Madhu Mehta
President
Madhu Mehta has been Awaaz’s President since 2020. She is the leadership force behind the growth of Awaaz. She has dedicated her retired life to advancing Awaaz’s mission – executed a well-thought-out strategic plan and expanded service offerings by building robust relationships within the community. As a long-time, San Antonio native, she is well respected in the community and brings a keen understanding of the issues faced by domestic violence survivors of South Asian descent. She joined Awaaz as a secretary in 2018. She actively liaisons with other domestic violence organizations such as S.O.A.R. and the Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence (C.C.D.V) in San Antonio.
She spent 28 years with USAA and retired as a Systems Analyst in 2016. She co-founded the Aarthi School of Indian Dance in San Antonio and was with them for over three decades as a student and teacher. She currently lives in San Antonio with her husband and enjoys spending her free time with her grandchildren.
Tapasi Misra
President
Tapasi Misra is one of the founders of Awaaz and is currently a Board member serving as Director of Outreach and Client Advocate. She moved to the USA at age 22 with her husband and attended the University of Austin as a student. Over the years she has proved to be a dedicated volunteer for various social, cultural, educational, and community organizations. She has worked with a local hospice organization and has worked with many women empowerment organizations. She is one of the Founders of Awaaz and is an invaluable asset to Awaaz.
Uma Kasinath
Director of Client Services
Uma Kasinath is a long-time resident of the San Antonio community – over 30 Years. She joined the Board of Awaaz in January 2020 after retiring as the head of Psychiatry at the Veterans Hospital in San Antonio. At Awaaz, she serves as the Director of Client Services and Board member amongst other responsibilities. In her 30 years in San Antonio, she has served on multiple community Boards as an executive providing her services to the community.
Jyotsna Sharma-Srinivasan
Secretary and Director of Grants
Jyotsna Sharma is a retired UTSA faculty, and a San Antonio resident since 1983. A Fulbright Scholar, Jyotsna has been recognized for her cutting-edge science research. She also volunteers in multiple community non-profits. She joined Awaaz as a volunteer in 2014 and became a board member in 2018. She has been an invaluable asset to Awaaz, with her grant writing skills, and as secretary on the Board. Since joining Awaaz she has brought in five grants that have helped our clients directly.
Bharti Patel
Treasurer
Bharti Patel joined Awaaz in 2018 as a Treasurer and has been with Awaaz since 2019. She has been in the US since 1995 and is very passionate about serving the community as a volunteer and philanthropist. A hotelier by profession, Bharti Patel has served as a board member for the Alamo Chamber of Commerce and as an executive on multiple social and cultural organizations in San Antonio.
Jinny Suh
Executive Director
Jinny has a long history as a Board member of AFSSA in Austin and has a lot of experience in the nonprofit world. She is excited to work towards broadening Awaaz’s reach and solidifying and expanding upon its mission as Awaaz moves into the future. Her professional experience is an amalgamation of working as an attorney, acting as an operation professional, and in general, doing the work that will put good out into the world.
Purvi Patel
Financial Consultant
Purvi Patel has been in San Antonio for about 25 years. She has completed her B.B.A in Business Management from the University of Texas San Antonio. She has over 16 years of business experience in the hotel industry from owning to daily hotel operations. She has been with Awaaz since 2015 as a treasurer for 3 years and came back again in 2023 as a financial consultant or board member. Goal to empower/mentor Domestic Violence clients to become financially independent.
Jane Shafer
Training
Jane Shafer worked in the domestic violence arena for 25 years for the City of San Antonio before retiring. Twenty-three of those years were at the San Antonio Police Department. She was responsible for the recruiting, training, and scheduling of volunteers with the Family Assistance Crisis Team (FACT). She also supervised the Special Victims Unit’s case managers and civilian staff. Working in this field, she provided training on various aspects of domestic violence at the Police Training Academy, to professional groups, civic, church, and educational groups, and organized trainings and conferences for the public. She currently serves as the Chairperson of the P.E.A.C.E. (Putting an End to Abuse through Community Efforts) Initiative. She also serves as a board member for Awaaz and continues to offer training.
Durga Suryadevara
Board Member
Durga Suryadevara has been practicing psychiatry in San Antonio for over thirteen years. She is currently employed by Trinity University and works with Trinity Counseling Services to evaluate and treat students struggling to maintain mental well-being. Her areas of expertise and interest include the spectrum of disorders in women’s health, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorders; she promotes a multimodal approach that treats the entire person. Dr. Suryadevara is a passionate student of the Indian dance form, Bharatanatyam, and has been learning Indian music for the last year. She is also on the board of the Chinmaya Education Foundation and works with the Chinmaya Mission of San Antonio. In addition to volunteering with Awaaz, she plans to start working with the Battered Women and Children’s Center of San Antonio. She and her husband are blessed with three children. Dr. Suryadevara’s goal in life is to learn as much as possible and continue to find ways to contribute to the well-being of others.
To contact our Board please email: awaaz.sa@gmail.com
Board of Advisors
- Dr. Lopita Nath
- Mr. Suhail Arastu
- Mrs. Roxanne Ponce
- Dr. Praful Mehta
Approach
Our approach is driven by the voices of our survivors
Empathy:
We are committed to understanding survivors of domestic violence by listening to them patiently and actively, without the slightest doubt, pre-conceived notion, or judgment.
Empower:
We work towards creating a safe space for survivors to think, speak, and plan their lives without fear. Offering them various options, resources, and services that could make them independent and self-sufficient.
Educate:
We focus on increasing awareness of the existence of domestic violence in South Asian communities, educating the communities about the multiple ramifications and intergenerational impact of domestic violence. We also build bridges between South Asian survivors and mainstream resource organizations by educating the latter about South Asian culture and traditions.
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