Meet the team in Kolkata

Nafiza Khatun

Animal People Alliance Kolkata
India Lead & Trustee

A graduate of Jogesh Chandra Chowdhury college with a Bachelors Degree in accounting. She has 7 years experience working in the NGO sector in India and manages the operations and local partnerships for Animal People Alliance Kolkata.

Dr Rohit Raj

Chief Veterinarian

B.V.Sc. (Bangalore) MVSc ( gynaecology and obstetrics) PGD_Ortho( Tanuvas madras) from Bangalore Veterinary College. A passionate animal lover with 10 years speciality 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 our field operations and training.

Suman Debnath

Animal Handler

Suman is a passionate and dedicated animal lover with over 3 years experience volunteering and working with animal NGO's throughout Kolkata. He has a certificate in street treatment protocols from Animal Aid Unlimited in Udaipur and is working towards a paravet certification.

Lakshmi Hansda

Animal Handler

Born on the outskirts of Kolkata and raised at Womens Interlink Foundation Lakshmi is hardworking and determined. She has a certification in street treatment protocols from Animal Aid Unlimited in Udaipur and aspires to be a certified paravet in the future.

Raju Debnath

Animal Handler

Raju started as a cook and shelter assistant and has grown into a hardworking 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

Our newest addition to the team, 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.

Miss Kamonkorn Duangkhamsawad

Shelter Manager

Miss Run started out as a volunteer at Pai Four Legged Friends helping homeless dogs and cats in Pai, Thailand where among other things she participated in sterilization camps in partnership with WVS. A lifelong animal lover she manages the daily operations of the first and only dog shelter in Chiang Rai, Thailand, a project of our partner The Chance Foundation.

Najo Mayor

Shelter Assistant

Najo is a hardworking and dedicated animal lover from Chiang Rai who lives and works at the Chance Foundation dog shelter. She's responsible for the day to day care of all the dogs and assists with adoptions and treatments.

Mark Harvey

Managing Director

Operations

Belinda Carlisle

Co Founder & Ambassador

International Recording Artist

Paul Suit

Co-Founder

Operations

Mark Harvey

Trustee
Treasurer & Board Chair

Mark has 28 years experience in various Senior Executive/Management Treasury roles in the UK Financial and Corporate Sector, before moving to the Non-Profit Sector on a voluntary basis.

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Mark is also the Managing Director of Animal People Alliance, and working in the India and Thailand Non-Profit sector.

Nancy Rucks

Trustee
U.S 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.

Nancy served for more than a decade on the Board of Directors and as President of the Voorheesville Community and School Foundation facilitating the organization's mission to enhance the educational, cultural, and athletic opportunities for community members.

Rachel Lara

Trustee
Secretary

Rachel has extensive experience in business administration. She started visiting India in 2008 and is passionate about the plight of the street animals there. 

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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. 

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Rachel is involved in her family’s neighborhood feral cat TNR program and raising Monarch Butterflies in her family’s back yard.

Ben Glenn II

Trustee
Fundraising and 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.

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