Shriya Iyer
Founder, Director for Marketing & Strategy
Shriya, a sophomore at the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, has been involved with the Swami Vivekananda Integrated Rural Health (SVIRH) Center since 2019. Her first visit to the Center deeply moved her, particularly the challenges faced by people affected by leprosy. Determined to help, she and her family collected clothes, books, and toys for donation. Shriya also played a key role in creating public service announcements designed to dispel myths about leprosy and educate the public about the disease. She founded the Health & Hope Global Initiative to expand this commitment and provide sustained support to patients and their families.
Shriya leads the organization’s donor outreach, fundraising, and communications strategy. She developed and led a successful social media campaign that increased awareness of the challenges faced by people affected by leprosy and expanded engagement with the organization’s mission. She also presented the organization’s programs, funding priorities, and anticipated impact to high-net-worth donors, helping attract critical financial support for reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation, and livelihood initiatives. Through these efforts, Shriya has played a central role in connecting donors with meaningful opportunities to restore health, dignity, mobility, and financial independence for patients and their families.
Vaishnav Iyer
Co-Founder, Director for Finance & Operations
Vaishnav is a senior at Centennial High School in Frisco, Texas. As Co-Founder and Director of the Health & Hope Global Initiative, he focuses on the financial and operational aspects of the organization’s programs. He has been involved with SVIRH Center since 2019 and was instrumental in shipping donations like books, clothing, and toys from the United States. Vaishnav analyzed the costs associated with the services that could be offered through the organization’s partnership with the Swami Vivekananda Integrated Rural Health Center.
He evaluated how available funds could be used most effectively to create the greatest possible benefit for patients. By comparing service options, anticipated costs, and potential patient outcomes, Vaishnav helped identify the programs that would deliver the greatest impact for every donated dollar. His analysis supports responsible financial planning and helps the organization direct its resources toward services that can make a substantial and lasting difference in patients’ lives.
Avani Iyer
Co-Founder, Director for Clinical & Research
Avani is a senior at Centennial High School in Frisco, Texas. As Co-Founder and Director of the Health & Hope Global Initiative, she focuses on the health and clinical aspects of the organization’s work. She has been involved with SVIRH Center since 2019 and has organized drives to collect donations like books, clothing, and toys in the United States. Avani researched leprosy, its complications, and the interventions that could have the greatest impact on the health, mobility, and quality of life of people affected by the disease.
She also studied the procedures and patient-care requirements associated with reconstructive limb surgery. Drawing on this research, Avani prepared a medical research report that helped establish the foundation for the organization’s plan to support reconstructive surgical services for patients at the Swami Vivekananda Integrated Rural Health Center. Her work helps ensure that the organization’s programs are informed by patient needs and focused on meaningful, long-term outcomes.