WASHINGTON: US President Biden announced his intent to appoint four Indian Americans as commissioners to the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, the White House announced on Monday.
The Commission will advise the President on ways the public, private, and non-profit sectors can work together to advance equity and opportunity for every Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community.
The Commission is also charged with advising the President on policies to address anti-Asian xenophobia and violence, 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 Commission will include civic leaders from across the country and will reflect the rich diversity of AANHPI communities across the United States.
The White House has released a list of 23 advisory members which includes the list of four Indian-Americans namely: Ajay Bhutoria, Sonal Shah, Kamal Kalsi, and Smita Shah.
Ajay Bhutoria is a Silicon Valley technology executive, community leader, speaker, and author that has been recognized for his work. His expertise in the areas of organizational transformations and change management has supported critical advancements within the AAPI community.
Sonal Shah is a social impact and innovation leader that has launched and led social impact efforts in academia, government, and the private and philanthropic sectors for over 25 years.
Dr. Kamal Singh Kalsi, LTC, USAR is an emergency medicine physician from New Jersey that has served in the Army for 20 years and was awarded a Bronze Star medal for his work taking care of hundreds of combat casualties on the front lines in Afghanistan.
Smita N. Shah is an engineer, entrepreneur, and civic leader serving as President and CEO of Chicago-based SPAAN Tech, Inc, a multi-disciplinary firm with expertise in public and private infrastructure projects including transportation, aviation, and facilities. (ANI)
