Our advisory board members come from different professional backgrounds which include Technology, Education, Finance, HR, and Social Development. They bring unique knowledge and skills that help us in strategic decision-making to keep us centered on the path of community well-being.
Janaki Visvanath
Janaki is an HR professional from Tata Institute of Social Sciences and has spent her life working in core Human Resource areas in various sectors. A corporate HR person, a certified Coach in her first avatar! An entrepreneur with primarily an interest in community development, Janaki successfully ran a community bookstore called twistntales in Pune for more than a decade. She has now decided to focus her HR skills in the Social Sector. She founded SHB Social Foundation to work on various aspects of mental wellness. Providing safe spaces for persons to share their problems, find clarity, courage and direction is the primary purpose of Listening Post, one of the flagship programmes of the Foundation. She works closely with Corporate HR on diversity and sensitisation training (gender, disability) and to help create the new healthy professional workplace. She serves as an External Member on POSH committees (ICCs) for many organizations. She consults with them for their diversity and mental wellness initiatives. Young adults, children and women are the focus of many of her initiatives. She works closely with Educational Institutions to build emotional and social life skills training into the Curriculum. Through SHB Social Foundation, she has designed programs for Senior citizens and home caregivers too. Janaki is also on the Board of Trustees in Bharatiya Samaj Seva Kendra (BSSK), an eminent institution in Pune in the area of childcare and adoptions.
Kaushal Sanghavi
Kaushal is an enthusiastic follower/ teacher of technology and has been with this programme since inception. A Berkeley alumni, software and marketing are his passions. A young man with two young kids, he still makes time to be here for our Smartphone Assistance program for senior citizens.
Lata Ananth
Lata is a genial, fun loving and patient soul. A teacher by profession, she volunteers in Listening Post. She's been with Listening Post since inception. Being an Army wife, Lata has spent lot of her time travelling to all corners of the country and has interesting stories from schools all over where she has worked. Lata has worked with very young children for a long time and is good with kids and parents.
Neena Khaire
Neena, a simple and clear-thinking person is good with adolescents and parents. She’s experienced and with Listening Post since inception. Level headed and focused, she’s able to connect very well with walk-ins and brings clarity to the conversation.
Padmaja Pore
Padmaja is a happy-go-lucky person with a positive attitude, who loves to constantly explore new things. Her professional experience is in HR as well as software development. She loves to read and enjoys good music. For Padmaja, volunteering for the Smartphone Assistance programme is an enriching experience that has helped her to give back to society. In her words “It's truly holding hands together for a better today and tomorrow".
Dr. Raj Swaminathan
Dr. Raj is a Corporate Honcho and has had a very satisfying and professionally fulfilling career spanning 35 years in some of the top IT and Banking firms. He has held various senior executive positions in the corporate sector, the last role being that of CEO of Indus Software, in Pune. As part of the RSystems Group, he was a key member of the Board. He is currently pursuing his many interests and newer passions in consulting, CXO advisory & coaching besides academics. He's a Mechanical Engineer and an MBA (XLRI) by education. Dr. Raj is particularly interested in Senior Citizen Wellness & Elder Care, an important area of concern and a much neglected societal priority.
Shankar Seetharaman
Shankar Seetharaman is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and has over 35 years of experience as a practicing chartered accountant in the FMCG, Telecom and IT industries. He has recently quit corporate India to engage more fully in the Social Sector. Shankar enjoys his dalliance with sports and takes to it either to participate, cheer or as an armchair athlete. He also loves nature and driving, riding and any travel. His weekly activity includes a few rounds of the sport "where is my phone" which can include all that he enjoys.
Dr. Vinaya Shetty
Dr. Vinaya Shetty is the Founder & President of VIN Management Consultants Pvt Ltd, with 25+ years of experience in strategic HR and OD. She is a career consultant, with specific expertise in transformation, change, & executive coaching to deliver business results and to effectively impact communities. She is a strategic thinker with expertise in development and implementation of leadership and organizational learning programs. Dr. Vinaya was the first Indian Woman Entrepreneur Finalist, for the prestigious UNCTAD Empretec "Woman in Business Award”, 2016. She is also the first Asian woman to be General Vice President of International Organization Development Association (IODA) , a not-for-profit professional forum for OD professionals & Academicians. She is passionate about Women Entrepreneurs and enhancing legal awareness among women. Her interests include dance, music, and theatre which she thinks are extremely exhilarating and help in uplifting her indefatigable spirits.
