YJA Convention 2016 07 Los Angeles CA

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

Page 45

SPEAKERS
Anjali Doshi Anjali Doshi recently graduated Columbia University with a BA in Biophysics, and will be starting her MS in Biomedical Engineering at Columbia in the fall. She was a Pathshala teacher at JSMC and has been a player, moderator, and an administrator for Jain Academic Bowl at several JAINA and YJA conventions. She was honored to receive the JAINA Youth Recognition Award in 2013. She has been vegan since YJA 2008 and is always excited to try vegan desserts. Her favorite principle in Jainism is the idea of Anekantvaad, which inspires her to try to be tolerant and open-minded to other viewpoints.
Anjali Lalani Anjali is the author of Vegetarian Gastronomy, a website dedicated to 100% Vegan Cooking. She is a mom of two beautiful kids, & wife to an amazing husband. She studied at UC Berkeley and UC San Diego and has a Masters' Degree in Bioengineering. She worked as an engineer for 10 years, giving up her job to raise her kids and pursue her passion in cooking through her blog. She converted to a 100% vegan diet over a year ago after being Vegetarian all her life. Anjali hopes to inspire others to cook, create, and learn how simple it can be to cultivate a healthy and delicious plant-based lifestyle.
Ankit Shah Ankit is currently the managing partner at the Dopamine Agency, the world's leading agency focused on designing for behavior. At Dopamine, Ankit leads both strategy and design areas while also managing the day to day. Prior to Dopamine, Ankit served as the behavior design lead for Emerging Technology at Bank of America and was a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. Ankit is heavily involved in both for and non-profit advisory roles. Serving as an EIR at two ventures firms and an advisor at two venture backed startups helps Ankit stay immersed in today's technology world while also advising non-profits on helping drive behavior for social change.
Apurva Bhansali Apurva is the founder and CEO of Softex, the company he started in 1992 alongside his father, Mahendra, Today, Softex is a leading provider of biometric and other security software. Located in Austin, TX, Softex was named as one of Inc. 500 Magazine's Top 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in 2000. He was involved in the creation of the Jain Sangh of Greater Austin, served as President, and is now on the Executive Committee of the Austin Jain Community Center currently under construction. He lives with his wife, Nehal, and two kids, Ayush and Ashna.
Arpit Mehta Arpit is a Bioinformatics Scientist working with University of Miami, he has published research in human genomics in top journals of this area. He has special interest in Jainism as a science of life. He was a former Director of Education for YJA and presently Director of PR for YJP. He won the Jain youth leadership award at JAINA in 2015.
Ashok Domadia Ashok Domadia has served JAINA for the last 10 years and is the current JAINA President. He was instrumental in hosting the first Badi Diksha outside India in 2011 at JCNC in the Bay Area. As the Founder and Chairman of the AINA Campus Outreach Committee for Youths, Ashok initiated a program to link Jain college students with local jain communities. As the global community discovers the value of Jainism, he hopes that JAINA, with your help as Agents of Change can lead the world in this revolution for ecological awareness, animal rights, nonviolence, and vegetarianism/veganism.
Avish K. Jain Avish is from Freehold, NJ, & will be attending Drexel University's College of Medicine this fall. He has been classically trained in Hindustani music and has been performing in the tri-state area for 14 years (check out his Facebook page, 'Musical Avish',for covers posted every week!). He hosted his own radio show for 4 years and was a dancer on Philadelphia's Broad Street Baadshahz for 3. He founded Roshan Care Foundation, a non-profit organization in the name of his grandfather, to raise funds for those in need. This is his first YJA convention, and he is really excited to meet everyone!
Avni Shah Avni Shah is an architect and filmmaker based in Los Angeles, CA. In her professional work, Avni is engaged in working with neighborhoods and communities to design thoughtful spaces in urban environments. She combines her background in architecture and development with social and environmental initiatives. Avni is currently directing and producing a documentary on the role of mega-projects in transforming cities. Coming soon, White Elephants' investigates the lessons learned and legacy from the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
AGENTS OF CHANGE