Our Team
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Our Story
Kiran's mission is to end the cycle of abuse and to serve and empower South Asian victims of domestic violence in North Carolina by providing culturally specific services and comprehensive economic, social and community resources.
Since 2000, Kiran has empowered victims/survivors by providing access to information, education, and other necessary social and economic support that best reflects each person's interests and needs.
Our Staff
Seema Kak
Seema joined the Kiran team in 2017 as a Client Services Manager. Seema earned her BA in Immunology and a BS in Psychology from the University of Maryland and went on to receive her Masters in Social Work with an emphasis on Child Welfare from the University of San Jose, CA. She then worked at Abode Services in California as a Counselor and a Service Coordinator for homeless individuals and families in the Silicon Valley area. Seema also supervised MSW interns from UC Berkeley, San Jose State, and Santa Clara University. Seema’s unique combination of education in science and social sciences culminates in a trifecta of research, counseling, and results-driven methods while working with in-need and at-risk populations. As a Social Worker, Seema believes in the strengths-based perspective and assists clients in identifying and enhancing their own strengths with the help of available resources. Throughout her career, she has provided comprehensive case management and advocacy services for women in areas of drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness, family counseling, employment, and child reunification. In addition, Seema has been actively involved with the Wake County PTA and various other advisory and implementation committees for WCPSS. She took on the role of Executive Director at Kiran in 2020.
Shaifali Kaul
Shaifali has a BS and MS in Biochemistry and Diet Therapy. In addition, she has certifications in Healthcare Administration and Medical Transcription. She worked as an educator in India before moving to the US. She believes that Domestic Violence has no place in the society and regardless of the situation, a person should always be provided with dignity and respect by the society. At Kiran, she looks forward to positively contributing towards the mission of the organization.
Aparna Gopali
Aparna has a bachelors and master’s degree in Biological Sciences. She is deeply committed to equality and social justice. At Kiran she is excited and committed to help empower the victims of domestic violence and end the cycle of abuse.
Gunjan Laad
Gunjan Laad’s vision and mission is to empower women of all walks of life to face their challenges head-on, showcase their accomplishments and make a difference in the lives of others. She believes “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” Gunjan moved to NC around 18 years back and has been actively involved in the local community. She is an Engineer with over 18 years of experience in the areas of Technical Project Management, Resourcing and Recruiting and is a Real Estate Agent. She is trained in Kathak and Bollywood dance forms, and she is the founder of Spark Entertainment, bringing the first Pageant to North Carolina with the hope that women can discover their true beauty, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. She is also the founder of Dance Passion Academy and has Owned Fashion Passion Custom Boutique. Being a wife to a very supportive man, Vikas, and mom to a 14-year-old boy, Aadi, Gunjan believes that women can be successful at being mothers, wives and career professionals. The key to balancing all three roles is developing a teamwork approach. Her passion is not just evident in the fields of dancing and fashion, but also in her work in bringing people together. With a belief that no person should feel less than what they deserve, she wants every single person to understand their own positive self-value.
Nishath Fazil
Nishath recently graduated with her MSW from NC State University. She attended the same university for her undergrad, where she received her B.A. in Political Science.
Ramya Ravichandran
Ramya Ravichandran holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a Master's in Education. With a passion for fostering inclusive environments, Ramya dedicated her career to working with families and children with special needs. Her journey has seen her collaborate with renowned international schools and Non-profits in Delhi, India, where she has been a vocal advocate for inclusion and support for all children, regardless of their abilities. Ramya's extensive experience in special education has equipped her with a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by families and children. She is particularly skilled in developing personalized learning plans, implementing inclusive teaching strategies, and providing emotional support to both children and their parents. Her work has consistently focused on creating environments where every child feels valued and empowered. Now, she is excited to work for Kiran, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting people and families who have been victims of domestic violence. She sees this as a natural extension of her work, recognizing the profound impact that a safe, supportive environment can have on individuals in crisis. She is eager to collaborate with other passionate professionals, exchange knowledge, and develop innovative solutions that address the complex needs of this community. Ramya's goal is to empower these individuals, helping them rebuild their lives with confidence and resilience, and ensuring that Kiran continues to be a beacon of hope and support for those in need.
