Fortune 100 clients. In 2003, while pursuing his MBA from Ross School of Business (Michigan), Praveen developed a technology framework for governments in developing economies. He proposed his ideas to the former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, Dr. Barham Salih and consulted with the U.S. government on the model. Praveen co-authored articles with C.K. Prahalad in The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid (Amazon’s best business book of 2004). He is currently developing a rural delivery model for global business transactions. He has appeared in The Detroit News and Ann Arbor Business Review.
	Nihar Kulkarni, trade name Jay Gatzby, has over 8 years of experience in the entertainment industry and is currently the Vice President of Business Development for Power Moves Marketing & Promotions, the promotional arm for Bad Boy Entertainment and Sean John Clothing. In his present role, Jay Gatzby is in charge of forging partnerships with clients looking for innovative urban promotions campaigns that solidify entertainment brands through several mediums. His most recent project involved the execution and management of the Vote or Die! promotional campaign, which received worldwide exposure. Jay Gatzby graduated from the University of Michigan in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He was a co-founder of Komposit Entertainment & Alpha Iota Omicron on Michigan’s campus.
	Maria Chaudhuri holds a dual degree in Philosophy and Religion, with concentrations in Feminist Theory and Sufism. In Bangladesh, where Ms. Chaudhuri grew up, she worked to research and promote women’s rights with various non-governmental organizations. In 2001, Ms. Chaudhuri joined Sakhi’s intensive Domestic Violence Training Program and started working directly with survivors as volunteer advocate. In 2003, she came on board as Sakhi staff and became the Legal Advocate in the Domestic Violence Program. Ms. Chaudhuri’s work entails a broad range of advocacy and referral services: providing women with information about their rights, advocating for women in courtrooms, law offices, hospitals, precincts, public assistance offices, shelters and many other places as necessary. Currently, she is working on a project to increase Cultural Awareness/Sensitivity among the Domestic Violence Units of local New York City precincts.
	Anuja Rajendra grew up in Patiala, India and Okemos, Michigan, a paradoxical combination that invoked her passion for global economic development. After earning a BS in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan, Anuja worked in business development for American Power Conversion Corp., where she was promoted three times in eighteen months, becoming the Regional Sales Support Manager for the Northern US. The tragic death of her sister, Rachana, in an automobile accident, motivated Anuja to start and own a business, Moon-baked Creations Contemporary Art Lounge and Café in Okemos, MI. She sold Moon-baked and then undertook stints as Director of Strategic Partnerships and Alliances for a technology start-up and as Director of Development for a $1.5 Million non-profit organization. As a 2004 MBA graduate from the University of Michigan Business School, Anuja is focused on global social entrepreneurship and hopes to start a business that will serve the bottom of the pyramid.
	Brij Chhabra is an ardent student, practitioner, and a teacher of Yoga for over 30 years. He has been a member of Self Realization Fellowship and Golden Lotus, Inc. (Song of the Morning) since 1970 after he met Yogacharya Oliver (Mr. J. Oliver Black) at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Yogacharya was a highly accomplished businessman and Yogi who taught Yoga to thousands of people in USA till his conscious passing away in 1989. Brij Chhabra has been an active member of the Detroit Center of SRF and Song of the Morning, the Yoga Retreat of Golden Lotus, Inc., located in Vanderbilt, Michigan. He was appointed a SRF service reader and Detroit Center Coordinator by Yogacharya, in 1971 and a member of the Board of Directors for Golden Lotus, Inc. in 1977. Brij has taught Yoga to several thousand persons from age 7 to 70+, from all walks of life - students, housewives, tradesmen, engineers, doctors, nurses, etc. in various cities and towns across Michigan. Currently he teaches at the Bharatiya Temple in Troy, Michigan.
