iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
Sonal Shah, Executive Vice President, Network Operations, United Way Worldwide, and Founding President Worldwide, The Asian American Foundation, has been announced as one of the 33 new members appointed to the Homeland Security Advisory Council, stated Alejandro N. Mayorkas, council secretary, on March 17.
“These distinguished leaders have agreed to serve our country as members of the Homeland Security Advisory Council at a critically important time, not only for the nation, but also for the world,” a statement from Secretary Mayorkas’ office read, “Together, we will ensure that the Department is best positioned to meet the challenges we confront today, foresee and be ready for the challenges of tomorrow, capitalize on the power of technological innovation, and serve our country by living up to our highest ideals. Our Department is privileged to benefit from the experience, vision, and creativity of these incredibly accomplished individuals.”
Shah joined US President Joe Biden’s Advisory on Asian
Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (PACAANHPI) in February 2022.
Born in India, Shah immigrated to the US with her family when she was four. Based in New York, Shah is the founding Executive Director at the Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation at Georgetown University.
She is also the founding president of the Asian American Foundation, starting the largest launch of a philanthropic effort to serve Asian-American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities. Shah has served as a deputy assistant to President Obama and created the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation.
Secretary Mayorkas had been reconstituting and re-envisioning the Council to enable it to work more closely with the Department to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities that an evolving homeland security landscape
presents and to define the Department of the future.
The national leaders whose appointment Secretary Mayorkas announced will bring their extraordinary experience and unique perspectives to the Department’s wide array of vital missions and the goals that Secretary Mayorkas has established.
