Suman discusses pardeshi affairs

Suman Raghunathan, the Executive Director of SAALT (South Asian Americans Leading Together), is a passionate and seasoned immigrant rights advocate. As the daughter of Indian immigrants, Suman has a keen understanding of the issues affecting South Asian and other immigrants in the United States.

She coordinates SAALT’s overall efforts to amplify diverse South Asian voices advocating for progressive change in the US. This includes developing, together with SAALT staff and Board of Directors, a vision for the organization, working closely with SAALT’s stakeholders, and expanding the resources necessary to implement that vision. She has deep connections to South Asian communities, and relationships with key partners in the racial justice and immigrant rights movements. She has also gained experience in leading non-profit organizations, having first served as Interim Executive Director and then as a long-time member of the Board of Directors of Chhaya Community Development Corporation, one of SAALT’s close partners.

She has conceptualized and coordinated multifaceted and multi-issue campaigns spanning numerous proposals and stakeholders and assembled coalitions critical to advancing them. Her expertise includes policy issues, immigrant leadership development programs, newcomer civic engagement campaigns, and capacity building and advocacy campaigns.

Prior to joining SAALT, Suman was an immigration policy consultant where she coordinated policy agenda across numerous issue areas and worked intensively with legislators from over 40 states.

Suman received her undergraduate degree in international relations from Brown University and has a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from the Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy in New York City.