Sheela Murthy: Founder and President of the Murthy Law Firm, Sheela has dedicated her career to the practice of U.S. immigration law. Her firm works to help businesses in the United States bring the best and the brightest from abroad to strengthen their operations. An immigrant herself, Sheela has trained her team of nearly 100 staff members to approach their work with empathy for the foreign national. Sheela has served on the boards of numerous nonprofits, including the American Immigration Council, the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, and Stevenson University, and is active at the leadership level of the United Way of Central Maryland and United Way International. She has been recognized and honored for her philanthropic work in the United States and in India, and was named 2009 Philanthropist of the Year by United Way of Central Maryland at their annual Tocqueville Society Awards for her $1 million pledge, announced in 2008. www.sheelamurthy.com

Vasant Nayak: Vasant earned his BA in anthropology and MA in photography. He taught photography and art in the U.S. and has exhibited is work internationally. Vasant says, although his body resides in the United States, his soul dwells in India, and his mind traverses between the two. Vasant works in marketing consulting. This is balanced with the work he does to help nonprofit and NGO partners promote their organizations through media, such as websites, books, films, and more. Profile & Bio

Vijay Nayak: A self-taught programmer who enjoys developing software and websites, Vijay is currently developing websites that spread solutions so that people do not have to reinvent the wheel. He has worked at the Indian Statistical Institute, University of Warwick, the Hubert Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs and for the Healthcare Association of New York State. When not working, he likes to drive the back roads to breathe the fresh air, smell wild flowers, and observe the simpler life. He believes in the journey rather than the destination.

Shay Taylor: With ten years of fine arts education, Shay earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in from the Maryland Institute, College of Art in Baltimore. It has been her skills in writing and digital design, however, that have made the Murthy Law Firm her work home since 1998. Shay loves photography and drawing, but is as comfortable at a computer keyboard or French easel. She adores traveling – especially internationally – and India holds a special place in her heart. She is thoroughly dedicated to the work of the MurthyNAYAK Foundation.