|
SAPHA Board Members 2002-2004
Ushma D. Upadhyay
Abhijit Ghosh
Kalpana Bhandarkar
Susan L. Ivey
Sharmila S. Rao
Neelam Gupta
Amita N. Vyas
Ushma D.
Upadhyay, MPH, Baltimore, MD
Ushma D. Upadhyay is co-founder and board member of
SAPHA. She is a research writer for the journal, Population Reports,
at Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, where she is a
PhD candidate in Population and Family Health Sciences. She is the author
of several reports, including Informed Choice in Family Planning and
Closing the Condom Gap, and articles on international population assistance
and HIV in India. She has also worked at the New York State Department
of Health and the Foundation for Humanization in Bombay, India. An activist
in the South Asian community since 1992, she has been involved in the
South Asian Coalition Against Racism, SAKHI for South Asian Women, and
other community organizations. Ms. Upadhyay has a BA in Communications
and International Studies from American University and a Masters of
Public Health from Columbia University.
Back to top
Abhijit
Ghosh, MPH, Silver Spring, MD
 |
Abhijit Ghosh served as an organizing committee member
for the SAPHA Brown Paper and contributed to the Elderly Health
chapters. Abhijit co-founded SAPHA in 1999 and has been active in
the health advocacy of the South Asian community for the past two
years through involvement with community-based initiatives and presentations
at multiple national conferences. Abhijit received an MPH in Environmental/Occupational
Health from the New Jersey School of Public Health-UMDNJ. He completed
his bachelors in biochemistry from the University of Illinois-Champaign.
Abhijit is currently completing a fellowship at the National Cancer
Institute Office of Communications. He is currently the co-chair
of the board of directors of SAPHA. |
Back to top
Kalpana
Bhandarkar,
BA, New York, NY
Kalpana Bhandarkar currently works at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health
Center (AHC) in New York, where she provides programmatic support to
the Center and also works with the Downstate Center for Excellence,
AHC’s technical assistance arm.
Previously, Kalpana worked in the Health Policy Division of the Children’s
Defense Fund in Washington, D.C. She is also NY/NJ Chapter Lead of Project
IMPACT for South Asian Americans. Kalpana has been a member of SAPHA
for 2 years and is Treasurer and a board member of the South Asian Public
Health Association.
Back to top
Susan
L. Ivey, MD, MHSA, Danville, CA
Susan Ivey is a family physician with a Master's degree in health policy
and research from George Washington University. She is an assistant
clinical professor at the University of California, Berkeley, School
of Public Health. Dr. Ivey's research focuses on cardiovascular risk
factors in diverse groups, including a study of cardiovascular risks
among South Asians in Northern California. She is one of the authors
of the book Immigrant Women's Health: Problems and Solutions. She also
practices part-time and teaches medical students in the Joint Medical
Program (UCB/UCSF). She joined the SAPHA e-community 2 years ago and
became a SAPHA board member in 2002.
Back to top
Sharmila
S. Rao, MPH, MPA, Chicago, IL
Sharmila Rao is Communications Specialist in the Medicine & Public
Health Unit at the American Medical Association. She has experience
in health research, program development, education, and advocacy. She
has worked with the Ford Foundation on sexual & reproductive health
issues and with the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum
on linking South Asian community health groups. Ms. Rao co-founded the
Women's Health Initiative at Sakhi for South Asian Women in New York
City and currently sits on the Asian American Leadership Council of
the Chicago Foundation for Women. She holds an MPH from the School of
Public Health and an MPA from the School of International & Public
Affairs both at Columbia University. Active with SAPHA since its inception
in 1999, Ms. Rao serves as Secretary on the SAPHA Board.
Back to top
Neelam
Gupta, MPH, MSW, Burbank, CA
Neelam Gupta is a Program Manager with Partners in Care Foundation,
overseeing projects to improve health care access and delivery in Los
Angeles County. Previous work experience includes the Southern California
Geriatric Social Work Education Consortium (GSWEC) and the Association
of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO). She currently
serves in two leadership positions with the National Association of
Social Workers, California Chapter. Active in the South Asian community,
Ms. Gupta has also been involved with the South Asian Network in Los
Angeles, Asian Pacific Islanders for Human Rights (APIHR), and the National
South Asian HIV/AIDS Network (NSAHIVNET). She has been part of the SAPHA
e-village since 1999 and is currently serving as a board member of SAPHA.
Back to top
Amita
N. Vyas, PhD, Washington, DC
Amita Vyas is a faculty member and researcher at the Johns Hopkins University
School of Public Health. She is a public health and social science researcher
focusing on adolescent reproductive health in the US and abroad. In
2001, Amita served as President of the Network of South Asian Professionals-Washington
D.C. In addition, Amita also serves on the board of the Indian-American
Leadership Incubator, a national organization committed to identifying,
training, and funding Indian American leaders for elected and appointed
political office. Amita received her master’s and doctorate degrees
from Johns Hopkins University where she was awarded the Kann-Trowbridge
award for outstanding research in Population and Family Health. Amita
is serving as aboard member of SAPHA. She has been involved with SAPHA
since 2000.
Back to top
From left to right:
Sharmila Rao, Abhijit Ghosh, Ushma Upadhyay at the American Public Health
Association Annual Conference
held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (November 2002)
|
