Community Conversation
with Farooq Mitha
NEHA DEWAN
Neha has long been active in both local and national politics. Most recently, she founded and served as the National Director for South Asians for Biden, an organization dedicated to engaging, educating, and mobilizing the South Asian community to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. In 2016, Neha served as the National Co-Chair for South Asians for Hillary and was appointed by Hillary Clinton to the National AAPI Leadership Council.
Previously, in 2015, Neha was appointed as a guest of honor by the Consulate General of India in New York City where she was selected to speak about gender equality for International Women's Day. During the 2012 presidential campaign, Neha chaired the New York Chapter of South Asians for Obama and also served on the steering committee for Lawyers for Obama in New York. For several years, Neha served as an Officer of the New York Democratic Lawyers Council, an organization affiliated with the National Lawyers Council of the Democratic National Committee and comprised of Democratic lawyers and voting rights activists. Similarly, for many years, Neha served as an advisory board member of New Leaders Council, a national organization focused on training and supporting progressive political entrepreneurs. She has also been active in her local community board and political clubs. Neha served as the President of the South Asian Bar Association of New York in 2012, and now sits on the organization’s Board of Directors.
Mobilizing the South Asian Community & Building Political Power
DR. SION ROY
Dr. Sion Roy, an elected member of the Santa Monica College Board of Trustees, is a cardiologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harbor UCLA. Additionally, he serves as the Director of the Inpatient Cardiac CT program and Associate Cardiology Fellowship Program Director. He has also served as adjunct faculty at Santa Monica College and has given lectures at the Emeritus College as well. Dr. Roy is a passionate advocate for increasing healthcare access for all. He is Past President for the Los Angeles County Medical Association, current chair of CALPAC (California Medical Association PAC) and serves as a trustee for the California Medical Association as well.
Dr. Roy is active in the Santa Monica community and is passionate about increasing educational access for local students. He has served as the Chair for the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) Health and Safety Committee and Vice-Chair for SMC's bond committee. Additionally, he is a past President of the Santa Monica Democratic Club and a delegate to the California Democratic Party.
Sion is married to Dr. Kathleen Ruchalski, a radiologist at UCLA. They have one son, Kiran, and live in the Ocean Park neighborhood of Santa Monica.