“I find that connecting to my patients and keeping that connection over the years is a vital part of caring for them. Often a “listening ear” rather than “elaborate testing” is what actually helps to get at the root of an illness.” Today’s woman dreamer, Dr. Ghazala Alam has over 25 years of experience as a physician, and has provided extensive service on several boards and committees including BCBS, MassAFP, and MMS. A truly multifaceted woman, she is also a talented poetess and the author of a book of Urdu poems called “On Being Human”. In her inspiring interview with Women Who Win, Ghazala shares her journey in becoming a physician, how she found her passion for poetry, and how her own experience with hardship inspires her to give back. She writes, “Kiyoun naa sinf e nazuk ko aaj, sinf e ahn banaa dein! – Let us make the disempowered woman, a woman of steel!” We are honored to share her story on Women’s Health Wednesday!
Read More“My message to young professionals looking to give back is First, figure out what you’re passionate about. What in your lived experience or professional experience helps drive your passion? Where do you see unmet need or injustices that you want to contribute to? What level of commitment do you want to have?” Today’s woman dreamer, Kalpana Bhandarkar, is the Principal of Spring Bhee Advisory and Co-Chair of the Board of Erase Racism. In this interview with Women Who Win for our “Women in Philanthropy” series with Akshaya Patra USA, Kalpana shares how she aims to empower communities through her work, why the Akshaya Patra cause resonates with her, and her crucial advice to young professionals seeking to give back.
Read More“There is an incalculable need in our society and thus a super-abundance of opportunities for volunteer work. In deciding where to invest one’s volunteer time and resources, I recommend that most importantly, you consider what causes or organizations you are passionate about, and what personal goals you aim to achieve through your volunteerism. This is crucial because you must treat your volunteer work just as you do your paying job.” Today’s woman dreamer, Phyllis A. James is Founding President and CEO of the Foundation for Women’s Leadership & Empowerment. She has a distinguished multi-disciplinary career history as a lawyer and C-suite executive, with seventeen years at MGM Resorts, serving as Chief Diversity and Corporate Responsibility Officer for more than a decade. She spent eight years as Corporation Counsel (Chief Legal Officer) for the City of Detroit under Mayor Dennis W. Archer – where she served as lead lawyer for the City in several legacy economic revitalization projects.In her inspiring interview with Women Who Win, she reflects on her both her entrepreneurial journey and philanthropic journey. Enjoy her story!
Read More“The sex trafficking industry is a 150 billion dollar industry and ever growing. Our organization is dedicated to the empowerment of survivors of sexual trafficking through education and vocational training, and keeping our youth safe by promoting awareness of the issue. For $1600 or $6/day, we are able to provide the Empowerment Program to a survivor which will change her/his life forever.” Today’s women dreamers, Priya Gupta Israni, Lavina Datwani, and Urvashi Mishra are the leaders behind IHC For Her [soon to be known as TAARA], an organization dedicated to helping sex trafficking survivors. In this inspiring and eye-opening interview with Women Who Win, they share their journeys in getting involved in this cause, their vision for the organization, and more! We are honored to share this story!
Read More“Reclaiming my power has been the hardest work I have had to do for over a decade. And that would have been impossible without finding the right people to be on my side. Find your allies!” Today’s woman dreamer, Mathangi Swaminathan is the Founder of Parity Lab - a first-of-its-kind accelerator for rural survivor-led organizations addressing violence against women and girls. A survivor of domestic violence from an arranged marriage, Mathangi’s mission is to help women in similar challenging circumstances. A graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School, Mathangi shares her inspiring and resilient journey with Women Who Win!
Read MoreWe are so excited to share the story of today’s woman dreamer, Yasmin Padamsee Forbes. A graduate of Harvard Kennedy School, she is currently the Executive Director of the Asian American Commission of Massachusetts. A changemaker at heart, she has served in senior leadership roles with non-profits and the United Nations in Papua New Guinea, India, Myanmar, and the United States. She shares her inspiring journey and the vision for the upcoming unity dinner on May 6th! Check out her amazing story!
Read More“It was the support of a group of women I worked with that encouraged me as a disabled women to step into my true self and untimely helped me find my voice.” Today’s woman dreamer, Megan Lawrence, is the Global Director of Accessibility at Nike. Inspired by her own mental health disability, Megan shares her vision for disability inclusion in the workplace, the power of having a support system, and how she finds her work-life balance. Enjoy her inspiring story!
Read More“You could say I dream of the day where they don’t give BACK, because they just… give.” Today’s woman dreamer, Sapna Saxena, is a dynamic female venture capitalist and entrepreneur, with a passion for giving back. She is the co-founder of Neel Capital Management. She is also an active philanthropist, working with her family’s philanthropic arm, The Saxena Family Foundation, and a strong supporter of The Akshaya Patra Foundation. In this inspiring interview, she shares her professional and philanthropic journey, her advice to young professionals on getting involved with charities and giving back, and her next big dream. Enjoy!
Read More“Understanding what defines you helps shape who you are and that will help you choose the career you want to be in.” We are excited to kick off the Season of Giving with today’s woman dreamer, Rupa Shah. A nonprofit leader Rupa is the Director of Philanthropy at The Scratch Foundation, a platform used by over 30 million kids globally to learn how to code. She has also been actively involved in the Nepali community & philanthropies, and in 2019, launched Nepal's first-ever capital campaign to raise over $12 million to build Kathmandu Institute of Child Health. An inspiring and dynamic changemaker, Rupa shares her top tips to women in the nonprofit sector, how her Nepali culture helped shaped her identity, and more.
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