Sneh Bansal (President SAWI 2003-2008, Treasurer SDNARI 2009 - 2010)
I came to the USA in 1992 for 6 months. After marriage, moved to Singapore and came back in 2001. I was always in the public eye working for The Times if India, marketing Femina. So was always involved in women's issues. Living in a working women's hostel fighting for justice, exposing wrongdoings etc. In Indian Express, we had to fight the injustice of the government, and we came out with the slogan, “Because we always tell the truth".I love people and can empathize with them, so was successful as Recruiter with ABC consultants. Started a newspaper column on career counseling. In college did social service like adult teaching to the maids, reading to the blind, and visiting the old. In Bombay just after the monsoons would trek and write a weekly column on trekking. In Singapore taught Management and Organization Behavior in Nanyang University and was part of the Indian Expatriates Women's Club.
In San Diego naturally ran the women's club SAWI for some years which is now named SDNari. Little by little in whatever sphere we can we are trying to make the world a better place. I believe in starting with myself first. Have a BSc in Microbiology, MBA .
Uma Lakshman (President SDNARI 2009 - 2010, Secretary SDNARI 2010 -)
I am a proud resident of San Diego since 2003. Prior to moving to SanDiego I bravely weathered the cold winters of Chicago for over 12 years. I grew up in Bombay, India. Not sure when I really wanted to reach people, was it when I saw a poor cobbler with two kids just outside my house, mending shoes next to the gutters, was it seeing the children playing in the slums close to where we lived, was it the numerous huts that were always flooded during the monsoons, was it the lady who came to clean our house and the problems she dealt with including a drunken husband, was it the security guard in our complex who had left his family in the village and was making an attempt to provide for them, was it my own mother who raised her three daughters singly when her husband went to work overseeas, was it my aunt who was abused by her drunken husband and the family came to help a bit too late, was it the struggles of being a student in this country and trying to juggle a career and family, was it the allergies my daughter faced as a child, was it the battles my own sister faces with an autistic child, was it the troubles and excesses of the economy that has destroyed many a happy families ......
Not sure .. but I have always been very observant and although it might sound very cliche, just want to be there to solve problems and make this world a better place. I am also blessed with a supportive husband and daughter due to which I am able to commit time to this organization.
Now onto some unimportant details about myself, I have a Bachelors in Physics and Math, MS in Computer Science, MBA in the works ...I am employed as an IT Engineer. I am also learning Dance to keep my bones in shape.
In my spare time I love watching Movies, Reading, Operas, Plays, Music, Musuems, Travel, Dance.
Francoise Shah (Treasurer SDNARI 2010 - )
Francoise is originally from Paris, France. She has lived in San Diego for the past 25 years. Francoise has a Masters Degree in Music. She is retired as a French Teacher and still continues to teach French at UCSD and La Petite Ecole. She takes voice lessons. She and her husband Salim Shah are very active in the community by being involved in SDNARI, Indian American Society, House of India Project, La jolla Women's Club, CDCSD, CAIS, CIAS.
Dr. Divya Kakaiya (SDNARI President Oct 2010 - May 2012 , Founding Member SAWI)
Divya Kakaiya, Ph.D., served as the President of SDNari from Oct 2010 to May 2012.
Lakshmi Appacchar (Social Worker SDNARI - 2010 - )
Lakshmi Appachar is a new volunteer of SDNari. She has a Master's degree in Social Work form Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India. She moved to San Diego a few years ago and has worked in the area of clinical social work in various hospitals in San Diego. She is presently working as a Clinical Social Worker in a hospital in Chula Vista and accruing experience towards becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is very interested in the area of mental health along with issues pertaining to women and children. She hopes to contribute and fulfill the needs of the South Asian Women through our organization. She is very interested in writing, classical music and enjoys yoga along with other related physical activities.