YJA Convention 2012 07 Tampa FL Tenth 027618

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

Page 54

PARAG MEHTA
Parag Mehta is a communications specialist with experience in government, politics and community advocacy. He has served in the last three presidential administrations and has also worked on numerous political campaigns. Mehta served on President Obama's Transition Team as a Public Liaison for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Americans. In 2009, former Governor Gary Locke recruited Mehta to manage his confirmation to become U.S. Secretary of Commerce. From 2005-2008, Mehta worked for the Democratic National Committee as Director of Training and Director of External Communications during four of the most successful election cycles in the modern history of the Party. In 2004 Mehta was Deputy Political Director of America Votes, one of the largest political action committees in the nation. Prior to that, he served as a Deputy Political Director for the presidential campaign of former Governor Howard Dean. Mehta is a second-generation Indian American from Central Texas. He currently directs communications for a civil rights agency at the U.S. Department of Labor.
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
PARAG PAREKH
Parag was born and raised in New York City and is probably the only native NY'er you'll ever meet that is a fan of the Boston Red Sox. After winning numerous awards for his research project on the effects of television viewing on the ability to recall memorized information, he pursued a psychology major in college. Parag received a B.A. in psychology and then went to law school, where he received a JD and a LL.M. in Taxation. Since graduation, he has been working as a real estate attorney in Manhattan, initially for the state government and now, in private practice, for a firm. Parag has been involved with YJA for a few years, including as a member of the YJA Executive Board and convention committees (and currently the JNF Committee 2012 Co-Lead), and has hosted creatively fun teambuilding sessions at past conventions. He enjoys watching and playing basketball and really loves cupcakes!
PARAS DOSHI
Jai Jinendra, everyone! My name is Paras Doshi and I am your Director of Events for YJA 2011-2012. I am from New Jersey and I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. I am currently a Process Engineer, working for L'Oreal USA in New Jersey. I absolutely love sports (playing and watching), dancing, working out at the gym, travelling, watching movies, riding roller coasters, and learn more about Jainism. One thing I really want to do is skydive.
54
YJA CONVENTION 2012 | Tampa, FL