Board Members

Dr. Harmesh Kumar

Dr. Kumar, a licensed clinical psychologist, boasts a distinguished career that began in 1983 with the World Health Organization at the Collaborative Center for Mental Health and Research, Department of Psychiatry, and College of Nursing, PGIMER in Chandigarh, India, where he taught psychology at the bachelors and masters. After migrating to the US in search of better opportunities and despite facing challenges as a new immigrant, in the land of opportunities (USA), he was able to begin his first non-profit mental health agency under the name of “Neurobehavioral and Psychological Institute (NPI)” in 1993 ,and which was later changed to the Hume Center He also later taught two graduate courses at Rose bridge Graduate School of Integrative Psychology. Driven by a passion for service, he has owned and operated skilled nursing and assisted living facilities across multiple counties in California.

Dr. Rubina Gill

Dr. Rubina Gill is a distinguished agriculture scientist and professor with over 20 years of expertise in sustainable agriculture, soil health, and organic farming solutions. Currently serving as a Professor of Agronomy at Lovely Professional University, she has guided many M.Sc. and Ph.D. students in agronomy and authored five influential books. Her work includes numerous national and international publications, conferences, patents, and educational resources for farmers and agriculture students. She is a reviewer of many national and international journals and board member of many national and international advisory committees.

Dr. Rubina Gill has been honored with prestigious awards such as theYoung Scientist Award (2016), Eminent Scientist Award (2018), Scientist of the Year Award (2022) and Bharat Ratna Dr. MS Swaminathan Award (2024)  recognizing her significant contributions to the agricultural field. She has also shared her expertise through radio and TV talks. She was a Chairperson of Women Empowerment Cell and a Program Co-Ordinator of National Social Service (NSS). Notably, Dr. Gill currently leads an impactful project in the USA, funded by a U.S.-based agricultural organisation, which integrates agriculture with wellness to foster sustainable practices and community health.

Jeevan Zutshi

Jeevan has an M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from San Jose State University, California. He is the owner of a small Real Estate Brokerage and Land development company, a practicing Real Estate Broker and property manager specializing in Residential and Commercial Real Estate in California.

Jeevan is the founding member of the California chapter of the Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA), a founding member of IAKF, FIA of Northern California, GOPIO Silicon Valley, and the Indian American Friendship Council. Jeevan is the author of the non-fiction The Last Smile – A Father Love Story which was released on December 4, 2009, in Fremont Main Library. The book is about a journey of hope. It was received very well by the U.S. State Department, members of the U.S. Congress, and Senate at a book signing in January 2011. A feature film has been inspired by the book, produced by Amit Zutshi Foundation.

Jeevan Zutshi, founder of the Indo-American Community Federation (IACF-USA), is a man with multiple talents. Community service is his mission. He is a Chairman of South Asian Behavioral Health and Training Foundation Inc., a non-profit mental health agency serving mental health needs in the outpatient and residential care facilities for seniors and those with chronic disabilities.

Jeevan is the author of the non-fiction The Last Smile – A Father Love story which was released on December 4, 2009, in Fremont Main Library. The independent feature film The Last Smile, receiving numerous awards in various continents, is available on Amazon Prime and some other online platforms. The book is about a journey of hope. It was received very well by the U.S. State Department, members of the U.S. Congress, and Senate at a book signing in January 2011. A feature film has been inspired by the book, produced by the Amit Zutshi Foundation with the help of IACF. It is currently in post-production. Jeevan lives with his family in Fremont, California.

Dr. Janak K. Mehtani, M.D.

Dr. Janak K. Mehtani is a seasoned psychiatrist with over 45 years of diverse experience in clinical practice, medical direction, and teaching. A Punjab University Medical College graduate, Dr. Mehtani completed his residency in Psychiatry at esteemed institutions, including Grace General Memorial University in Canada and The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He holds active licensure in California and board certifications in Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine, and Pain Management.

Currently, Dr. Mehtani serves as the President and CEO of Fair Oaks Psychiatric Associates in Sacramento, CA, where he leads a multidisciplinary team providing comprehensive psychiatric services. Dr. Mehtani’s expertise spans consultation-liaison psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, and chronic pain management, including fibromyalgia. As a recognized forensic psychiatrist and qualified medical examiner, he consults with local and federal agencies and has been an expert witness in multiple counties.

Dr. Mehtani is also an Assistant Clinical Professor at UC Davis Medical Center, contributing to medical education and patient care. His dedication to research, especially in neuropsychiatry and psychosomatic medicine, underpins his commitment to advancing mental health practices in various clinical settings.

Dr. Rajinder Singh

With over 30 years as a registered dietitian, diabetes educator, and consultant, she bring expertise in clinical nutrition, chronic disease management, and diabetes education throughout Alameda County. She specialize in case management for individuals with diabetes and chronic health conditions, tailoring interventions for diverse populations, including developmentally disabled clients. Her work has involved leading public health curriculum development, creating developmentally appropriate materials, and training staff on diabetes management essentials like lifestyle changes and blood sugar testing. Her background includes extensive experience in nutritional care planning, dietary assessments, and therapeutic diet implementation in elder care facilities.

As a consultant for regional centers and elderly care facilities, she support care coordination with hospitals and families, guiding placement and providing counseling to clients and families. In her roles, she has managed large teams, prepared public presentations on health and nutrition, and advocated for nutritional wellness across various healthcare settings. Multilingual in Hindi, Punjabi, I’m dedicated to enhancing accessible nutrition and wellness education for underserved communities.

Dr. Mwema Felix

He is a Assistant Professor of the Agriculture-Environment nexus and the Head of the Laboratory Services Unit at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM- AIST). He received a Ph. D in Engineering and Technology from the Thammasat University (Thailand), an M. Engg. in Environmental Technology and Management from the King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (Thailand), and a B. Tech in Agricultural Engineering from the Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences (India).

His research generally focuses on the fate and transport of pesticides in the environment, environmental conservation for health and sustainable development, assessment of biomass energy resources (charcoal and firewood) and life cycle assessment of products and services. He teaches Environmental Modeling and Advanced Environmental Toxicology. Dr Mwema is a project team member in an EU-funded mobility project (2024-2027), "Collaborative Graduate Training to Enhance Climate Smart Agriculture and Biodiversity Conservation in East and Central Africa (COCREATE-Africa). He has worked on various collaborative research projects in India, Thailand, Denmark, and France. He actively provides training to various stakeholders to enhance life-long education for all. He is a member of the Institution of Engineers Tanzania and the Engineers Registration Board of Tanzania.

Bill H Bindal

Being an inquisitive learner and student, he has experience of subjects like accounting, business, management, politics and civil laws. After completing his M. Phil in political Sciences from Panjab university Chandigarh migrated to USA ,35 years ago. For him, business is nothing but using common sense and applying the principle of greater good of greater number of stakeholders. After coming to the great land of the USA, he managed a few retail stores and involved himself in various other ventures, mainly real estate investments, development and management. For public service, he involved himself in associations working for promoting the interests of small format business owners, both at local and national levels, besides being a member of board of other local social organizations.

Being the leader of the business owner’s association, my role involved staying in touch with various stakeholders, knowing the problems and finding solutions, which were mutually beneficial to all. And I was successful, working as a team, in resolving various intricate issues which were being faced by our membership. Together, we can do it, is the key mantra. Currently, I am mainly involved in the mission of helping others in the fields of education, jobs, business, housing and social justice, empowerment, self-sufficiency and self-dependency. I seek blessings of the Almighty in my endeavors.