Sonali Nijhawan, Sri Kulkarni Named to Key Leadership Positions with AmeriCorps
Two Indian American experts in public service have been appointed by the Biden Administration to key positions at AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteering and service.
Sonali Nijhawan has been named Director of AmeriCorps State and National, and Sri Preston Kulkarni was appointed the new Chief of External Affairs.
Nijhawan has committed her career to developing leaders and growing national service. Most recently, she developed and served as the executive director of Stockton Service Corps, a six-year, $12 million initiative to address local needs through AmeriCorps. Her professional background also includes extensive experience in education, AmeriCorps said in a press release. Inspired by the students, families, and AmeriCorps community she met, she went on to help found City Year Sacramento and launch the organization's 22nd site with 50 new AmeriCorps members.
Nijhawan also served as the California director of Education Pioneers where she recruited, placed, and supported managers in urban school systems and education nonprofits, empowering people to challenge the status quo of our public education system.
She earned a bachelor’s in education and psychology from Marquette University and a master’s in social work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
Though having run for Congress twice unsuccessfully in Texas, Sri Preston Kulkarni was certainly noticed by the leadership in Washington.
Kulkarni’s appointment, along with Nijhawan and Dan Kohl, reflects “the Biden administration’s commitment to diverse leadership,” according to the release by AmeriCorps.
In their roles, these leaders will use service to support the administration’s agenda, focusing on four of the most urgent challenges of our time: COVID-19, economic recovery, racial equity, and climate change, AmeriCorps said.
Kulkarni lost his race for the Texas District 22 seat in the U.S. House of Representatives to former Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls in November as the Democratic nominee in a deeply Republican district.
Kulkarni also ran for the seat in 2018, losing to incumbent Pete Olson.
Kulkarni brings a variety of experience in service and public affairs to AmeriCorps, including 14 years as a foreign service officer with the State Department where he specialized in public diplomacy and worked in public affairs and international information programs, completing tours in Taiwan, Russia, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica and Washington, D.C., his bio notes.
He also spent time as a Pearson Fellow with the U.S. Senate, advising on foreign policy, defense and veterans affairs matters.
Kulkarni furthered this experience as a candidate for Congress in 2018 and 2020, running the first U.S. campaign in 27 languages and the largest relational organizing program for a U.S. Congressional race, the AmeriCorps news release notes.
He earned a bachelor’s in linguistics from the University of Texas and a master's in public administration from Harvard Kennedy School. He speaks English, Spanish, Russian, Hindi, Hebrew and Mandarin Chinese.
The appointments come as the agency is poised for extraordinary progress, with calls for investment in national service programming at every level, amid growing recognition that service is an effective strategy to help address challenges ranging from climate change to COVID-19 recovery, it said.
“In the face of COVID-19, our mission has never felt more important,” said AmeriCorps Chief of Staff Jenny Mauk. “In thousands of communities, AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers are tackling the tough challenges presented by the pandemic. With their unique experiences, the new additions to our team will enable the agency to grow and sustain this service response over the long haul, while applying service solutions to some of the nation’s most critical issues.”