Our Board of Directors
Dr. Renu Jain
Renu Jain has a PhD in biochemistry and has been working as a clinical researcher in the pharmaceutical industry for over 17 years. Her passion for helping others is reflected in her work and volunteer efforts in the community. At work, she has contributed to the development of new medicines for children living with HIV, children with hemophilia and also for patients with many others rare and hard-to-treat disease states. She is known for her excellent management skills, clarity of thought and ability to efficiently lead teams to achieve their goals. Additionally, at work, she has been a volunteer in the GSK Science in Schools program and the Women in Science program where she is a mentor to undergraduate women in North Carolina colleges where these women may have little advisory support but are ambitious to pursue a career in STEM. Outside of work, within her local community, Renu has been part of the National Charity League since 2005, where she has been volunteering with over 20 local non-profit organizations supporting these charities in numerous ways. A few of the organizations she has continued to support include Habitat for Humanity, Reed and Feed, Ronald McDonald House, Dress for Success, adopt a Pet and Guardian Ad Litem. Her ongoing focus throughout her life has been on empowering women and enriching educational opportunities for children in all of these efforts.
Dr. Gunjan Arya
Gunjan is currently working in Technology Development at Life Edit Therapeutics and has a background in medicine and project management. She has been a Kiran volunteer since 2017 and won the award for the highest number of volunteer hours in 2021. In addition to Kiran, she also volunteers with Ronald McDonald House of Durham & Wake and with The Arc of the Triangle, Inc. and started an ‘Adopt a Grandparent’ program with her son in 2020. Gunjan says that volunteering for the Kiran hotline is one of her “most challenging but immensely rewarding volunteering opportunities” and will bring great energy to this new role.
Manpreet Lehal, NCC, LCMHCS
Manpreet Lehal is the CEO & founder of a local counselling group practice with several locations in the Triangle area. She has a professional background as a licensed mental health clinical counsellor, over a few decades helping individuals and families overcome life struggles. She created her group practice in 2017 with a mission to help more people in need of emotional support & living a fulfilled life. She also has a family mediation and consulting practice for families going through divorce and separation. She is passionate about empowering individuals, breaking social stigma, and advocating for equality for those living in a disadvantaged situation.
Arun Kallikadavil
Dr. Harmeet Singh
As a retired primary care physician, I have spent most of my career as a problem solver, while practicing compassion and curiosity in my work. I have always been committed to helping those in need, which is why serving as a Kiran board member is a natural fit for me. Through a comprehensive approach that includes counselling, legal aid, and community resources, Kiran aims to transform lives and foster resilience for persons affected by domestic violence. I hope to use my background for advocacy, awareness, and empowerment for this population as a volunteer and a board member.
Vandana Shah
Vandana Shah is the Director for South-East Asia for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and heads up their policy change efforts in India, Indonesia and Bangladesh. She received her law degrees from Duke University and Calcutta University in India. Vandana is admitted to practice as an attorney in North Carolina and India. She was formerly the Executive Director of the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund (HWTF). Vandana is the Co-founder of Kiran and currently serves as an Emeritus Board Member for the Kiran Executive Board. She has a passion for working on women's rights as well as issues related to the right to life and health.
Ritu Kaur
Ritu is a Non-Profit professional having worked on social justice issues for 18+ years including gender-based/Human rights since the 1990s. She has worked in a variety of roles including crisis intervention, case management, and training/outreach with a focus on underserved and vulnerable communities. She was the Executive Director for Kiran Inc., which serves South Asian victims of domestic violence, in 2015. She was instrumental in writing Kiran's first grant to receive funding and setting up a board in 2009. She grew up in New Delhi, India and has lived, studied, and worked in India, Belgium and Australia. She is a resident of Raleigh, North Carolina. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Development Policy from the University of Antwerp, Belgium.She is embedded in her local community and volunteers with the community support groups. She is passionate about empowering underserved communities to be seen and heard in decisions impacting them. Ritu loves gardening, reading books, walking and exploring all the trails of Raleigh.
Philanthropic Community Trailblazers
Kailas Thakker
Kailas Thakker has served for the past 13 years as the President of Analytical Solutions Inc. (ASI), a contract services organization, which she founded in 1994. Kailas received her Ph.D. degree from the University of Kansas and her M.S. from Columbia University. Under her direction, ASI offers CMC-related services with an emphasis on dissolution and drug release testing. Prior to that, Kailas served as the Associate Director of analytical chemistry at Sphinx Pharmaceuticals. She worked at U.S. Pharmacopiea for 12 years in the Drug Research and Testing Laboratory, where she was involved in many monograph revisions of dissolution methods. Kailas served as the Treasurer for the Kiran Executive Board and currently is an Emeritus Board Member.
RDU Task Force
Rekha Parikh
Rekha Parikh is a member of the North Carolina Domestic Violence Commission. She has been actively involved in serving men and women in the South Asian community for the past 15 years. She served as a hotline crisis counselor for Interact and Kiran. She moved on to become an Advisory Committee Member and the chair of Fundraising. She brings years of experience in coordinating the Hindu Society of North Carolina Health Fair and other community events. She manages her husband's orthopedic practice and continues to have a passion for women’s issues by supporting many charities.
