HOUSTON: Biden Administration Appoints 2 Indian-Origin Experts To Key Positions

HOUSTON: Two Indian-origin experts in
public service have been appointed by the Biden administration to key positions
at AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteering and service.

Sonali
Nijhawan has been named Director of AmeriCorps State and National, and Sri
Preston Kulkarni, 42, was appointed the new Chief of External Affairs.

Despite
having run for Congress twice unsuccessfully from Texas, Mr Kulkarni was
certainly noticed by the leadership in Washington.

His
appointment, along with Ms Nijhawan and Dan Kohl’s, reflects “the Biden
administration’s commitment to diverse leadership”, according to a release
by AmeriCorps.

In their
roles, these leaders will use service to support the administration’s agenda,
focusing on four of the most urgent challenges of our time: coronavirus,
economic recovery, racial equity, and climate change, the AmeriCorps said.

Mr
Kulkarni lost his race for the Texas District 22 seat in the US House of Representatives
to former Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls in November as the Democratic
nominee in a deeply Republican district.

Sri
Preston Kulkarni brings a variety of experience in service and public affairs
to AmeriCorps, including 14 years as a foreign service officer with the State
Department where he specialised in public diplomacy and worked in public
affairs and international information programmes, completing tours in Taiwan,
Russia, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica and Washington, the statement said.

Ms Nijhawan
has committed her career to developing leaders and growing national service.
Most recently, she developed and served as the executive director of Stockton
Service Corps, a six-year, $12 million initiative to address local needs
through AmeriCorps.

Her professional
background also includes extensive experience in education, AmeriCorps said in
a press release.

Inspired
by the students, families, and AmeriCorps community she met, she went on to
help found City Year Sacramento and launch the organisation’s 22nd site with 50
new AmeriCorps members.

Sonali
Nijhawan also served as the California director of Education Pioneers where she
recruited, placed, and supported managers in urban school systems and education
nonprofits, empowering people to challenge the status quo of our public
education system.

Promoted

She
earned a bachelor’s in education and psychology from Marquette University and a
master’s in social work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.