WAW’S ASSOCIATE BOARD
Women for Afghan Women’s Associate Board is driven by young, professional, and dynamic Afghan women who are highly regarded in the community for their grassroots activism and commitment to the cause of Afghan women and girls both in Afghanistan and in the United States. Their character and level of achievement speak to the breadth of their empowerment and their desire to give back to an organization that offers the kinds of services and programs that were critical to the success of their own life stories.
Associate Board Members
Fatima was born in Kabul, Afghanistan and at the age of four, she and her family fled as refugees from Afghanistan to Australia. Fatima traces back her experiences of being raised in the projects of Australia and her father’s legacy of educator and social activism as the path which paved the way to philanthropy. Moving to New York City 15 years ago, Fatima found herself naturally gravitating towards education, social justice, and philanthropy. Since her arrival to New York, she has been no stranger to advocacy; working with organizations such as IRAP - the International Refugee Assistance Project, Afghan Hands; a non-profit organization aiming to teach skills to help widows gain independence, literacy and livable wages, and of course Women for Afghan Women. Fatima is a long-time support of WAW, and former staff member, and is thrilled to now serve as an Associate Board member. She hopes to help the organization raise visibility, engage community members, and raise funds.
Dr. Dipanjan Chowdhury is the Chief of the Division of Radiation and Genomic Stability at Dana-Farber and Co-Director of the new Center for BRCA and Related Genes (CBRG). He received his PhD in Molecular Biology from Brandeis University, and did his post-doctoral fellowship training at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Chowdhury is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and an affiliate faculty member of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and the Department of Immunology at Harvard Medical School. A recipient of several academic awards, Dr. Chowdhury is a former fellow of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Scholar Award. His recent awards include the Outstanding Achievement Award in 2021 from the Society of Asian American Scientists in Cancer Research, The Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization Pillar Award in 2019 for his Research Leadership. Dr. Chowdhury is currently leading an exciting new protocol called “The MiDe Study” which uses a novel blood test aimed at early detection for ovarian cancer.
Beyond his work as a scientist, Dr. Chowdhury has worked closely with NGOs since his college days in Kolkata, India. This includes working with Little Sister’s of the Poor (organization founded by Mother Teresa), Kheria Sabar Samity (organization led by Mahasweta Devi for tribal welfare) and the Leprosy Mission Kolkata. More recently he has worked with the Karam Foundation and conducted a science workshop for Syrian refugees in Reyhanli, Turkey.
Nasiba is a Branch Sales Manager for Cornerstone First Mortgage. With over two decades of experience in mortgage lending (residential and commercial), Nasiba is devoted to assisting her customers with their lending needs. Her niche is providing creative solutions to highly complex credit scenarios for all kinds of clientele, from first time home buyers to ultra-high net worth affluent buyers. When she’s not busy helping clients, she fills her time traveling, being active outdoors, cooking, and spending quality time with friends and family. Her drive to serve her consumers comes from a great sense of community and pride of ownership. Nasiba is enjoying connecting with other Afghan American women through this leadership group. She is committed to working together to help WAW increase its impact across the US and beyond.
Susan is an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of New York, with a concentration in real estate law. While attending St. John’s University School of Law, she served as an Executive Editor for the Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development where she published related works on women’s rights in Afghanistan. Previously, Susan served on the board of AIFB, a non-profit organization seeking to enhance the lives of blind individuals in Afghanistan. Susan is committed to community service, advocating for women’s rights and related causes.