About Us

Aishwarya moved from India to New York to study City and Regional Planning at the Pratt Institute. In her role at Chhaya, she seeks to learn more about community development and expand her knowledge in building financial stability for low-income families and individuals.

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.

Gurpreet joined Chhaya CDC in September 2015 as a CUNY Service Corps Intern. After completing his service year he became a fellow in partnership with Center For Neighborhood Leadership and Public Allies where he worked with the Housing Preservation team and helped members of the community purchase their first home. Gurpreet is currently Chhaya’s Financial Counselor, where he helps individuals on improving their financial health and creating economic stability. Gurpreet has grown up in the Jackson Heights area and is passionate about helping members of his community. He graduated from the City College of New York with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics in June of 2016. He is fluent in Punjabi and Hindi.

As a life-long tenant and the son of immigrants, Jagpreet is passionate in helping others overcome obstacles including: tenant harassment, unwarranted evictions, and lack of language accessible services that would prevent South Asians from falling through the cracks. As a Community Organizer, he leads civic engagement workshops and city-wide campaigns. He is fluent in Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu.

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.

Kay supports the Executive Director and manages communications and special events. Her prior roles include Administrative Editor for the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities and outreach consultant for the Human Development Report Office of the UN Development Programme.

Nayana’s experience immigrating to the United States informs her approach to counseling clients about the immigration process and their rights. In Nepal and India, she worked in community advocacy for vulnerable populations subject to caste discrimination and limited access to maternal health. She is fluent in Nepali, Hindi and Urdu.

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.

Born in Barisal, Bangladesh and raised in the Bronx, Syed is passionate about working with and supporting the South Asian community in New York. Syed has a B.A in Psychology from Franklin and Marshall College.

Shama brings over a decade of housing counseling experience in both pre-purchase and foreclosure prevention. Hailing from Bangladesh, she has been working with immigrant communities since she first arrived in the United States over 40 years ago. Her prior roles include Manager and Program Coordinator at Settlement Health and Case Manager with New York City’s Human Resources Administration.

Shrima’s work to protect the commercial stability and livelihoods of immigrant families in Jackson Heights is informed by her nonprofit experience, particularly serving refugees. Born in Nepal but raised in Elmhurst, she holds a B.A. in Anthropology and M.A. in Migration Studies. She is active in anti-displacement organizing.

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.

As Director of Housing Justice, Will seeks to ensure New York is an accessible and affordable place for immigrant and working families. The son of immigrants and a lifelong resident of Queens, he holds a Master’s Degree in International Political Economy and Development from Fordham University and a bachelor’s from CUNY-Queens College.

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.

Born and raised in Kampala, Uganda, Zohran moved with his family to New York City at the age of 7. A Bronx Science graduate, he went on to receive his B.A. in Africana Studies at Bowdoin College. Zohran’s first exposure to housing policy was via his work managing local political campaigns and canvassing efforts.