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Meet the Team in Kolkata
We have a dedicated team in Kolkata, working to improve the lives of animals and communities.
Nafiza Khatun
India Lead & Trustee
A graduate of Jogesh Chandra Chowdhury College with a Bachelors Degree in accounting. She has seven years experience working in the NGO sector in India and manages operations and local partnerships for Animal People Alliance Kolkata.
Dr Rohit Raj
Chief Veterinarian
B.V.Sc. (Bangalore) MVSc ( gynecology and obstetrics) PGD_Ortho( Tanuvas madras) from Bangalore Veterinary College. A passionate animal lover with 10 years specialty veterinary experience, Dr Raj consults on all cases and assists with training field staff.
Tusar Sarkar
Field Director and Senior Paravet
A lifelong animal lover with 25 years experience managing animal shelters and street treatment projects. Certified as a paravet and animal welfare officer from the National Institute of Animal Welfare, Tusar directs all of APA's field operations and training.
Suman Debnath
Animal Handler
Suman is a passionate and dedicated animal lover with over three years experience volunteering and working with animal NGO's throughout Kolkata. He earned a certificate in street treatment protocols from Animal Aid Unlimited in Udaipur and is working toward a paravet certification.
Lakshmi Hansda
Animal Handler
Born on the outskirts of Kolkata and raised at Women's Interlink Foundation Lakshmi is certified in street treatment protocols from Animal Aid Unlimited in Udaipur and aspires to be a certified paravet.
Raju Debnath
Animal Handler
Raju started as a cook and shelter assistant and has grown into a hard-working and focused animal handler with certification in street treatment protocols from Animal Aid Unlimited in Udaipur. He is working on becoming a certified paravet.
Doni Gurung
Animal Handler
Doni is a passionate and lifelong animal advocate from Jalpaiguri. She has always wanted a job working with animals and aspires to be a certified paravet in the future.
Meet The Team In Thailand
We are growing our team through a vibrant partnership with Chiang Rai, Thailand based NGO,
The Chance Foundation
Fhon
Animal Handler
Fhon is a member of the Akha tribe located in Northern Thailand and is a lifelong animal lover. She has always wanted to work with animals and is very passionate about learning as much as she can to help them. She helps manage our tribal outreach in the village communities and is vital to our success in those areas!
Sujittra Jeed
Chance Foundation Director and Sponsored APA Liaison
Jeed is Director of The Chance Foundation and is sponsored by APA. She has over 20 years' experience working with NGO's and tribal communities in the Northern Thailand region and manages the partnership between The Chance Foundation and Animal People Alliance.
Meet Animal People Alliance
Supporting the work of our team in Kolkata, and how it started
Our Trustees
Nancy Rucks
US Director
Nancy is now retired from New York State government where she worked as an environmentalist developing and implementing land use plans under the state’s Coastal Management Program.
She served for more than a decade on the Board of Directors and as President of the Voorheesville (NY) Community and School Foundation facilitating the organization's mission to enhance the educational, cultural, and athletic opportunities for community members.
Rachel Lara
Secretary
Rachel has extensive experience in marketing and business administration. She started visiting India in 2008 and is passionate about the plight of the street animals there.
For Rachel, caring for animals runs deep, having been raised with dogs, cats, hamsters and fish, with stories about beloved companion animals just as much a part of family lore as anything else.
Rachel is involved in her family’s neighborhood feral cat trap/neuter/release program and raising monarch butterflies in her family’s back yard.
Ben Glenn II
Fundraising & Grants
Ben Glenn II is a fundraising, grantmaking and communications executive as well as a practicing art historian. His 30-year career in the nonprofit sector has been dedicated to the visual and performing arts and animal welfare, including working directly with the late Doris Day and the Doris Day Animal Foundation.
Mark Harvey
Treasurer, Managing Director and Board Chair
Mark has some 30 years of experience within financial banking, mutual and public sector in various senior management roles. A lifelong animal lover and advocate of civil rights, Mark volunteers his time in the non-profit sector on a voluntary basis.
Founders
Belinda Carlisle
Co-Founder and Ambassador
International Recording Artist
Paul Suit
Co-Founder
Paul has spent the past 12 years living in India and Thailand and working for organizations addressing issues such as human trafficking, poverty, women's empowerment and animal welfare. He had the idea to start APA as a way to address the needs of animals and people simultaneously by offering employment opportunities to people in need that have a positive impact on the stray animal population.
Lead singer and founding member of the legendary all female band The Go-Go's and an internationally successful solo artist, Belinda is a lifelong animal lover and advocate. She has supported multiple animal welfare organizations and has an immense love and admiration for India. Belinda is committed to spending the rest of her life addressing animal welfare issues in Asia.