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Speakers
Ms. Poorvi Parekh has been a teacher at the Jain Center of Southern California for over 17 years. She completed her bachelor's in economics, Hong Kong University and her MBA at Shenandoah University in Virginia. She is particularly involved in activities that can improve the visibility of Jainism in the mainstream community through education and interfaith activities. She conducts a workshop for high school children in the application of Jain principles in their day to day activities. She represents the Jain Center and Jainism in a wide variety of events in Southern California. Ms. Parekh is an investment professional by occupation and has been a resident of California since 1996. She is President and CEO of Canterbury Consulting Inc.
Ms. Rajvinder Chehl is a psychotherapist, educator, facilitator, and entrepreneur, as well as a member of the Sikh Temple and Gurudwara of Plymouth, MI. She earned her bachelor's degree from North Carolina State University and her master's degree from Oakland University. Raj was born in a small village in the northern state of Punjab in India and moved to the United States when she was seven years old. As a result of her father's foreign service with the United Nations, Raj moved to Sudan and has traveled extensively throughout Africa, Europe and Asia. She has served on the Board for Michigan Asian Indian Family Services (MAIFS) as well as Wisdom in Metro Detroit. She is a panelist on the PBS show "Interfaith Odyssey."
Dr. Harsha Jayatilake, MD, is a Professor at Wayne State Medical School and Michigan State Osteopathic School, and Director of the Michigan Wellness Center. He is the lead physician involved with the development of St. Mary's Hospital's Integrative Medicine Program. He is a Member of Great Lakes Buddhist Vihara in Southfield, MI, and President of the Michigan Chapter of Sarvodaya Organization of Sri Lanka. Since 2003, he has been practicing Integrative Holistic Medicine at his consultative practice, where he integrates most of evidence-based complemetary and alternative modalities with conventional medicine.
Dr. Kathy Hurt is presently Senior Minister at Birmingham Unitarian Church in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. She did her schooling and training at Rice University, University of Chicago and Meadville/ Lombard Theological School. She has served the Unitarian Universalist Congregations in Michigan and California.
Jainism: The Global Impact