Our Team

Go beyond boring and discover a new age fusion of culture, creativity and philanthropy! We hope to empower, inspire and promote charitable giving and volunteer work among students and young professionals, while pushing for curiosity and care of global society.

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Uzma “Matrix” Bawany | Founder, Executive Director

Uzma leads the foundation as Executive Director. As the team’s vital backbone and an inspiration to us all, Uzma never ceases to amaze! Uzma is convinced she cannot walk through walls or submarine underground. Thus shrewd to the perception that she cannot do anything she is not “programmed” to do as a human, she has decided to take a mortal stride to making change.

Ammara “Visionary” Bokhari | Founding Member, Director of Global Projects

A graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Finance and Art History, Ammara is the member who dreams big, always reminding us of the grand possibilities of what we can as a team with great passion for what we do “one day” accomplish. A great pick me upper for a bang your head on the wall, cry like a baby and want to give up type of day! “I have always had a strong desire to help the less fortunate in developing countries. Through various projects, my hopes are to develop and maintain relief efforts within needed areas in South Asia and beyond.”

Denish “Dolla’ Lama” Ghayal| Founding Member, Strategic Planner

Denish is an artist with the eloquent underpinnings of a business man. His mimed talents as a creative thinker came to life and currently guide the team in countering matchless strategy and impeccable “every man has a dolla to give to a quality cause” philosophy. “After graduating from DePaul University, I decided it was time to use the skills that I have cultivated from school and over the past twenty-three years of my life to make a difference. I am a creative person who likes to think outside of the box, and Thaakat helps me to channel this ability. I joined to study and become a Middle Class Hero.” -Denish

Amreena “Oracle” Khan | Founding Member, Sponsorship Management

A graduate of Northeastern Illinois University with a degree in Business Administration, Amreena definitely brings great energy to the team. Amreena shared, “When Uzma told me about the idea of Thaakat Foundation, I was immediately hit with the realization that this was something that I wanted to be a part of. Growing up with a family who constantly is there to help the community, this was something that came naturally to me.

Mahreen aka Hira “Govinda” Younus | Founding Member, Treasurer

Mahreen is a graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne with a degree in Accounting and Finance. With a million-dollar smile that’s hard to resist, Hira hopes to accomplish big things! “There are so many opportunities out there to take a place on the avenue of change. However, it wasn’t until I found a place within Thaakat Foundation to really feel like I was helping to make a difference. This is not only an opportunity to help the less fortunate but also to help today’s youth get involved an in organization from which they will gain an unprecedented experience.” -Mahreen

Nudrat Zoha | Social Media Guru

Yes, this is the woman behind it all. Making sure our Facebook personality is in check, ensuring we are engaging our audience via Twitter and Youtube, she is surely the friendly face behind Thaakat and well much more. Nudrat is a young member on the board but mature beyond her years.  “I have always wanted to be part of an organization that allows me to do something for the less fortunate and Thaakat does that and much more. “

Sarah Khan|  Growth & Operations

Sarah is a graduate of Rutgers University, NJ.  She took to the team with such stride, and has jumped on board to assist the group in launching chapters across the country. From having her hands in to growing our student chapters, to event planning and even volunteering- Sarah is hands on and if it means doing good she’s always in.

Hira T. Khan|  Keeper of the Blog

Hira studied Psychology, Global Health, and Creative Writing at
Northwestern University before she ended up at UIC to pursue her
master’s degree in Public Health. A second-year student in the
program, Hira is committed to social justice and community service –
which is how we came to have her at the Thaakat Foundation. Hira was
peripherally involved with Thaakat long before she took on the role of
Keeper of the Blog. But now she’s stepped deeper into the Thaakat
fold, which is where we plan to keep her. When she’s not writing for
Thaakat, Hira is cooking up ways to get out of Chicago and travel the
world.