Dr. Sharla Madho-Khargi is a clinical psychologist trained in Cognitive Behavior therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Psychoanalysis, is in private practice in Queens, NY. She is currently an adjunct faculty at St. Johns University and City University of New York. She is also a Mental Health Consultant to the Ministry of Public Health for mental health services in Guyana. She currently serves as the Director of Clinical/Community Services for the Indian Diaspora Council (IDC) and has been conducting research internationally for the past 10 years with a focus on mental illness, domestic violence, and disability in both children and adults. She is past president of the division of psychoanalysis for the New York State Psychological Association, and serves as a member of the disaster recovery network as well as the social justice committee for the legislative division of NYSPA.

Ashook Ramsaran, born in Guyana, founder/president of the Indian Diaspora Council (IDC) and past president of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO). Actively engaged in Queens Civic Congress, Census 2020, New York Presbyterian Hospital Advisory Council, collaborates with St. John’s University Center for Caribbean & Latin American Studies, and others. Recipient of numerous awards local, national and international in recognition of his many years of outstanding community service.

John Albert, Esq. is a founding board member of Taking Our Seat, a local Queens-based organization working towards the political empowerment of the South Asian and Indo-Caribbean community. An attorney by training and a lobbyist by profession, John has been an active player in the recent redistricting effort of Queens’ neighborhoods. He has also worked with policymakers and key stakeholders to shape budget and policy initiatives designed to benefit after-school programs in New York City and nationwide. In his previous roles, John has developed legislative priorities and advocated on the behalf of domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, programs, and service providers.