Thangam brings a strong commitment to H2OO as one of the founding chapter parents contributing to its initial growth phase along with her husband, son and daughter who have continued to pursue their interests in climate change related studies.
For the last four years, since moving to the greater Seattle area, Thangam has been the Treasurer and Board Member of Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center for 2 years followed by becoming its Interim Executive Director in 2022 to successfully fundraise $750K and stabilize finance and operations as KIAC segued from founder and volunteer-based to a full-time staff.
Thangam also brings relevant nonprofit funding from the funder perspective having been part of the City of Bainbridge Island’s 2021 cultural taskforce that oversees funding local nonprofits. Thangam has an MBA from University of Nebraska and Masters in Accounting from East Carolina University. She is also a certified naturalist with the American Cetacean Society.
Nousheen has more than 20 years of experience in the Tech and Medical Device industries.
She is currently Chief of Staff at Visby Medical in the fight against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Previously, Nousheen was Director of Innovation at eBay leading a 2000+ employee Innovation Program, an incubator for groundbreaking ideas, and the place where participants could shape the future of eBay with a project they believed in. Prior to that, she led the design, development, and manufacturing of Boston Scientific’s Endoscopic Vessel Harvesting device.
Nousheen is passionate about inspiring youth to think about our planet’s most pressing needs and instills the belief that they can make a difference. She is involved with several organizations and programs that provide education and opportunities to youth to create a better world for their generation and beyond.
Latifah, from Uganda, agreed to join the H2OO Board of Directors at 19 years old because she believes that youth voices at the Director level ensures that youth can vote for what really works and against what does not work for youth, as she can directly express to the Board what it is that youth need.
Having youth on the Board also supports the mission and vision of the organization and is a step in staying true to why the organization was founded. Latifah strongly feels that allowing youth a Board of Director position is an empowerment opportunity providing them with insight into the organization and greater professional skill-building opportunities.
As a Director of H2OO, Latifah feels even more motivated and inspired to become a leader in this world and make positive change in an important position, including as a future policy maker.
Charley is both honored and happy to be one of the first youth leaders on H2OO’s Board of Directors.
Charley believes that, upon entering adult age, it was important for them to be a Director of H2OO as they have been with H2OO from the start understanding the why, what H2OO stands for, the values, and the importance of the organization’s evolution driven by youth.
Charley takes their role very seriously carving a path for additional young Directors, as they look forward to other youth leaders of H2OO joining the Board in the future who will also contribute to decision making for-youth, by-youth. Charley feels that all organizations that impact or advocate for the futures of youth today should encourage and raise youth voices including at the Director level.
Memory is the Executive Director at the African Women’s Development and Communication Network or FEMNET. Memory is a pan-African feminist, gender and women’s rights activist with over 18 years of experience developing, managing and implementing programs promoting women and girls’ rights regionally and globally.
A seasoned cross-cultural thought leader and strategist, she bridges national, regional, and global women’s rights networks with policy leaders. Memory is a board member of the award-winning UNESCO Female Students Support Network Trust in Zimbabwe, which assists young women in tertiary institutions in fighting gender-based violence.
She is a coach and mentor for young women across the continent of Africa and has helped in founding several organizations. Memory was named by Apolitical among the top 100 women in gender policy in 2019, is a SheDecides champion, and a member of the UN Women Civil society advisory group for the #GenerationEqualityForum.