Part of this initiative is to connect accomplished leaders and changemakers with the Bold and Becoming members so that the young members can have role models to look up to and learn from. The mentors will be guiding, coaching, and most importantly inspiring the mentees to be a better version of themselves and to achieve their dreams/goals. These will be done by coaching them about necessary leadership skills required to navigate both their professional and academic lives and by guiding them to sustain positive mindsets.

Meet Our Impactful Mentors

Fairooz Beether

Co - Founder of Moner School | Mental Health Enthusiast | Goal Keeper Award Recipient, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

This is Fairooz, a mental health enthusiast. She has been working on making Mental healthcare accessible to the mass but besides that she loves working with youth. She is the recipient of the 2021 Change Makers Award from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She loves listening to songs, reading a good book or watching a great movie.

Chitralekha Kar, CPA

Founder and Facilitator, Bold and Becoming | Assurance Senior, Ernst and Young | Levermore Global Scholar | UN Activist | Retired President of UNA-USA Adelphi Chapter

Chitralekha Kar is a bold and brave United Nations (UN) activist, a Levermore Global scholar and a global citizen who embraces diversity to the fullest and loves to connect the dots and realistically solves various global problems. She is also the retired founder and president of United Nations Association – USA Adelphi Chapter. She has completed her Bachelors and Masters in Accounting from Adelphi University, NY, USA and has been residing in the magical New York for the last seven and a half years! Currently, She is working as an Auditor in Ernst and Young and a Certified Public Accountant. (Her friends call her an accountant with a passion to solve global problems and to make a better working world!)

Sarthak Arora

Software Engineer at Google

Sarthak is a software engineer at Google. He completed his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science at Columbia University.

Sabira Mehrin Saba

Founder and CEO of Wander Woman | Diana Award Recipient

Sabira Mehrin Saba , born and raised in Bangladesh, has founded the revolutionary platform that empowers women to travel with vetted information, verified partners and holistic assistance. She is a Global Mentor at Wedu and Ambassador at Westerwelle Foundation. Sabira received The Diana Award for creating positive impact on 35,000+ Bangladeshi women around the globe.

Sumaiya Mahjabin

Vault, Application Support Analyst

Maya Mahjabin is a Bangladeshi Canadian currently residing in sunny California. Her background is in Addiction Therapy and Social Work and since moving to the US, she has branched out into the IT sector as a Systems Analyst. Throughout her twenties, she has led various projects in the Social Service sector in Vancouver, Canada for women in violent relationships, street level drug users seeking rehabilitation and support alongside her mentor Dr. Gabor Mate. In Bangladesh she worked closely with the Acid Survivor’s Foundation in spearheading empowerment for acid victims through trauma support, resolving root level issues and empowering the victims through group and individual counseling.

Asif U Ahmed

Assistant Professor and Director of the MBA Program, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh

Asif U Ahmed is an Assistant Professor and the Director of the MBA Program at the School of Business of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh. With over two decades of experience in international development, Asif specializes in private sector engagement, employability skills for youth, corporate social responsibility, and sustainable business development. He headed the corporate engagement and private sector development programs for different international organizations both locally and internationally.

Romina Perino

Program Associate at Project Pericles

Passionate and resourceful with experience working in the US, West Africa, and MENA region developing, managing, consulting, and communicating projects across various industries. Detail-oriented with a high capacity for adaptation in different environments, who always strives to exceed expectations by continuous learning and a consistent strategic approach to any situation. Sociable and confident with extensive knowledge of international affairs.

Bushra Khan

Career & Leadership Development | Doctoral Student | Emotional Intelligence Enthusiast

I am a career and leadership development expert working in the non-profit and corporate sectors in Canada, USA and Bangladesh. Much of my work is informed by emotional intelligence, social emotional learning and transformational leadership.

Rijve Arefin

Forbes 30 Under 30 I The Diana Award Recipient I Co-founder, Awareness 360 I Advisor, Target Gender Equality at United Nations Global Compact I The Royal Commonwealth Society Fellow I Youth Development Consultant

Rijve Arefin is a multi-award-winning community development practitioner and a dedicated youth activist. He has recently been named a Forbes 30 Under 30 and highlighted as the Featured Honoree for Social Impact. He also received The Diana Award - the most prestigious accolade a young person can receive for their humanitarian work, continuing Princess Diana’s legacy. He currently works at the United Nations Global Compact as the Target Gender Equality Advisor.

Dana Bhai Joss

Content Creator

From my childhood I was the most extrovert person and also the girl who is more into enjoying her life rather than following the strict rules of childhood. When the other girls were busy with dolls I was busy in football field.

