A special International Women’s day Conference designed to empower South Asian Immigrant Women, from March 8-9, 2025

Ways to Connect with Vahati

Date

8-9
March
2025

FORMAT

Hybrid
In-person
& Virtual

LOCATION

In-person

Seattle | Bay Area

Virtual

across US

AUDIENCE

1000 South
Asian Immigrant Women
& allies

ADDRESS

Seattle

Amazon Day1 building - Seattle Downtown 2121 7th Ave, Seattle WA, 98121

Bay Area

Santa Clara University - Guadalupe Hall 455 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95050

Our Goal

Break cultural stigma, ease societal pressures with resources, and empower women to thrive abroad

Presenting Our Distinguished
Speakers & Panelists

Get to know our inspiring panelists and speakers who bring a wealth of experience, insights, and passion to the stage! Get a chance to interact with them up close and ask your questions.

Soundarya Balasubramani

2x Author, 170K+ following with her immigration research data

Magda Nica

A holistic health advisor extensively trained in multidisciplinary studies and psychosomatic causes

Sunita Shastri

Serial Entrepreneur, CEO at vPurpose.ai, Philanthropist, Board Member and Advisor for Non-profits, 30+ yoe

Preeti Suri

Founder & CEO at AdventureTripr | Investor | Board Member

Kirti Surya

Engineering leader | Semiconductor, Academia, & Banking

Chandrayee Bhattacharyya

CEO Virtuelly, Trailblazing Classical Dance Artist

Nitya Gupta

Product & GTM Exec at NetApp | Speaker | Ex-Amazon, Ex-T-Mobile, 20+ years in tech industry

Priyadarshni Natarajan

Technical Fellow at Walmart | Ex-Amazon, Ex-UnitedHealth | 18+ years in tech

Suma Bhat

Princeton/UIUC NLP researcher and award-winning educator

Sangheetha Parthasarathy

Acclaimed Nervous System Coach | Founder of South Asian Somatics

Dr. Kathleen Lin

Physician Partner, Reproductive Endocrinologist at RMA Fertility

Nancy Parungao

Healing Touch Practitioner | Yogi for 20+ years | Certified in Yoga Anatomy and Silver Age Yoga

Agenda

Join us on March 8-9, 2025 for transformative conversations that speak directly to our journey as immigrant women. We've carefully curated topics that touch the heart of our shared experiences

All times are in PST

Time for attendees to check in, connect over coffee, and engage in light networking

The strength of South Asian expat women is undeniable. This keynote sets the stage for the day, sharing how we can uplift each other and get the most out of this conference and the Vahati ecosystem.
Learn about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, navigating the challenges from pre-seed to growth stages and becoming startup advisors, and throughout that journey, resilience as a South Asian immigrant women in business.
Understand the story that we tell ourselves and what you can do to empower yourself. This talk will explore how you can practice self awareness, self-reflection, personal growth, and holistic well-being every day of your life.

A moment to honor the Vahati community, acknowledge contributions, and share next day’s agenda

Explore the journey of a renowned classical dance artist in the U.S. and CEO of Virtuelly. Find out how she balances art, leadership, and entrepreneurship seamlessly as a South Asian immigrant woman.

Dive deep into the journey of overcoming visa struggles, career hurdles, and cultural transitions. Soundarya’s is a story of resilience from being a Product manager at Salesforce to finding her own unique path.
Learn about what it means to navigate a male dominated American workplace as a South Asian Woman leader in tech. What is the art of having a seat at the table and the power of mentorship and network.

