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Youth Activity Speakers
Amit Dungarani shares a strong passion and interest for the intersection between service, spirituality and inner growth. He received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Chicago. When Amit isn't working or spending time with his family and friends, his focus shifts to volunteering, meditation, and self-reflection. Amit has been a volunteer at ServiceSpace, a non-profit that has been popularizing gift culture through numerous online web portals and offline gift-economy experiments. Professionally, Amit works within the hedge fund and venture capital/private equity world. He worked at a start-up and, as the 4th employee in the company, helped grow the company to over 700 employees, providing leadership in the areas of client service delivery, business development, and operations.
Amit Jain is an "Ecowarrior", merging his passion for entrepreneurship, sustainability, and social responsibility. He currently is part of a small team developing the Los Angeles Green Business Certification Program. In addition, he is a consultant working with various Cleantech startups and green businesses in Southern California. Amit also provides project management and marketing communications strategies to organizations for re-branding with socially responsible messages. Amit received his MBA from Loyola Marymount University. He is also a LEED Accredited Professional and acquired a Certificate in Sustainable Business Management from University of California, Irvine.
Apurva Bhansali founded Softex in 1992 with his father, Mahendra Bhansali. Apurva became the CEO of Softex in 1998. Located in Austin, TX, Softex was named as an Inc. 500 Top 500 Fastest Growing Private Company in 2000. Softex employs approximately 35 people with offices in Austin and Mumbai. Apurva was involved in the creation of the Jain Sangh of Greater Austin and has served as President of the Sangh. Apurva is married to Nehal Bhansali, who is one of the founding Pathshala teachers in Austin, and they have two kids, Ayush (13) and Ashna (11).
Birju Pandya focuses on the nexus of money, social good, and inner transformation. He is a Managing Director with Armonia, a private investment firm specializing in supporting social entrepreneurs that use nature-based solutions. Birju is also a longtime volunteer of ServiceSpace, a non-profit that has been popularizing gift culture through numerous portals. Prior to this, Birju was a consultant with McKinsey & Company in New York City. He has a Bachelor degree from Arizona State University and an MBA from Columbia University.
JAINA Convention 2013
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