HUMANE HEARTLAND - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- President, Air Pegasus Heliport, Inc.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Vice - Chair of the Board
Job Titles:
- Chief Growth Officer
- Senior Vice President
- Senior Vice President and Chief Growth Officer at American Humane
Biography
Cheryl Lesko is Senior Vice President and Chief Growth Officer at American Humane, where she oversees the organization's marketing and fundraising. Cheryl has dedicated her career to serving the missions of several non-profit organizations. As an accomplished leader in fundraising and non-profit management, she has a broad range of experience developing and executing strategies to drive revenue growth, resulting in mission impact.
In her most recent role at National 4-H Council, Cheryl developed the national strategy for the organization's Agriculture platform and forged corporate partnerships with Fortune 500 companies to support youth across the country. She also constructed and led the organization's Individual Giving department, including mass, major and planned giving; and introduced the first stewardship strategy to recognize the commitment of donors. In addition, Cheryl brings considerable expertise in aligning strategies with integrated marketing teams, with a focus on digital marketing, for a comprehensive approach to fundraising across the organization and resulting in national visibility.
In past roles at Canine Companions for Independence and The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Cheryl directed and advanced major philanthropic activities across capital projects, board campaigns, planned, corporate, individual and foundation giving. She drove all fundraising communications and community relations, cultivating relationships with staff, board members and high-profile donors.
Cheryl enjoys connecting donors to their passions and helping them see the impact their support has on the mission. She is recognized for building a strong work culture and teams and was the recipient of a peer-nominated culture award.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Director
- Member of the Board
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Philanthropy Consultant
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Senior Vice President
- Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at American Humane
Biography
Dr. Kashyap Choksi is Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at American Humane, where he oversees the organization's Humane Certification programs, rescue efforts, and Pups4Patriots service dog program. Dr. Kashyap Choksi joined American Humane in 2023, bringing with him a strong background in establishing strategic partnerships, fundraising, and public policy.
Prior to joining American Humane, Choksi was the Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, where he successfully leveraged congressionally mandated matching dollars in research funding. Previously as the Assistant Dean for Development at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Maryland, he focused on alumni engagement, donor relations, and individual, corporate, and planned giving for the college. In addition to this, Choksi worked as the Managing Director for Conservation International Singapore and in various other roles in non-profit development and management including as Vice President at National 4-H Council and Director of International Advancement at Harvard University.
Dr. Kashyap Choksi received a doctorate in public administration and policy from Virginia Tech. He also earned a master's degree in international affairs and a Master of Public Administration from Ohio University. He received his law and economics degrees from the University of Madras, India.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Officers Team
- Secretary of the Board
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Member of the Officers Team
Job Titles:
- Chief Technology Officer
- Chief Technology Officer for American Humane
Biography
Karthik Devarajan is the chief technology officer for American Humane, the country's first national humane organization.
Devarajan has more than 15 years of experience serving nonprofit and educational organizations. Prior to his appointment with American Humane, Devarajan served as the senior director of IT at the Association of American Colleges & Universities, helping them implement technology solutions that expanded their membership to international markets and helped them pivot to a virtual model for conferences, institutes and workshops.
Before that, Devarajan was the director of IT at Maryland Legal Aid and has advised other non-profits across the country in technology evaluations and decision-making.
"I am honored and humbled to join an enormously important organization that is committed to improving the lives of animals," said Mr. Devarajan. "American Humane has been at the forefront of every major advance in the humane field and I'm thrilled to join an exceptional team of colleagues to accelerate its impact through transformative technology."
Devarajan holds a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from National Institute of Technology, an MS in Information Systems from University of Nebraska and an MBA from University of Arkansas. He enjoys combining his love of travel with his interest in different cuisines. Devarajan is fluent in Tamil and Hindi. He lives with his wife and two sons in Maryland.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Author, Producer and Philanthropist
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Wealth Advisor
Job Titles:
- National Director, American Humane Hollywood
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Retired Retail Executive
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Airline Industry Veterinarian
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Officers Team
- President
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- President, Rental Properties, Inc.
Stephanie Carmody - Chief Compliance Officer, Chief Legal Officer, SVP
Job Titles:
- Chief Compliance Officer
- General Counsel
- Senior Vice President
- General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for American Humane
Biography
Stephanie Carmody is General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for American Humane, the country's first national humane organization. She is based in American Humane's national headquarters in Washington, D.C., where her responsibilities include managing the organization's legal department, ensuring corporate and policy compliance, advising the board of directors, and overseeing the technology department.
Ms. Carmody joined American Humane in 2012, bringing with her more than 15 years of legal experience representing the interests of foreign and domestic clients. Prior to joining American Humane, Ms. Carmody was a solo-practitioner and, before then, an associate with the national law firm of Steptoe & Johnson, specializing in the area of intellectual property. Ms. Carmody's practice included the counsel and education of non-profit organizations on all aspects of trademark, copyright, and domain name law in the United States and internationally.
Upon graduation from law school, she served as Law Clerk to the Honorable Steffen Graae at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Ms. Carmody received her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and her B.S. in Economics from George Mason University. She is a member of the Virginia State Bar and the District of Columbia Bar.