More details coming soon. Learn about Transformative Topics that will stay with you forever

With changing lifestyles from generations past and women pushing boundaries in all fields, the topics of women’s health and fertility are not commonplace in South Asian households. Whether you’re considering egg freezing or exploring your options, this talk will empower you to take charge of your reproductive future!
Unwind at the end of the day with a power packed performance
Solidify key takeaways, set personal and professional intentions, announcements for Day 2 and celebrate.
Capture the joy of the day. 🙂
Welcome virtual audience , Recap of March 8th conference, Agenda for March 9th
Join Dr. Suma Bhat – Princeton/UIUC NLP researcher and award-winning educator – for a candid exploration of building AI systems that understand humanity’s social fabric. In this talk, she’ll trace her path into Artificial Intelligence and share actionable strategies for women entering the field.
Join Sangeetha in this transformative workshop where we explore how patriarchy, attachment, feminism and immigration live in your nervous system. Through experiential somatic practices, discover how these forces shape your reactions, relationships, and sense of self. Learn practical tools to regulate your nervous system and reclaim your authentic embodied experience. Join the “Unfair Advantage Club” – the revolutionary approach helping South Asian women thrive across cultural contexts.

Join certified yoga instructor and Healing Touch Practitioner Nancy for a transformative session blending gentle chair yoga, breathwork, and alignment principles honed through 20+ years of practice. Participants will learn techniques to reduce stiffness, cultivate patience through positive self-talk, and celebrate incremental progress. Leave feeling stronger in body and spirit.

Join Tejaswini Kumar, as she decodes personal branding in tech. Drawing from her journey from Infosys engineer to Times Square-featured leader, she’ll share strategies to craft authenticity, and build communities via platforms like Exponent and Topmate. Learn how to balance differentiation with adaptability—turning certifications, storytelling, and LinkedIn engagement into career-defining momentum

Join Garima Seth for a candid exploration of migrant women’s struggles—from cultural dislocation and systemic barriers (unrecognized qualifications, social exclusion) to fractured family dynamics and economic dependency. Discover how initiatives like Vahati and other small changes in life can empower women to rebuild identity through peer networks that turn isolation into resilience. A talk blending raw truths with hope.

Informal session to get to know the team behind the scenes, discuss volunteering opportunities and share event feedback

A Big Thank you and a virtual celebration with the Vahati Family

Carpool Connect

Looking for a ride or happy to share one? Check the link to coordinate with others and make your commute easier!

What You’ll Get When You Join

 
Days
 
Hours
 
Minutes
 
Seconds

till you change your story & find your tribe

Our Journey

Voices of Satisfaction and Success

We take pride in creating meaningful connections that uplift and empower women and are committed to creating spaces where connections flourish.

Our Design Partners​

Proudly designed by our creative partners at Seepi.co, whose expertise in branding and web design helped bring Vahati’s vision to life. Their innovative approach and thoughtful design have played a key role in shaping an engaging and impactful digital experience.

Nancy Parungao

A yoga practitioner since 2005, Nancy transformed personal struggles with chronic pain into a healing vocation, earning certifications in Yoga Anatomy, Silver Age Yoga, and Healing Touch. What began as a 200-hour training for self-discovery became a calling to teach adaptive practices for aging communities. She now leads chair and gentle yoga sessions at senior centers, prioritizing breathwork and mindful alignment. Her approach champions patience, celebrating incremental progress, and rewriting self-narratives through movement.

Dr. Kathleen Lin

With over 20 years of experience in reproductive medicine, Dr. Lin is a board-certified solo fertility specialist at Reproductive Medicine Associates (RMA) and has guided hundreds of South Asian immigrant women through their fertility journeys, offering expert insights and practical advice.

Dr. Lin established the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the University of Washington and was named the “Best Doctor in the Region” for Infertility and Endocrinology since 2018.

Sangheetha Parthasarathy

Sangheetha is a Nervous System Coach and founder of South Asian Somatics, specializing in helping first-generation immigrant women leaders reconcile cultural identity, professional ambition, and personal fulfillment. A Harvard Medical School and MIT-educated professional, she’s been recognized among the “Top 100 Global Healthcare Leaders” and co-founded the Chennai Birth Network. Her work is deeply informed by her own experiences, including a transformative home birth, driving her mission to help professionals heal power dynamics and nurture authentic connections in all aspects of life.

