About Us

Our Leadership

Executive Director

Annetta Seecharran

Executive Director

For nearly 30 years, Annetta has championed positive change locally and internationally. Her leadership roles include Director for Policy and Advocacy at United Neighborhood Houses and Executive Director of South Asian Youth Action. Annetta holds an M.A. in International Political Economy and Development from Fordham University, a B.A. in Political Science from Manhattanville College, and executive management certificates from Columbia Business School and Harvard Business School. She serves on the board of the New York Immigration Coalition, Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, Restored Homes, and is a Commissioner for NYC Civic Engagement Commission.

annetta@chhayacdc.org
Phone: 718.478.3848 ext. 114
Fax: 718.651.1004

Karen Kaminsky

Director of Development and Communications

Karen Kaminsky

Director of Development and Communications

Karen Kaminsky, who's worked with Chhaya as a consultant over the years, now joins us as Director of Development and Communications. She has spent the past several years consulting for foundations and immigrant-rights organizations, and in previous roles served in both non-profits and government, including as speechwriter to the NYS Attorney General, deputy executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, and deputy director of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.

Theresa Thanjan

Deputy Director

Theresa Thanjan

Deputy Director

Theresa has over 20 years of experience working with immigrant communities in NYC. She has worked as a community organizer and directed programs for immigrant youth at non-profits. She has also directed award-winning documentaries about immigrants and their fight for civil rights. Most recently, she was the Senior Manager of Organizing and Strategy at the New York Immigration Coalition, where she engaged over 100 community organizations in advocacy campaigns for immigrant justice. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Rochester and her Masters in Social Work from Columbia University.

Elizabeth Johnsen

Managing Director

Elizabeth Johnsen

Managing Director

Elizabeth has more than 13 years of nonprofit operations and program management experience, combined with a deep knowledge of economic justice, home opportunity, and immigration issues. Whether working inside organizations or externally in community building, she believes that leading with shared values
can foster connection, bridge differences, and open hearts and minds. A former
journalist, Elizabeth has written extensively on human rights issues in the Baltic
states, immigration, and civic protest. She is particularly passionate about building
a care economy for people living with disabilities, young children, and our elders.
Elizabeth has an MA in Regional Studies – Russia, Eurasia, and Eastern Europe
from Columbia University and a BA in Communications from the University of
Washington.

Our Board

Anouska Cheddie

Co-Chair

Anouska Cheddie

Co-Chair

Currently Director of Major Gifts at the Environmental Defense Fund, Anouska Cheddie has held development roles with Planned Parenthood Federation of America and North Star Fund. She got her start as a political fundraiser for progressive candidates. From 2008-2015, she served on the Board of South Asian Americans Leading Together.

Christopher Hanway

Secretary

Christopher Hanway

Secretary

Chris Hanway is Executive Director of the Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement. His 18 years of professional experience in the nonprofit sector includes roles at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, the Institute for Classical Architecture, and the National Cathedral in Washington, DC.

Gurjot Kaur

Gurjot Kaur is currently an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP doing transactional legal work in the firm’s M&A practice. Kaur is of Punjabi descent and has lived in California and Ohio before moving to New York. She also chairs the Young Lawyers Division of the South Asian Bar Association of New York and seeks out pro bono work relating to non-profits and community development organizations. As a member of the Chhaya board, Kaur hopes to provide support with governance and related matters.

Kunchok Dolma

Kunchok Dolma, is an Associate at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, where her practice encompasses general commercial and construction litigation. Kunchok won an Emmy award for creating and producing civic engagement films for English language learners. Working under Mayors Michael Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio, she founded New York City’s premier English language learning program, We Speak NYC. Kunchok has taught at the City University of New York and developed a nationally recognized adult education program. She has an M.Phil from the University of Oxford and J.D from the University of Virginia. She is a Clarendon scholar, an Urban Fellow and a Watson Fellow. Kunchok is a Tibetan refugee born in Nepal, recently served as the Chair of the board of directors for the New York Tibetan Service Center and remains active in her community and her firm’s pro-bono practice.

Muhammad Hussain

Co-Treasurer

Muhammad Hussain

Co-Treasurer

Muhammad currently serves as an Associate Director at SPS by Bain & Co. He's a native New Yorker who lives in Jackson Heights and is deeply connected with the South Asian/Indo Caribbean community. Years ago, he was a student for SAT prep at SAYA and became involved for three years in different capacities. He is a long-time advocate for Chhaya's mission, particularly drawn to its commitment for economic justice and grassroots community outreach. Muhammad aspires to collaborate with Chhaya in their endeavor to enhance the community for all its members.

Nahida Uddin

Nahida (She/Her) is the Director of Narrative & Communications at National CAPACD, a coalition of nearly 100 community-based organizations that serve low-income Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities to advance equity and create healthy, vibrant neighborhoods. Originally from NYC, she worked for several years as a Community Organizer at Chhaya CDC. Nahida's commitment to justice is rooted in her own experiences growing up in a working-class Bangladeshi Muslim community in Brooklyn. She has a BA in History & International Studies from Fordham University and an MA in South Asian Studies from Columbia University.

Reshma Patel

Co-Chair

Reshma Patel

Co-Chair

With experience in public finance, e-commerce, and data analytics, Reshma Patel works with nonprofits to set up data analytics platforms to measure impact. Previously, she structured over $35 billion of bond transactions for state and local governments. Active in civic and volunteer roles, she is President of the Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club.

Ryan D. Budhu

Ryan D. Budhu is an associate at Arnold Porter Kaye Scholer, LLP, where his practice focuses on antitrust, complex commercial, and general litigation for clients across a broad spectrum of industries. Mr. Budhu also maintains an active pro bono practice, including currently representing a death row inmate asserting religious liberty claims against a state prison system. Mr. Budhu served as SABANY President during the 2019 term.

Tylsley I. Phillips

Co-Treasurer

Tylsley I. Phillips

Co-Treasurer

Tylsley Phillips brings over 30 years of experience in financial markets with a focus on technology, data, and process innovation. He has led global product launches, enhanced market data solutions, and collaborated with teams at all levels worldwide, guided by an entrepreneurial mindset, critical thinking, and empathy. An immigrant from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, his personal journey inspires his commitment to immigrant communities. He serves as board member and treasurer of NYIC Immigrant Action, advocating for policies that reflect diverse voices. Tylsley holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering Technology from the New York Institute of Technology and has pursued graduate studies in Computer Science at the Polytechnic Institute of Technology.

Our Leadership

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