Ambreen Hassan Sarker

Chief Executive Officer, Ikigai HR Services Limited

Ambreen Hassan Serker is an HR Enthusiast with 12 years of work experience across Industries & PUM Netherlands senior experts. She completed Masters in Social Science (MSc) with Merit in International Management from School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. She completed Bachelors in Business Administration (BBA) majoring in Human Resource Management with a combination of Mass Communication as minor.

Samira Sadeque

New York-based Bangladeshi Journalist, Poet, Educator

Samira Asma-Sadeque is a New York-based Bangladeshi journalist, poet and educator, writing about immigrant families, mental health, and hate crimes among other topics.
Her poetry appears in the HBO series Take Out with Lisa Ling; All Arts TV series First Twenty; No Dear magazine; Button Poetry (video); and Black Horse Review among other publications. Her journalism appears in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Guardian, NPR and Al Jazeera among other publications.

Mehran Khan

Head of the BRAC Youth Platform

After graduating from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, Mehran spent the first part of his career in Hollywood working in films in Walt Disney Studios and Warner Brothers. He was also working as a cinematographer in Bangladesh during his vacations in his homeland. During this time, Mehran also opened his own investment firm and also worked in a few startups, but as fate would have it, he ended up working for BRAC in their communications department.

Khan Farhana

ICT Innovation Officer, UNDP

This is Khan Farhana. Her undergraduate degree is in Computer Science and Engineering. Having always been fascinated by science and computers, She decided to study that field. She worked on Government’s ICT projects, Oxfam, and UNESCAP while in Bangladesh and experienced working as a business analyst to develop software for IoT integration.

Abdullah Al Wasif

Founding Partner & CEO at Back Me Up Ventures

Abdullah Al Wasif studied LLB at the University of London, he has been working for nonprofits, startups & building multiple businesses from scratch. Established the ride-sharing industry in Bangladesh and is part of the founding team of Bangladesh's biggest tech startup Pathao, youth organization Volunteer For Bangladesh, and launched Uber in Dhaka.

Afsara Alvee

Founder, Kandari and Assistant Editor

Afsara Tasnim Alvee is an aspiring filmmaker. She received a BA in Media Arts Production from Emerson College with a major in Post Production and a minor in Leadership & Management. She has worked on films like Morbius and Fatherhood. TV series like Star Wars- Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Muppets Mayhem series. She runs a non-profit organization in Bangladesh called Kandari, which aims to improve the livelihood and educational system in coastal areas and indigenous communities.

Kazi Farhana

Founder, WoW Bangladesh

I go by Kazi Farhana, founder, WoW Bangladesh, a platform for women vehicle drivers in Bangladesh. Other than that, I am a HR Professional. Currently working as a Team lead, People and Culture for a Swedish IT Company. Completed Bachelors from NSU and undergoing Masters in Applied Economics at BRACU.

Shehreen Ataur Khan

Assistant Professor, Jagannath University

Shehreen Ataur Khan is an Assistant Professor at the Department of English at Jagannath University, Dhaka. Her first M.A. was in English Literature from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Later she completed another M.A. in Women and Gender Studies jointly from the Central European University, Budapest and the University of Granada, Spain under the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship.

Shafquat Hassan

PhD candidate at Durham

Ahmed Shafquat Hassan is a PhD candidate at Durham. He was a Research Associate at the Centre for Peace and Justice, Brac University, and the Strategic and Academic Director at Mazeltov - Innovation and Justice. Shafquat was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 2018 by the honourable society of the Inner Temple, and has since been a pupil Barrister with Probir Neogi and Associates. Shafquat has a keen interest in Constitutional Law, Human Rights and Legal Theory.

Kahkasan Akhi

Architect, Co-founder, Interior Design Studio based in Seattle, Washington

Kahkasan Akhi is a Bangladeshi American Muslim. Her academic background is in architecture. She completed her bachelors and masters of architecture at the University of Texas at Arlington. Her passion for design and art has led her to pursue her own business under the name IntensePursuits where she showcase her artwork and handicrafts. Her artwork appears in the HBOmax show Takeout with Lisa Ling. She has recently also co-founded an interior design studio based in Seattle, Washington where she currently live with her husband and two children.

Brotee Tasnim Noorin

Head of Strategy & Content, Magnito Digital Limited, Bangladesh

Brotee is a seasoned strategist and an avid practitioner of mentor leadership, boasting over 15 years of experience in the communication sector. With 9 years of experience in program production and presentation in mass media and over 7 years in digital marketing as a strategic and content planner, she has a proven track record of success. She has supervised and delivered campaign plans and content for more than 30 renowned brands in industries such as FMCG, Telco, Lifestyle, and Construction, and has been recognized with awards for her digital campaign planning on both global and local platforms. Currently, she leads a team of 25 in the Strategy & Content division of one of Bangladesh's largest and highest-awarded marketing agencies.