Priyadarshni Natarajan

Priya has over 18 years of experience in designing and scaling diverse platforms. She specializes in architecting Big Data platforms, AI/ML platforms, large-scale distributed systems, security platforms, and customer-centric products. Currently, she is a Technical Fellow at Walmart and leads the architectural strategy for Walmart’s Health and Wellness division, driving innovation in scalable, high-impact solutions.

Suma Bhat

Suma is an Assistant Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with an appointment in the faculty of computer science at Princeton University. Her innovative work bridges natural language processing (NLP) and human-AI interaction, focusing on enhancing social aspects of language understanding and developing educational tools through interdisciplinary collaborations with physicians and social scientists. Recognized for excellence in research and teaching, she has earned honors such as the Ronald Pratt Outstanding Teaching Award and Beckmann Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Nitya Gupta

Nitya Gupta is a seasoned technology executive with 20+ years of experience in product management, go-to-market strategy, and sales operations. Currently serving as Executive Director of Product Management at NetApp, she previously held leadership roles at Amazon and T-Mobile. She has worked in multiple countries, including the US, UK, UAE, and India. Passionate about giving back, Nitya coaches youth and women while advocating for female leadership. Residing in Sammamish with her family, she is also a national martial arts champion, professional dancer, avid hiker, and fitness enthusiast.

Chandrayee Bhattacharyya

She is a multifaceted individual — a Kathak dancer, performing arts and runway coach, mentor, academic faculty member, beauty pageant winner, and CEO of Virtuelly. Virtuelly specializes in organizing and hosting hybrid and virtual events for geographically distributed corporate teams, fostering trust and empathy among team members.

Kirti Surya

She is a dynamic leader and philanthropist with over 30 years of experience in semiconductors, banking, and education. Most recently, she served as a Software Engineering Director at Intel. During her 24 years at Intel, she received several accolades, including Chair of Intel’s Global Project Management Community, Recipient of Intel’s Data Center Group’s Inclusion Hero: Thought Leader of the Year, and recognition as an Intel Culture Influencer. An active supporter of Women and Girls in STEM, Kirti also served as the board chair for Oregon Women at Intel (WIN).

Preeti Suri

Preeti Suri is the founder & CEO of AdventureTripr, an award winning marketplace for curated trips with vetted local guides. She is an ex-investment banker & consultant. She is a Chartered Accountant, a CPA and holds an MBA from INSEAD, France & Singapore.
AdventureTripr is recognized by publications like Fodor’s Travel and Puget Sound Business Journal.
She was named by Travel & Leisure as one of the eight women reshaping the travel sector

Sunita Shastri

Sunita Shastri is a versatile entrepreneur, business leader and philanthropist with over two decades of experience across various industries. Currently, she serves as the Founder and CEO of vPurpose, a technology and business services company focused on helping purpose-driven organizations make a greater impact. She has also founded and led successful ventures, including Sunita’s Designs, Inc., a jewelry and accessories company, and Meghana Foods, Inc., an Indian food company.

Magda Nica

Magda Sedlik Nica is a Holistic Health Advisor in Seattle with roots in Bucharest and Rome. She focuses on psychosomatic causes of conditions and inner mental dynamics. Initially studying conventional medicine, Magda shifted to a holistic approach, integrating biology with psychology, and alternative theories like German New Medicine. With extensive multidisciplinary training, she offers individual consultations both in-person and via Zoom to an international clientele, aiming to help people heal holistically and live healthily.

Soundarya Balasubramani

Soundarya Balasubramani (aka Pooja) is a 2x author of *Unshackled* and Admitted, founder of unshackled.club, and is working on her third book, 1000 Days of Love. She graduated from Columbia University in 2019 and worked at Salesforce as a Product Manager for 2.5 years before quitting to become an author & founder. She is the recipient of the O-1A extraordinary visa along with 12+ awards, including the Emergent Ventures grant, Cargill Global Scholarship, and S.N. Bose Scholarship.