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On Monday, US President Joe Biden announced his intention to name four Indian Americans to his Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, including Ajay Jain Bhutoria, Sonal Shah, Kamal Kalsi, and Smita Shah.
According to the White House, the Commission will advise President Obama on how the public, corporate, and non-profit sectors may collaborate to improve justice and opportunity for all Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) communities.
According to a press release, it will also advise President Obama on policies to combat anti-Asian xenophobia and violence, as well as ways to build capacity in AANHPI communities through federal grantmaking and policies to address the intersectional barriers that AANHPI women, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities face.
The White House announced 23 advisory members in total. According to the White House, Bhutoria is a Silicon Valley technology executive, community activist, speaker, and author who has received recognition for his work.
In the fields of small enterprises, educational opportunities, immigration concerns, and technological growth, he is an outspoken advocate for the South Asian and AAPI populations.
According to the White House, his skill in organisational transformations and change management has aided key breakthroughs in the AAPI community, and he is dedicated to creating a compassionate and empowering environment for all.
Dr. Kalsi, a New Jersey-based emergency medicine physician with 20 years of service in the Army, was awarded the Bronze Star medal for his work treating hundreds of combat casualties on the front lines in Afghanistan.
“He has transitioned into the Army reserves and is now a senior adviser for Policy Vets and a Fellow of the Truman National Security Project’s Defense Council.” According to the White House, he founded the Sikh American Veterans Alliance (SAVA) to promote religious liberty, diversity, and service.
Sonal Shah is a social impact and innovation leader with over 25 years of experience in academia, government, the corporate sector, and philanthropy.
She is the founder and president of The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), the world’s biggest philanthropic organisation committed to assisting the Asian and Pacific Islander communities.
Prior to joining TAAF, Shah established and directed Georgetown University’s Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation, which gave students hands-on experience working on social impact initiatives in the public, private, and social sectors.
She served as a Deputy Assistant to President Barack Obama, where she developed the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, worked on international development at the Department of Treasury, and managed social impact efforts at Google and Goldman Sachs.
Smita N Shah is the president and CEO of SPAAN Tech, Inc, a multi-disciplinary organisation with competence in public and private infrastructure projects such as transportation, aviation, and facilities, based in Chicago. She is involved with the Chicago Police Department in a variety of capacities.
According to a White House release, the Plan Commission, MIT, the Museum of Science and Industry, After School Matters, Delhi Chicago Sister Cities Program, YPO, the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, and the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy are among the organisations receiving funding.
