SIKH AMERICAN - Key Persons
Amman Deep Singh Seehra is a nationally recognized leading attorney and executive known for his passion for public service. He has dedicated his career to addressing food insecurity, overcoming racial and social injustice, and many other topics through policy, advocacy, and training for the past 20 years. In 2014, Amman co-founded the ONE Project which is a non-profit organization designed to unite people from different faiths and backgrounds to address social needs in our community through volunteerism and education.
Job Titles:
- Director of Communications
Amrita is a communications professional with over six years of experience in digital media production and strategic communication, in both the private and not-for-profit sectors. Along with a proven track record of leading high-level, integrated communications strategy for advocacy organizations, she also has experience in developing social strategy and campaigns for private health practices and community-based non-profits. Amrita is passionate about public health, storytelling, and digital communication.
Coming from humble minority roots, Arveen Kohli is a zealous entrepreneur looking to pay it forward through non-profit and private organizations. She is the Founder, President, and CEO of 11th Dimension Services. Prior to that, Arveen served as the Federal Services Leader at Dell Technologies, working with Fortune 50 Companies.
Bhagdeep (Dee) has been in the convenience store industry for close to three decades, beginning in the family gas station at the age of 14, working full-service on weekends. Since then, Dee has worked continuously in the Gas & Convenience industry, buying, selling, and developing Chevron branded sites in the greater Bay Area. Dee feels strongly about giving back to his community. To this end, he serves on the board of directors of several organizations for some of which he is a founding member.
Deval graduated from the George Washington University with a B.A. in Economics and Political Science. On top of that, Deval has worked in the U.S. House of Representatives under Congressman Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr. as a Communications and Legislative Intern. In the past, Deval has interned at SALDEF as a Media and Communications Intern and later served as the Program Coordinator for the SikhLEAD 2019 Summer Intern Cohort. During this time, Deval found her passion for content creation, civil rights activism, and the intersectionality of NGOs and policymakers.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Employment Lawyer
Gurjit Chima Jan is an employment lawyer barred in NY and NJ with almost two decades of experience leading in the areas of equal employment opportunity, civil rights, employment law, DEIB best practices and change management. She has worked in the public, private and non-profit sectors and currently leads DEIB and EEO compliance for a county of approximately 200,000. Gurjit has always been an unflinching advocate for religious tolerance and inclusion, both areas in which she first became interested at the age of 7.
Jaspreet's work at the organization's national office in Washington, DC includes managing operations; leading human resources; supporting financial oversight, and augmenting community engagement. Jaspreet is currently leading an effort to streamline internal processes, including knowledge management and transition, so SALDEF can better serve the Sikh American community for decades to come. Jaspreet is also currently coordinating SALDEF's signature SikhLEAD program.
Her previous experience includes serving as a Human Resource manager and running a small business. Jaspreet earned an MBA with concentrations in Marketing and Human Resources from Punjab University.
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Distinguished Product Leader
Juspreet Kaur is a distinguished Product Leader in the Tech Industry, renowned for her expertise in human-centered design and crafting exceptional digital experiences. Beyond her illustrious career, Juspreet is deeply committed to Service, a core value that defines her character. In addition to her role at SALDEF, Juspreet is a member of the San Antonio Public Library Board and the Customer Advisory Council for a major Airline. Juspreet's commitment to service extends beyond boardrooms and meetings - she actively engages in meaningful community initiatives where she stands as an inspiring leader, shaping the future through her service-oriented approach and innovative mindset.
Jyot Singh is an advocate for highly targeted communities, bringing a professional background in software development to the fight to protect all Americans' civil rights online. Jyot is a full stack advocate, with experience ranging from successfully leading nationwide grassroots civic engagement programs to advocacy at the highest levels in Washington, DC and the private sector. In his time as a policy associate and policy manager at SALDEF, he led the re-invention of the research division; the establishment of new coalitions with key partners; and the development of best-in-class tech policy competencies.
He currently leads advocacy efforts for the Center for Tech & Society at the Anti-Defamation League, building toward a future without online hate. He continues to manage strategy for the SALDEF research division and advises SALDEF on tech policy and coalitional government affairs. He is deeply appreciative of the opportunity to to continue leveraging his DC network, presentation ability, and writing skills to support the nation's oldest Sikh American advocacy organization as it advances the Sikh American agenda of equality, liberty, and dignity for all.
Jyot also holds a Masters in Public Policy from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University, conferred in 2021. Prior to pivoting to the nonprofit sector, Jyot worked in product marketing and product development for software startups in the San Francisco Bay Area. He also holds a Bachelor's in Economics with a minor in Political Science from Tufts University, and is a proud alumnus of the SikhLEAD DC class of 2014.
Kavneet has worked in the healthcare space for over 20 years, as a leader and consultant. Most recently he was with Kaiser Permanente where he was responsible for Performance Management and Strategy Execution. Kavneet has brought these skills to SALDEF, advising on strategy and assisting in training local, state, and federal law enforcement officials about Sikhism, the Sikh American community, civil rights and diversity. He serves as the Vice Chair of the Asian American Media Alliance and instructs students in Sikh history and Ethos at the El Sobrante Gurdwara.
Ms. Gill is an accomplished professional with exemplary executive experience. In her role as Executive Director, she is responsible for executing and overseeing programs related to policy, research, education, civic engagement, and youth leadership for the Sikh American community. Prior to coming on board as Executive Director of SALDEF, Ms. Gill was a volunteer trainer for SALDEF conducting Sikh Awareness training around the country for schools, law enforcement, and state/local government and she worked with the New Jersey Attorney General's office to develop statewide curricula. She also helped to establish the SikhLEAD New Jersey program which encourages civic engagement among Sikh students.
