Meet the SACHI Board

Current Board of Directors

President : Kalpana Desai

grew up in Mumbai and Delhi. An Economics graduate from Delhi and Mumbai Universities, she pursued her early career in financial and economic research. Chicago, her first introduction to the US, kindled a long-term appreciation for the arts. Following her move to the San Francisco Bay Area, she trained to be an Asian Art Museum Docent (1991-1994), and served on the Docent Council Board of Directors, which she also chaired during the Museum’s transition to Civic Center from the Golden Gate Park in 2001-2003. She continues to be actively engaged in Asian art public education programs through docenting.

Kalpana is a Founding Member of SACHI. She has spearheaded a wide range of distinctive SACHI programs geared to enhancing the Bay Area’s South Asian cultural presence, forged numerous community and partner alliances, and served as the organization’s leader for 10 years (2003-2007; 2012-2018). In addition to active involvement in SACHI, she serves on the Society for Asian Art Board supporting program enrichment for its Members.

Vice-President : Mary-Ann Milford-Lutzker

holds the Carver Chair in East Asian Studies, and was Chair of the Department of Art and Art History at Mills College. She received her PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. Her early work focused on classical Indian and Indonesian art for which she wrote on and curated exhibitions including The Image of Women in Indian Art, and Myths and Symbols in Indonesian Art. Since the mid-90s she has been working with women artists in India. In 1997 she curated Women Artists of India: A Celebration of Independence, an exhibition that was part of the Festival of India that celebrated India’s fifty years of independence from British colonial rule. In 2001 she curated the first retrospective of Zarina Hashmi’s art. She has written extensively on Indian women artists, and written and curated exhibitions of Asian American artists. In 2012 she was an NEH fellow at the Institute for Asian American Art, New York University. She is a founding member of SACHI and serves on the Advisory Committee for the Society for Asian Art, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. She also serves on national and international art organization boards.

Vice-President : Gita Vaish

was born in Delhi. She graduated from Miranda House, Delhi, with a BA in History. Gita’s early career has been as a sales and advertising executive in the Travel industry in India and in the Bay Area. She has also traveled extensively to diverse and exotic locations. Her visits to cultural sites and institutions in these diverse regions has helped develop a deep appreciation of the universal human striving for wisdom through religion and the performing, visual and literary arts. Gita is a patron of the Asian Arts Museum, the Exploratorium, SACHI and many local University and Community projects. Gita and her husband are also active supporters of education and research in Science, Mathematics and Business, both in the US and in India. Gita has been a previous board member and President of SACHI and returns with ideas and enthusiasm to further the mission of SACHI to bring the heritage of India to our community.

Secretary : Sheila Dowell

has a long time association with the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco having served as an active Docent for over 20 years. She has been exposed to many cultures, having lived in South Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, and also in parts of Europe and Africa. Her driving interest in art and art history takes her back frequently to these regions, especially South Asia. Her stay in India, and her recurring visits have made a very profound impact on her. She brings to the SACHI Board, her deep love and passion for Indian art and culture. Combined with her continual exploration of Indian themes, and her past experience on the SACHI Board, Sheila enriches the SACHI team with her unique strengths.

Treasurer : Pragna Mehta

was born and raised in Calcutta (Kolkata). She moved to the US in 1972, and since then has lived in many different parts of the US and overseas. Over the years she has worked in the US tax compliance department with many small and large companies. She moved out of California in 1993 but returned to retire in the Bay Area in 2009. Pragna is currently a docent at the Asian Art Museum. In retirement, she enjoys being a grandma, traveling and being a docent at the museum.

Membership Chair/Programs : Neaera Jayasuriya Baer

retired from a career in finance and banking. She grew up in Sri Lanka, pursued work in the Bay Area, and lived in Hong Kong with her husband before immersing in her love of Asian art traditions and culture in California. This led to 18 years of docenting at the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. Neaera recently completed her term as the Chairperson of the Asian Art Museum Docent Council and has previously served on the Board of Directors of SACHI. She is an active ikebanist, and a member of the Sogetsu school of Ikebana.

Programs/Development : Shivi Legha

is an art historian with a masters degree in art history from Punjab University, where she trained under the guidance of the renowned Dr. B.N. Goswamy. Her areas of special interest comprise Indian classical painting traditions and the terracotta sculptures of Molela potters in Rajasthan. She has an abiding interest in the dying art of Phulkari textiles of Punjab, and in the Janam Sakhi paintings of Guru Nanak.  Shivi has presented lectures and conducted workshops on Indian art both in the US and in India. Shivi is a returning SACHI Board Member, and a welcome addition to the Board, sharing her special knowledge and expertise on Indian art.

Technology & Outreach Support : Charita Thakkar

comes from Mumbai, where she earned her Bachelor’s in Chemistry and Physics. On moving to the US, she earned degrees in Business from Texas Christian University and Stanford University, and  manages a business based in Bangalore, India. Her passion for the arts led her to volunteer as a Docent at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C. Charita currently volunteers as a School Tours Docent at the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, and also serves as Vice Chair of the Volunteer Steering Committee at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Charita’s business and science backgrounds, combined with her passion for the arts bring a holistic presence to the SACHI Board.

Past Board Members

Aarti Johri, President 

grew up in Pune, India and moved to the US in 1989 after graduating from College of Engineering, Pune. She completed her Masters in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University and worked as a chip designer for several years.  More recently, inspired by her interest in the arts, architecture, and Indian history, she completed a Master of Liberal Arts at Stanford University writing several papers on feminist topics in Indian history.  These include her thesis on “Paternalistic Politics and Feminine Fates: The Legacies of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi and Begum Hazrat Mahal of Oudh”.  She co-founded and ran a successful summer camp program on India that introduced young children to Indian history, art, religions, and culture. She has co-hosted thematic Indian music programs on KZSU Stanford 90.1 FM.  Aarti has published articles on Indian history, and blogged for an online magazine. She has worked with Room to Read, an educational non-profit, and has served on the board of SACHI since 2014.

Aggie Brenneman 

lived in India, Nepal and Malaysia for 10 years, working with the Peace Corps and as a teacher. She studied Bharata Natyam with the renowned T. Balasaraswati, and the dance has remained her life long interest. In 1991 she received a grant from the NEH to research Indian mythology, and in 2016 she taught dance in Chennai. Aggie has an MA in Education from Michigan State University. She worked as an educator for over 40 years in varied capacities, including the Multicultural Coordinator for the International School of Malaysia for 5 years and as a teacher in Oakland for 30 years. Currently she is a supervisor for the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute. She has been involved with the SF Asian Art Museum for 20 years, serving as curriculum designer for the Afghanistan Exhibition in 2008 and as a volunteer docent since 2011. Aggie brings to SACHI her experience in directing theater and dance, her training in multicultural education, and a strong desire to promote the rich arts and culture of India.