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Harsha Nahata | Saginaw, MI
Born and raised in metro Detroit, Harsha Nahata is a freelance journalist from Saginaw, MI. She spent 3 years focusing on service in public education, economic development and design consulting for nonprofits, and independently producing a documentary-before finding her passion for storytelling. Harsha loves getting lost in new places and spontaneously breaking out into Bollywood dances. You can always find a copy of The Alchemist and a jar of Nutella next to her bed.
Hema Pokharna | Chicago, IL
Dr. Pokharna is a Collaborative and Transformational Professional Coach. She was born and raised in India and immigrated to the U.S., where she became a medical researcher. For over 20 years, she has worked to train people worldwide in the disciplines of Nonviolent Communication. She works with clients to manage conflict, lead out of a deep connection to what they and their teams value, and make practical choices to attain their goals while sustaining healthy interpersonal communication.
Hemali Shah | Chicago, IL.
Hemali was brought up in the suburbs of Chicago. She currently works as the Senior Residency Coordinator for General Surgery at the University of Illinois-Chicago. She enjoys cheering on local Chicago teams, traveling, and spending time with family. She completed her Bachelor's in Kinesiology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In addition to being a speaker, she's also a subcommittee member for JNF. She has attended YJA in the past, and is excited for this year's YJA convention.
Hemang Srikishan | Elgin, IL
Hemang grew up in the suburbs of Chicago as a son of a Hindu father and a Jain mother. His dual religious identity led him to explore both Hindu and Jain philosophy and practice. Hemang is passionate about service and served as an Indicorps fellow in Kutch, India in 2008. In Kutch, he worked on education programs with the children of migrant laborers. Hemang currently teaches middle school math as a Chicago Public School teacher.
Hetali Lodaya | Ann Arbor, MI
Hetali is a law student at the University of Michigan, focused on Education Law and Advocacy. Previously, she worked at VentureLab, a nonprofit that provides entrepreneurship and tech programs for K-12 classrooms. She has held a variety of leadership positions with YJA and loves the opportunity that the YJA Convention provides to make new friends and discuss tough questions! Jain youth have incredible potential to make change, and she hopes her session will give you a glimpse of that power.
Jamie Shah | Chicago, IL
Jamie started her career at Goldman Sachs in investment banking. After completing the Analyst program, she moved to San Francisco to join Google on their Maps team. She then received her MBA from UChicago, with concentrations in entrepreneurship and finance, and worked for Hyde Park Venture Partners and Hyde Park Angels. She decided to join her family's business, Chem-Impex, and has been with it for over five years and continues to enjoy the challenge of scaling and growing a business.
86 2018 YJA CONVENTION | CHICAGO, IL
