Our team

We are a team of committed, passionate individuals who want to make a difference in the world. We especially are passionate about preventative mental health interventions where possible and remedial emotional wellness approaches, when appropriate. Many of us have either experienced unhealthy societal pressures first hand, or been witness to such life-shaping episodes to near and dear ones. Our passion to enable heallthy emotional lives even in one child or adult drives us to what we do.

manju jain

My journey began in India as a young child. I would cry when I saw poverty in its various visible forms, and I felt I wanted to make a difference. As a teenager, I began to work with vulnerable populations, specifically street children in the slums of India.

Because both my parents were psychologists, I chose to study psychology as an undergraduate student. I was immediately drawn to Rogerian concepts of unconditional love and acceptance as a way for a person to be seen and validated, and allow the most empowered (best) self to come forth. Later in life, Natalie Rogers’ expressive arts process gave me a powerful way to nonverbally process and connect with my feelings.

My journey to learn and explore psychology, counseling, and expressive arts over the last 30 years has all led up to the birth of a creative pause. This work is my oxygen. I bring my heart, experience, perspective, love for learning, empathy, and global connectedness to each program, each workshop, and each day.

aslam khader

I am a computer and electronics engineer who has worked in technology for over 35 years. My work in managing teams in India, Japan and the US has been a wonderfully rich learning experience. In my last position as Chief Product Officer at AWS Elemental, an Amazon company, I was privileged to see how a $35B organization can still innovate.

I am passionate about the science of the mind and our ability to lead fulfilling lives by using the arts to enable neuroplasticity towards positive outcomes. I completed a course in InterPersonal NeuroBiology (IPNB), a 36-credit program offered by the MindSight Institute and Dan Siegal in 2020. I have been a junior partner to Manju in this work since we got together, and in 2019 when I joined Manju full time in her work, I quickly took to the challenge and the joy of engaging with an underserved population. I got hooked on being able to use my skills to make a difference. I bring the skills of a senior executive, a continued need to learn, a systems approach and an internal drive to make a difference in the world.

jyoti choudhary

Jyoti Choudhary grew up in India and moved to the U.S. over 3 decades ago. She has MBA from BGSU (Bowling Green State University). She worked at All-Sports Supply and NW Natural before joining Intel.  She recently signed off from Intel to pursue other interests. She served on the DVRC (Domestic Violence Resource Center) board for over 7 years. She strongly believes in the adage 'to whom much is given, much is expected.' 

vignesh krishnan

Vignesh Krishnan is a seasoned education leader with 12+ years of experience driving large-scale impact. He began his journey as an elementary teacher through the Teach For India Fellowship, working deeply with underserved students from urban slums in New Delhi. At Teach For India, he held key leadership roles, driving policy, program design, and talent development. His work strengthened the Fellowship program, deepened alumni engagement, and expanded collaborations with government and nonprofit partners to scale education reform in Delhi. He later led expansion, fundraising, and ecosystem-building initiatives, as the City Director of Teach For India in Hyderabad.

Now, as Global Director of Expansion at Christel House International, Vignesh spearheads efforts to bring world-class education to underserved communities globally. He recently conceptualised and launched the Global Pathbuilders Fellowship, designed to develop future CEOs to lead Christel House schools in six new countries.

A Chevening Scholar from India, Vignesh holds a Master’s in Education from University College London (UCL) and was named one of India’s 75 under 75 achievers in 2023. With on-ground experience and strategic expertise, he is committed to building transformative education models that drive lasting change. Beyond his professional credentials, Vignesh is a lifelong learner who enjoys exploring new domains. He is also an avid pet lover and takes great pride in his beagle, Mango—whom he has successfully taught basic math!

monika jain

I was born and raised in India, but OR / Portland has been my home for the past 31 years. I am an active member in the Portland community and I am also serving as a board member of Preserve Culture organization. Professionally I am a seasoned leader in the high tech industry and have been working at Intel Corp for the past 27 years. I am very passionate about paying forward and invest in our youth for a brighter future. I am very excited to be a part of ACP board, and continuing my learning journey too!