Sushama Pradhan
I have resided in North Carolina ever since relocating from my hometown of Kathmandu, Nepal. I received my doctorate degree in Soil Science from North Carolina State University. After serving as a Research Scientist at NCSU for several years, I was humbly appointed the position of Senior Environmental Health Scientist at the North Carolina Division of Public Health.
I have been an active member of the Nepalese community in North Carolina by helming programs at the university level, state level, and regional level. I was the founding President of a Nepali Student Organization at NCSU called the Everest Club, and a founding member of the Nepal Center of North Carolina (NCNC). Over the years, my passion for social service motivated me to partake in more leadership roles within my community. My determination culminated in my tenure as NCNC President (2016-2017).
My decades-long involvement in social services has bequeathed me with the unique opportunity to work intimately with members of Nepali Community and beyond. I have been serving in the KIRAN Task Force a member for last couple of years.
Parul Parikh
Parul Parikh has served as a member of Kiran's Advisory Board for more than six years. She believes strongly in Kiran's mission and participates in fundraising programs to support the organization's services. Parul's prior volunteer work includes her contributions to cultural programs hosted by the Hindu Society of North Carolina and the Triangle Gujarati Association. She is an award-winning choreographer of Gujarati folk dance. Parul has been living in the Triangle area for nearly 30 years with her family.
Neena Singh
Neena has been and continues to be an active volunteer in her community and with many organizations. She was the President of Green Farms Academy Parents’ Association, Connecticut. She was awarded the annual Community Service award by the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), Connecticut. She has also volunteered with Ravenscroft School, Mercy Learning Center, Girl Scouts, and soup kitchens. She is currently volunteering with North Carolina Museum of Arts (NCMA). Neena holds a Master’s degree in Nutrition from Raipur, India and enjoys hiking, traveling, cooking and arts.
Nandita Garg
Nandita Garg is a member of Kiran's Advisory Board.
Archana Rao
Archana Rao is the newest member of Kiran’s Advisory Board. Since moving to North Carolina 9 years ago, Archana has worked on her company’s volunteering committee in a leadership role, setting up volunteer events for employees and supporting/leading fundraising activities for the North Carolina Food Bank and American Heart Association. She is also on the RELxAsians Committee, an employee resource group for Asians at her company, supporting Asian employees with career development and raising awareness of Asian culture within the company. Archana is passionate about supporting charitable causes and looks forward to advocating and raising funds for Kiran.
Aboli Arnold
Aboli joined Kiran as a volunteer in 2023. She graduated from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and has been working in pharmaceutical marketing for the last decade. She is passionate about empowering women, especially those who are left voiceless by enduring abuse.
CLT Task Force
Mona Nigam
Mona is a business leader, entrepreneur, and gender equality advocate in the e-commerce and tech space. She has held senior management positions at GE, MicroD, and Revalize. She currently helps companies transform into positive organizations where people flourish and businesses grow. Her favorite quote is "You must be the change you wish to see in the world,” by Mahatma Gandhi. Mona is being the change she wishes to see in the world by being a service-oriented leader in her community.
Sankar Ramesh
Sankar Ramesh is a Lead Software Engineer at Wells Fargo. Ramesh has an MBA from Duke and an MS in Engineering from Virginia Tech. Ramesh volunteers in several organizations including Kiran, the local Hindu centre, and is the Tech Director for the WF Asian connection ERN.
Niketa Mittal
Niketa works in the area of Enterprise Change Management and holds a Master’s degree in International Business. She has been a resident of Charlotte for the past 21 years and is a Project Manager at Wells Fargo. She is a very well-connected social activist and is deeply involved with various non-profit organizations. She is a driven leader with a passion for community engagement. Niketa currently serves on several boards: International House, sustain Charlotte, Charlotte International Cabinet, Hindu Center of Charlotte and Festival of India. Niketa is married to a wonderful husband, and blessed with two beautiful daughters, Nandini and Megha, ages 19 and 16.
Akila Ramesh
Akila Ramesh grew up in India but has been in the US for almost 30 years. Playing a dual role as a full-time mom to two awesome college-going kids, she is also a software professional working at TD Bank. She volunteers at several organizations including Kiran, Union County Shelter, United Women for Change, etc., She was an officer-bearer at Shakti and provided much-needed help in its formative years. She loves the outdoors and goes on hikes when possible. She is also a marathon runner, having run several marathons and half-marathons.
Our Partners and Funders
Community Sponsors