	Homayra Ziad Much of Homayra's life has been spent moving from one corner of the globe to another, but Washington, D.C. is the closest thing to home. For better or for worse, her interests are ever-changing... She studied Economics at Bryn Mawr, International Relations at Yale, and is currently plodding towards a Ph.D. in Yale's religion department, focusing on the religious writings of the 18th century Urdu/Persian poet and Sufi Khwaja Mir Dard of Delhi. At Bryn Mawr, Homayra T.A.'ed several Economics courses, was on the executive boards of both the Muslim Students and South Asian Women’s Association, and was a founding member of the college's first features magazine. After college, she interned at the United Nations in Ankara, Turkey, working on micro- credit programs for the urban poor. At Yale, Homayra T.A.ed courses on 20th century Muslim political movements and the origins of Islam, co- hosted a weekly educational lunch colloquium (Islam in the Modern Day), and was a founding member of the South Asian Graduate Association (SAGA). In addition, she has worked as a reporter and editor for the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs in Washington, D.C. and has contributed to other mainstream media sources. She is currently editor- in-chief of Chowrangi, a new features magazine for the Pakistani- American community.
	Rafael Abrams first began the study of Ashtanga Yoga in Southfield, Michigan. Before being introduced to Ashtanga, Rafael was learning Hatha Yoga. Rafael has been brought up learning religious and spiritual practices. He has furthered his studies and has traveled extensively through the U.S., Asia, and India. He has been to Mysore, India to study with Guruji and Sharath at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute. Rafael has also studied with Guruji in Boulder, CO while staying with his aunt Radha Garcia. Radha is the Director of Bikram's Yoga College of India in Boulder. Rafael has also studied with Manju Pattabhi Jois, son of Guruji and Eileen Hall. Rafael loves to share and teach this practice of spiritual, mental, and physical growth from his heart. Rafael has studied extensively in various spiritual traditions. Rafael aims to pass on these teachings with as much authenticity as possible. Rafael's challenging and understanding demeanor will help you to grow in this practice and internally.
	Farhana Khera has recently been appointed by the board of directors of the National Association of Muslim Lawyers (NAML) to serve as its first executive director. NAML is an organization of Muslim American lawyers dedicated to promoting justice and improvements in the American legal system. For the last six years, Ms. Khera had served as Counsel to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Property Rights. In this position, she advised Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), the ranking member of the Constitution Subcommittee, on civil rights, immigration, and other matters before the Judiciary Committee. Much of her work focused on the USA PATRIOT Act, civil liberties post-September 11th, racial profiling, and the death penalty. She was the lead staffer organizing Constitution Subcommittee hearings on, among other issues, racial profiling and the treatment of individuals rounded up and detained by the U.S. Department of Justice after the September 11th attacks. In addition, she has been involved with presidential and Senate political campaigns, focusing on outreach to the Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities. Prior to her service with the Senate Judiciary Committee, Ms. Khera was a litigation associate with the law firms of Hogan & Hartson and Ross, Dixon & Masback, both located in Washington, DC. Ms. Khera is a graduate of Wellesley College and Cornell Law School.
	Andrea Olivarez Sethi graduated in 2002 from the University of Michigan with a double major in Biochemistry and Women Studies. She is currently a second-year graduate student at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. During the past summer she worked at Sakhi for South Asian Women. At Sakhi for South Asian Women she interned under the Economic Empowerment and Women’s Health Initiative Program. There, she was responsible for directing a series of computer classes designed to assist domestic violence survivors by increasing their overall computer proficiency and job marketability so that they may become more self-sufficient. In addition to working for Sakhi, Andrea also spent her summer interning at Mount Sinai Hospital’s Health Education Department. At Mount Sinai, Andrea worked in conjunction with other health professionals to design a Public Health course on Intimate Partner Violence in order to increase its overall awareness within the healthcare sector
	Purvi Mehta is a first-year student in the joint PhD program in Anthropology and History at Michigan. She gradated from Barnard College in 2000 with a degree in Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures. She has worked at Sakhi as a program assistant during her last two years of college and was also a state-certified rape crisis advocate at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospitals in New York from 1997-2000. She worked in the South Asian department of a reproductive rights organization after graduation and then earned a masters in South Asian politics at SOAS (School of Oriental and Africian Studies) in 2003. Purvi has further gained work experience at Penelope house, a domestic violence shelter in Alabama.