About Us
Women’s Education Project (WEP) prepares women to become earners, leaders and changemakers.
Founded in 2002, with the fundamental belief that the decisions made by a self-reliant, informed, skilled and civically engaged woman effect lasting positive change in her life, her family, her community and society, WEP’s unique, scalable model provides grassroots NGO partners a highly effective, locally resourced, holistic program in which young marginalized women become earners, leaders, and changemakers.
Board of Directors
Deepika Mandrekar, President
Advocate for Women and Education
Donna Campbell
Executive Director, Aravind Eye Foundation
Deb DeVries
Co-Founder and President at Girls Thinking Global
Nalini Dhar
Senior Vice President, Merrill Lynch-Bank of America
Ekta Ghelani
VP Manager Research Analyst, AllianceBernstein
Gurmit Aujla
Head of Internal Audit, Central 1
Kathy Hurley
Co-Founder and CEO, Girls Thinking Global
Veeru Srivastava, Treasurer
Director, Bank of America
Board of Directors, WEP India
Shalini Puchalalpalli
Country Head at Google Customer Solutions, Google
Roopa Ravikumar
Professor in Sociology at Lady Doak College
Shruti Shibulal
Director and CEO of Tamara Leisure Experiences
Malini Eden
Administrative and Program Director of WEP-India
Council — US
Kirti Agarwal
Mental Health Counselor, Self-Employed
Michael Campbell
Healthcare Consultant and Managing Member, Indicina
Simrita Dhillon
Sanda, Founder
Amanda Gassé
Yole Group, General Manager of North America
Divya Konuru
Exec in Residence and Interim Chief of Staff, Evergreen Services Group
Paula Maylahn
Paula Maylahn Consulting
Alison Pavia
Harpswell Foundation
Bhavani Parameswar
President, Indivate Inc.
Meet the Team
Zoë Timms
Founding Executive Director
Founding Executive Director
Zoë Timms, Founder, first went to Hyderabad, India in 1996 as a student of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Year-in-India Program. There she was introduced to educational, grassroots NGOs, helping former girl child laborers study for the first time. Later, in 2001-2004, directing the Wisconsin program in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Zoë worked with a young woman whose dream to obtain an MBA and enter a career in finance were blocked by serious family illness and debt. Zoë realized there were countless ambitious young women in similar circumstances. She thought about the obstacles they faced and the steps it would take to remove them. The idea of creating a Center where young women could meet, develop skills, focus their ambitions, and expand their awareness of life’s possibilities was born. Zoë returned to New York to raise the money for her friend’s scholarship and recruited others to the cause.
Sudar, WEP’s first Center, opened in Madurai in 2002. This was followed by Hyderabad in 2007 and Kadapa in 2012. In 2016, WEP-India was established in Bangalore with its own Board and in-Country Director.
India-Based Leadership
Anjali Chauhan
Executive Director, WEP India
Executive Director, WEP India
Anjali Chauhan is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience and a diverse skill set in non-profit organization management. As the Executive Director of WEP India, she provides expertise in developing and implementing successful fundraising strategies, key donor relationships, innovative marketing campaigns, and securing CSR funding. She has vast experience in community initiatives, working extensively in cancer care and women-focused initiatives, as well as with children and senior care. Anjali employs a visionary approach to her leadership and provides unwavering dedication positioning her as a pivotal force in the ongoing journey toward equality and empowerment at WEP India. As a dynamic leader, Anjali Chauhan is committed to transforming lives and building a future where everyone, regardless of gender, has the opportunity to thrive. Anjali is an active volunteer for animal care and enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with her dogs. Prior to joining WEP India, Anjali held leadership positions at HCG Foundation and Vidyaranya driving initiatives aimed at social change, cancer care, and empowering communities.
Pratima Kamble
Collaboration Lab Manager, WEP India
Collaboration Lab Manager, WEP India
Pratima is the WEP India Collaboration Lab Manager and in this role, she plays a pivotal role in preparing WEP students to become earners, leaders, and changemakers. Pratima’s 13+ years of experience and passion for empowering young women position her as a dynamic leader driving impactful initiatives that foster growth and empowerment in the community. Her expertise includes education, youth advocacy, child rights, corporate social responsibility, and women empowerment. She has presented at international conferences, participated in focus groups, and led sessions on social issues including a paper at the international conference on Rights, Citizenship, and Schools in Italy and as a former working group member of the India Alternative Care Network (IACN). Pratima’s extensive experience, dedication to social change, and passion for empowering young women position her as a dynamic leader at WEP India, driving impactful initiatives that foster growth and empowerment in the community. Before joining WEP India, Pratima held leadership roles at Miracle Foundation India, The Akanksha Foundation, and Bharat Forge Ltd.
Leadership Academy Directors
Academy Directors are women whose leadership, compassion, laughter and commitment to the students drives the success of the WEP Academy program.
