Page 32 - The Indian EYE 021921

NORTH AmERIcAN Newsline February 19, 2021 | The Indian Eye 32

newsmakeRs oF the week

seat in the US House of Representatives to former Fort Bend
sRi pReston kULkaRni & sonaLi niJhawan County Sheriff Troy Nehls in November as the Democratic nom-
Two get key positions at inee in a deeply Republican district.

AmeriCorps said that in their roles, these leaders will use ser-
americorps vice to fulfill the administration’s agenda, based on the four most
urgent challenges of the time: coronavirus, economic recovery,
racial equity, and climate change.

pRonita GUpta

Biden’s names

special assistant for Labor

and workers

ndian American Pronita
Gupta was named President
IJoe Biden’s Special Assis-
tant for Labor and Workers
on the Domestic Policy Coun-
cil, according to a media re-
lease. The statement said that
onali Nijhawan was appointed as the Director of Ameri- most recently, Gupta served as
Corps State and National, and Sri Preston Kulkarni was the Director of the Job Quality
Snamed the Chief of External Affairs. The Biden administra- Team at the Centre for Law and
tion announced two Indian American public service experts to key Social Policy (CLASP). In her
positions at the federal agency for volunteering and service Amer- role at CLASP, she was commit-
iCorps. Sonali Nijhawan was appointed as the Director of Ameri- ted to advocating policies that
Corps State and National, and Sri Preston Kulkarni was named the improve workers’ job quality,
Chief of External Affairs. strengthen worker protections,
Nijhawan developed and served as the Executive Director of and boost economic security for
Stockton Service Corps, which is a $12-million initiative to ad- low-income working families.
dress local needs through AmeriCorps. She has devoted her ca-
reer to growing national services and developing leaders. Nijha- executive director of cLasp olivia Golden said:
wan also has vast experience in education. She went on to help
found City Year Sacramento and launch the organization’s 22nd “she [Gupta] is an extraordinary leader who places
site with 50 new AmeriCorps members. people with low incomes and people of color at the

nijhawan also was the california director of core of her work and powerfully combines passion

education pioneers. in her role, she recruited, and vision with deep, detailed, practical knowledge.

placed, and supported managers in urban school i cannot think of anyone who could better serve

systems and non-profit educational organizations, president biden and the nation in advancing this
urging people to challenge the status quo of our crucial agenda.”

public education system. Golden added that in Gupta’s nearly four-year-long career
at CLASP, Gupta was a leader nationally and, in the states,
According to a statement by AmeriCorps, Kulkarni has an worked towards policies that improved the jobs of workers
extensive and variety of experience in service and public affairs with low income, played an important role in the Work Family
to AmeriCorps. He served as a foreign service officer with the Strategy Council, and partnered with colleagues around the
State Department for 14 years where he specialized in public di- country.
plomacy, worked in public affairs and international information Gupta served as Deputy Director, Women’s Bureau at the
programs. During his tenure, he completed tours in Iraq. Israel, US Department of Labor from April 2014 to January 2017,
Taiwan, Russia, Jamaica, and Washington. under the Barack Obama administration.
Previously, Kulkarni has lost his race for the Texas District 22 Continued on next page... >>

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