Redwan Ahmed

Independent Journalist | UN Journalism Fellow

Redwan Ahmed is an award-winning Independent journalist and fact-checker covering Bangladesh with a keen interest in Human Rights, Climate Crisis and Democracies. He’s United Nations Journalism Fellow, and his works regularly appear in The Guardian, The Economist and APAC Network. His latest obsession is Podcasts. He likes to brainstorm with hyperlocal news portals and fact-checkers. Twitter: @redwanxyz

Anisha Hossain

Insurance Analyst | Business Consultant | Director at Young Women in Business, Canada

Anisha Hossain is a Canadian-Bangladeshi self-driven ambitious woman, who is the Director of Chapter Development at Young Women in Business, Canada; Licensed Insurance Advisor at TD Canada; and an Advocate for women empowerment, gender equality, diversity and inclusion.
She is the recipient of Women in Leadership MBA Award and MBA Excellence Award. She pursued an MBA from University Canada West, Canada; a Post-degree Certificate in Human Resources Management from York University, Canada; and a Bachelor of Business Administration from North South University, Bangladesh.

Arpa Aishwarya

Architect, Project Researcher, Department of Architecture, University of Oulu, Finland

Arpa Aishwarya is an architect from Bangladesh and currently a project researcher in the Department of Architecture at the University of Oulu, Finland. Pursuing architecture has opened opportunities for her to travel and enrich her understanding of divergent societies and the built environment. While pursuing her masters in Finland, Arpa has developed a keen interest in social sustainability and how urban planning processes can empower its stakeholders to fight global challenges.

Aisha Siddiqua

Coordinator, Edward M. Kennedy Center

Aisha is an aspiring developmental professional whose dream is to live in a world where there is acceptance for everyone. She likes to challenge norms and rigid social views that make a person feel less and wants to help all who want to be their own hero. Aisha is currently working at the EMK Center as a Coordinator where gets to be connected with remarkable personas and loves to learn from them all. She has extensive experience in public diplomacy programming and public speaking.

Nusrat Kabir Prova

Founder and CEO of Chondo, Business Risk Management Officer, Standard Chartered Bank Bangladesh

My name is Nusrat Kabir Prova. I am the Founder and CEO of Chondo.
I am currently employed as a Business Risk Management officer at Standard Chartered Bank Bangladesh. Previously, I was employed at Pathao Limited, One of the fastest growing IT startups of Bangladesh. I had years of experience in brand building at Pathao. Throughout my student life I have also worked with many local & international NGOs that are dedicated to different SDGs, mostly focusing on youth leadership, women's health & empowerment.

Dr. Nusrat Jahan

Doctor, Senior House Officer, Trauma and Orthopedics at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust.

I graduated from Sir Salimullah Medical College, one of the most reputed medical schools of Bangladesh and trained in Mitford Hospital which is one of the largest government hospitals of the country.
I have been practising in the department of internal medicine for the last 3 years in several corporate hospitals of Dhaka. Recently, got registered with the General Medical Council of UK and is planning to do my next trainings from NHS, England.

Wahid Hossain

Social Entrepreneur

Wahid Hossain is a social entrepreneur and worked as a consultant for entrepreneurship education & accelerator programs both in Bangladesh and the USA. Wahid runs an ethical fashion company named TigerBow for more than six years which has impacted over 2800+ lives till date. His company TigerBow makes bow ties using traditional Katan fabric of Bangladesh and allows underprivileged women artisans to obtain sustainable livelihoods.
Beside that Wahid is currently running two entrepreneurship education programs for the k-12 level students of Bangladesh and global.

Detepriya Roy

Project Lead, Online Safety for Women and Youth, Brac Youth Platform

Detepriya Roy studied business, do art for passion and communication for profession. She began her career with Advertising which allowed her to nurture her creative self. She led campaigns with prestigious brands and won awards in national and international platforms. Later she realized the importance of social and behavioural change communication and that her skill had potential in this field. She shifted to the development sector to motivate youth and adolescents to make better choices.

Tahiya Islam

Director of Media and Publication at Aim Initiative Foundation

Tahiya Islam is the Director of Media and Publication at Aim Initiative Foundation, a nonprofit organization working for the underprivileged students of Dhaka, Bangladesh with its Aim School (consisting 150+ students). She is also the Teaching Fellow at Teach for Bangladesh. Shifting from the field of Pharmacy, she has developed her passion and love for community development, mental health advocacy, and qualityful academic education.