About Us

Aeshah brings her love of culture, international migration, public health equity, and advocacy. Born in Queens and raised by Guyanese immigrants, she holds a B.A. in Hispanic Studies with backgrounds in public health and economics. Aeshah is fluent in Guyanese Creole and Spanish; she is on her way to becoming proficient in Turkish.

For two decades, 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 (SAYA!). A Guyanese immigrant to New York City, 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.

Farzana manages Chhaya’s Naturalization Program, assisting Legal Permanent Residents in becoming citizens. She started as a summer intern at Chhaya, and then completed a fellowship program through Public Allies, where she worked on housing advocacy and volunteer management. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Fordham University.

James is an aspiring urban planner and current Graduate student at Pratt GCPE. Raised in Queens to immigrant parents, he seeks to deepen his understanding of housing justice among the communities Chhaya serves. As a fellow, his research is focused on the financial challenges of homeownership during the pandemic and anti-speculation programs.

As a licensed social worker, Jessica has more than three years of experience at New York City based non-profits serving marginalized communities. She brings her clinical and research experience, passion for social justice, trauma-informed and anti-oppression work, and her love of her community to her role as Special Initiatives Manager. Jessica was born and raised in South Ozone Park, Queens, and as a daughter of Guyanese immigrants, she believes in the power and importance of having policies and practices that reflect and center the needs of a community. Jessica is fluent in Guyanese creole.

Jose brings to Chhaya a passion for social justice and over 13 years of experience in the personal finance and nonprofit sectors. As Program Director for Trusted Advisor, he was responsible for the design, implementation, and management of a program designed to sustainably scale financial counseling services nationally.

With a background in higher education and community organizing, Mahfuzul brings forth a tenacity for helping. He founded the social entrepreneurship venture, Jhal NYC. Mahfuzul is the son of Bengali immigrants and a lifelong resident of Queens Village who is fluent in Bangla.

As a first-generation immigrant who grew up in Queens, NY, Mahrin aims to help her fellow immigrant New Yorkers feel safe and supported by assisting with immigration services. With years of experience in various charitable organizations, she is passionate about helping people in her community. Mahrin is a proud Bengali-American fluent in Bangla.

A resident of Queens, Moreom is firmly committed to housing justice and believes in the power of tenants. Her vision is for healthy and affordable housing for all. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the New York City University and can speak Bengali, Hindi and Urdu, as well as basic Punjabi and Arabic.

Prior to joining Chhaya in 2019, Noor worked with Grameen America, Grameen PrimaCare, UNFPA, UN World Food Program, and the office of Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus. She holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and speaks Bengali, Hindi, and Urdu, and basic Russian and Arabic.

Phoolmaya has broad experience in community leadership as a business owner, past President of the Manang Samaj of New York, and active member of the Himalayan Buddhist Community of Nepal. She first joined Chhaya as a CNL Apprentice in 2017 assisting the housing preservation team and holds a Diploma in Fashion Design from the New York School of Design.

Rima applies her clinical skills to engage clients and help tenants understand how policies affect them. Her work to combat oppression has enabled her to work with people of diverse racial, socio-economic, and gender backgrounds. She holds a Master of Social Work from Hunter College and in 2018 was Social Worker of Queens Honoree. She is fluent in Bangla.

Samantha has taught English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) at Chhaya since 2018. An MA TESOL candidate at The New School for Public Engagement, Samantha views her role as an ESOL practitioner as a tool for social justice. Her teaching at Chhaya is energized by a love of learning about language and people. She is fluent in Spanish.

Tenying has more than five years of experience working for nonprofits serving immigrants. Raised in India, Nepal, and New York City, she understands the value of having a space where people feel welcomed and heard. Fluent in Tibetan, Hindi, Nepali and Sharchokpa (Bhutanese dialect), she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology.

Born and raised in Queens, New York. I graduated with a B/S in Economics from Saint John’s University. It was through my coursework that I discovered my passion for helping those who were less fortunate than me. I bring a passion for problem solving and helping people get on the right track to achieve their financial goals.

Yangchen manages Chhaya’s homeownership education and counseling and financial empowerment program. Since 2010, she has counseled 500+ clients, helping over 100 become first-time homeowners. A NeighborWorks certified counselor in Housing Counseling, Yanghen speaks Nepali, Hindi, Urdu and is proficient in Bengali and Tibetan.