Our Volunteers
Enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers are really what make things happen at Design For Development. We're extremely lucky to have a great group of people working to address poverty through design.
Shane Dallas resides in Brisbane, Australia where he is employed as a public servant. He has been involved in volunteer work for over two decades, and is now concentrating his efforts in the international arena. Shane is an enthusiastic and passionate traveller, photographer, writer and public speaker. He is currently undertaking PhD research on the relationship between public policy and social capital.
Angelica Ghindar is a PhD student in political science at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the United States. She is currently working on her dissertation on political patronage in the new democracies in Central and Eastern Europe. While enjoying the wonderful food and weather of the Bay Area, Angelica regularly runs in medium and long distance races. Crossing the finishing line of a marathon takes a lot of work and determination, similar to successfully completing a development project in developing countries. She is just starting her volunteer work and remains very hopeful her contribution will positively impact lives.
A Graduate of the University of Madras with a Masters Degree in Commerce, Lavanya Kamath holds diplomas in Textile Design as well as in Multimedia and Web Design. She works for Financial Planners, assisting them in their administrative section and also helping them computerize their operations.
Lavanya lives with her parents in Chennai, India and believes that her skills are best used when they are utilized for the betterment of the global populace. A computer and net savvy person, she has been doing online volunteering for NGOs by providing services like internet research, and proof reading. Her involvement with Design for Development is through United Nations Online Volunteers.
Lorna Mabunda is a seasoned and versatile Information Professional with diverse experience in corporate, government, nonprofit, legal, and academic organizations. Currently based in the United States, her principal field of expertise is Internet Research with a strong background in Content Development, Knowledge Management, and Writing and Editing. A published poet, she has gained valuable experience in radio, publishing, venture capital, e-business/management consulting, environmentalism and national government.
Supreet Maniktala graduated from Babson College, which is known for its entrepreneurship program. Because she specialized in this area, she believes that microfinance and designing products to meet the needs of the poor will promote the economic growth of developing countries. She also has an interest in global health issues and microinsurance. She loves traveling and has lived in India and Spain for a short period of time. She currently resides in Massachusetts in the United States and loves to dance, read, and learn about new cultures.
Currently completing her Masters in International Development, Alicia McCoy is a trained Social Worker who works on the paediatric and obstetric wards of a major metropolitan hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Alicia will spend a month travelling through Cambodia in September and plans to spend 2008 volunteering as an aid worker in Asia.
A graduate in mass communication and journalism, Nupur Sachdeva is currently using her talent for the benefit of others through her involvement in the United Nations Volunteer program. From participation in education editorial boards to translating works for international youth organizations, Nupur is commited to contributing positively to society. Currently residing in New Delhi, India, she is a member of the Voice of Youth Forum and the South Asian Regional Forum, both established by UNICEF.
Kala Sivasubramanian is a manager and technical lead at Ariba, Inc., a leading provider of spend management solutions. As a member of the field technology team, Kala implements technical procurement solutions to meet business requirements. Based in New Jersey in the United States, she has lived and worked in India, Australia and the United States. In her spare time, Kala enjoys cultural sightseeing, visiting art galleries, reading fiction, watching movies, playing the piano, internet surfing and online volunteering.