Additionally, Ms. Gill ran her own company and served as president and CEO of PARS Environmental, Inc., an environmental consulting firm in New Jersey from 2003 - to 2017. During that period the company experienced significant growth. In 2014, Ms. Gill was selected as "Small Business Person of the Year" by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), representing the State of New Jersey at the National SBA conference in Washington, D.C. Ms. Gill was also selected among the Best 50 Women in Business by NJBiz and listed among the top 40 Entrepreneurs under 40 by NJBiz the same year.
Ms. Gill served as a board member of The ONE Project, an interfaith and community coalition organized to address social needs through education and volunteerism, and was the president and a founding member of Inspiring South Asian American Women (ISAAW) an organization dedicated to promoting civic and community engagement among South Asian American women. In 2018, Ms. Gill was named among the top 50 most influential people of color in New Jersey by ROI-NJ.
Job Titles:
- Civic and Community Engagement Associate
Mandeep graduated from Cal State East Bay University in Hayward California with a B.S. in Criminal Justice and is a certified Paralegal. In her free time she teaches Punjabi at the Hayward Gurdwara on Sundays and runs a small business making chocolate covered strawberries. Mandeep has also worked in a criminal defense law firm and has clerical experience. She has also just joined SALDEF as the Civic and Community engagement associate. She aspires to make a difference in the community and voice her opinions on matters that affect others. Mandeep is passionate about justice, truth and communication.
Mandeep Heera graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and later studied Peacebuilding at American University School of International Service and International Relations abroad at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. He is passionate about public policy, government, and advocacy. He is consistently learning how to strengthen the capacity of communities and organizations to get the most out of their elected officials.
Mandeep is originally from the Pacific Northwest and loves the outdoors. He is an avid hiker and runner as well as a massive fan of the Mariners and Seahawks.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder
- Member of the Board
- Founder and President of Agilious
Manjit Singh is the founder and President of Agilious, a technology consulting firm, and the co-author of The Lean Playbook: Build a Lean Organization Yourself. He co-founded SALDEF in 1996 with a mission to protect the rights of Sikh Americans through legislative advocacy, public education, legal assistance and accurate portrayal of the Sikh religion. Manjit is a staunch advocate for social justice, civil liberties and religious liberties for all humans, regardless of faith, race, ethnicity, gender and national origin.
Navdeep Singh is a public policy and public affairs professional with over a decade of experience leading advocacy, community engagement, and policy programs in non-profit organizations. His work centers on building, uplifting, and valuing community. He uses legal, communications, and organizational strategy tools to help communities and organizations flourish.
He has deep expertise on issues important to diverse communities, including civil rights issues, diversity, equity, and inclusion, immigration, hate crimes and discrimination, language access, and voting rights. He has experience working in faith communities, with the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander, South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh communities, and with bipartisan legislators and policymakers at the federal and state level.
He previously served as the Policy Director of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and as the Policy Director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF). He was the co-chair of the Civil Rights Committee of the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA). He holds a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and is a graduate of the University of Virginia. He serves on the boards of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Pennsylvania and the Sikh American History Project.
Job Titles:
- Treasurer
- Partner at Armory Square Ventures
Prabhdeep currently serves as a Partner at Armory Square Ventures, a technology venture capital firm based in NY. Prabhdeep has also held a number of leadership roles at Uber, including the Head of Enterprise and General Manager of several markets for Uber Eats. Prabhdeep has been involved in advocating for the Sikh American community most of his life, having spent many years volunteering and fundraising for various Sikh causes. His family also started Camp Chardi Kala where he's been an active supporter for over 30 years.
Puneet has diverse experience working in the Non-profit & Education sectors for the last 10 years. She is passionate about working with the Sikh youth and has been volunteering her time within the community, serving in various capacities. She has a vision of educating and empowering our Sikh youth to prepare them for leadership positions in the future.
Puneet has an MS in Non-profit Management from the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) and a BS in Information Systems from IITM, India. She is currently serving as an Ambassador in the UPenn Alumni Association and DEI committee.
Rajvir, a long-time volunteer with SALDEF, was born in London, England before his life's journey led him to the United States. Throughout his childhood and later the harsh realities of post 9/11 America, he personally experienced discrimination and harassment as a Sikh American. These experiences ignited a passion within him to challenge stereotypes, bridge cultural divides, foster understanding, and advocate for the rights of Sikh Americans. Rajvir attended law school at Rutgers as part of his mission to continue to advocate for the Sikh community and is currently a partner at Hoagland, Longo, Moran, Dunst & Doukas, LLP in New Brunswick, NJ.
Job Titles:
- Management Consultant
- Member of the Board
Simran is a management consultant with a deep commitment to supporting marginalized faiths in memory of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji's memory. He was the Head of Corporate Strategy for Akal Security, the largest employer of retired American police officers in the world and the largest US private military contractor, at a time at which Sikhs could not serve in uniform. The organization played a crucial role in safeguarding U.S. government interests across more than 350 American cities and 120 countries.
Soni Singh has been in the Education field for the past decade through various settings with diverse needs.
As a Secondary STEM Educator, she has taught Advanced Science subjects and created student-centric Magnet curriculum, to encourage holistic learning and exceed educational goals. Additionally, she has served high-needs institutions by teaching Arts Integration through modeling Harvard's Project Zero Initiative.
She aims to cultivate a community of forever learners through leading and facilitating professional development seminars on best practices.
Soni's also had the opportunity to participate in and co-create Interfaith and Sikh-specific projects, such as GAAVANI, which combined both Arts and Education, to make Gurbani accessible through Sikh female-led participation.