YJA Convention 2012 07 Tampa FL Tenth 027618

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

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TARAK SHAH
Tarak Shah is a Special Assistant at the Department of Defense who focuses on energy policy. Prior to working at DoD, Tarak spent a year and a half working at the White House. His goal for JYA is to discuss what its like to be both gay and Indian, and in doing so, promote dialogue in our community about accepting gay Jains for who they are.
UJAS SHAH
Hi! I'm Ujas Shah, from Poughkeepsie, NY. I am now 22 years old and about to start my second year of medical school at Albany Medical College in Albany, NY. I previously went to college nearby at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, recently graduating with a B.S. in Biology as part of a 7-year BS/MD program. At RPI, where the Jain community is small/non-existent, I was involved in academic clubs such as the Society of Biological Sciences, and other clubs such as the Indian Student Association. Having lived in upstate New York my entire life, I'm a lifelong New York Yankees and Jets fan. I've used as much of my free time as possible outdoors taking advantage of the seasonal weather, regularly playing soccer, going camping, hiking, skiing, and recently taking up snowboarding as well.
Speaker Biographies
UMANG JAIN
Umang Jain is a 21-year old native of Wellesley, Massachusetts. He just graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago as a member of the 7 year combined medical program, with a degree in Political Science, and will be continuing on to Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine this August. Umang has been an active member of the Jain Center of Greater Boston and attended many YJAs and JAINAS in the past. Umang enjoys reenacting scenes from the Avengers movie. In his free time, he spontaneously yells, "Hulk SMASH!", and destroys his apartment.
VALERIE LOVE
Valerie is a committed changemaker dedicated to youth empowerment, sustainability, justice, and vibrant local economies. She studied Environmental and Intercultural Studies at Pitzer College. She has coordinated the Buy Fresh Buy Local program in Contra Costa, California; worked with a network of state and local governments to increase socially and environmentally responsible purchasing; and has taught workshops exploring transformational leadership for social change. She is currently serving as the WakeUp Program Coordinator at Generation Waking Up.
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iJain: Evolution of a Mind