YJA Convention 2016 07 Los Angeles CA

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

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SPEAKERS
Tina Lapsia Tina was born in Mumbai, India but has lived in Connecticut her entire life. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut (Go Huskies!) with majors in Political Science and Economics, and has aspirations for law school. Tina is a die-hard Patriots fan and has an unhealthy obsession with Hrithik Roshan (seeing him about 50 feet away in India was one of the best moments of her life).Tina enjoys dancing, reading, trying out new foods, and watching political/legal dramas. This is Tina's second year on YJA board and her fourth convention, and she hopes #YJA16 will be the best one yet!
Tushar Mehta Dr. Tushar Mehta is a physician and activist from Toronto, Canada. He volunteers annually at a village hospital in Kutch, Gujarat. He works with various social and environmental organizations, including an Antarctic campaign protecting whales with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and with underprivileged youth through Project Canoe. Dr. Mehta helps organize an annual Jain camp where campers are taught practical understandings of Jainism. He emphasizes the connection between compassion towards animals, peace amongst humans, and preservation of the environment.
Umang Lathia Umang was born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit and is currently a sophomore at the University of Michigan studying Computer Science Engineering. He is also pursuing an International Minor and business experience through the Engineering Global Leadership program. This will be his third convention and his first year on board. Umang is a big fan of running, reading, and friendship (FRIENDSHIP!). You can catch him at a Michigan sporting event, cheering on his fellow wolverines, or on one of the fields playing IM sports (his favorite is dodge ball).
Umang Patel Umang is a San Francisco-based startup founder and DJ. He started his first company at age 14, and has since launched products to help people collect payments (PayTango), manage their finances (Stable), and plan events (Cloverbook). Last year, Umang traveled over 50,000 miles to DJ events for his entertainment company (Masala Entertainment). The teachings of Jainism have played an important role in helping him make tough decisions and navigate the ups and downs of life as an entrepreneur and DJ.
Vaibhav Jain Dr. Vaibhav Jain is a public health specialist from New Delhi, India. He is a health policy researcher at the American Institutes for Research, a think tank based in Washington, DC. Vaibhav moved to the U.S. in August 2011 to pursue his graduate studies at the George Washington University. Before coming to the U.S., Vaibhav practiced as a public health dentist in India. Vaibhav currently serves on the boards for various non-profit organizations dedicated to public health and women's rights.
Vashali Jain Vashali is a second-year student at the University of Virginia. She is a pre-medical student majoring in Neuroscience. In her free time, Vashali loves to dance, sing Disney songs, people watch (places with windowsills are perfect!), and experiment in the kitchen. As a Hospitality Co-Lead this year, she is excited to make everyone's convention run as smoothly as possible. She hopes that everyone will enjoy their convention experience!
Virag Vora Virag was born in Texas, but grew up in Foxboro, MA. He is a rising senior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, pursuing a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. He has been a Local Representative and was a part of the 2014 Convention Committee. He loves being a part of the PR team because of the creativity and excitement it involves. In his free time, Virag enjoys DJing and producing new tracks. He is extremely grateful to be a part of the 2016 Convention, and can't wait to see you there!
Yashwini Kamdar As a program manager, Yashwini Kamdar has managed multi-million dollar projects and diverse teams across the globe. She spoke about organization transformation in her TEDx talk in 2015, and about her journey to a healthier lifestyle at a women's workshop at SMC. She has been a Pathshala teacher for 13+ years and has presented about leadership, college to corporate life, resume reviews and mock interviews as a guest speaker at universities. She has completed 2 marathons, 5 half marathons, and several other races. In her free time she likes to box, do boot camp, and outdoor activities.
2016 YJA CONVENTION | LOS ANGELES, CA