Washington DC Network

Programming Director, Kirti Patel has worked as a contractor for the government in the areas of Immigration, Commercial Litigation, and Civil Rights.  She has also worked as an HR and marketing consultant.  She graduated from Indiana University School of Law in Indianapolis.  She completed her undergraduate studies at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana in Pyschology/Criminal Justice.  Kirti is actively involved many public interest organizations and devotes a significant amount of her time promoting awareness of

South Asian issues within the community.  Kirti also enjoys creating delectable deserts for her friends, family, and others.

Marketing Director, Toral Desai’s experience as a licensed clinical psychologist in combination with her MBA has allowed her to work in the mental health field, and most recently, in human capital consulting.   Currently, Toral works for a management consulting firm designing and executing leadership development and succession planning initiatives.  Prior to entering the consulting world, Toral served as the director of clinical services for a non-profit human services organization. Toral earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina (go HEELS!!) and her doctorate and MBA from Widener University. Her other interests include dance, running, music, travel, and (if this counts as an interest)…chocolate. 

Community Director, Pratichi Shah, is currently the Director of the Employer of Choice function for Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a 7,500 employee global Human Resources consulting firm.  As Director of Employer of Choice, Ms. Shah is responsible for the firm’s Communications, Employee Relations and Diversity areas and is a member of the Human Resources leadership team.  She has been with Watson Wyatt since 1996.  During her time there, she has led the Training and Organizational Development function, established and directed the Employee Relations and Communications areas and has worked extensively on Watson Wyatt’s Diversity initiative.  Prior to joining Watson Wyatt, Ms. Shah was part of the Staff Development department at George Washington University, where her specialty areas included workplace diversity and career development.  She is currently a member of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Organizational Development Network (ODN).  She is also a founder and co-chair of Women in Training, a local networking group for women in the field of Training and Development.  She also has consulted to several Washington DC area organizations, including American University and Prince Georges Community College, on human resource development issues. Ms. Shah holds an MBA in Human Resources Management from American University and a BA in the Psychology of Management from Eckerd College.

Membership Director: Devika Koppikar is a strong supporter of empowering minority women to exceed their potential, Devika previously served as the President of the Network of Indian Professionals (NetIP) in Houston and then served as the Public Relations Chair for the Network of South Asian Professionals in Washington, D.C. Professionally, Devika has just started her own consulting firm, K Communications Strategies, LLC, which guides clients in navigating the media and Congress. She also serves on the faculty of the College of Southern Maryland , where she teaches writing and business communications. Prior to starting her own consulting firm, Devika worked for six years as a press secretary on Capitol Hill. She holds a Master's degree in Broadcast Journalism and Public Affairs from American University ( Washington , D.C. ) and a Bachelor's Degree in Government from the University of Texas at Austin . Outside of her professional and community work, Devika likes volunteering with children, traveling, cooking and swimming. Devika grew up in Tallahassee , Florida and now makes Northern Virginia her homet.

Operations Director, Prathima Virmani is a board certified practicing obstetrician/gynecologist in the Northern Virginia area. She is a Junior Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Within the field of obstetrics and gynecology, her special interests include minimally invasive surgery, family planning, and adolescent health. She writes frequently on a range of women's health topics and her articles have appeared in both online and print magazines. Prathima also is a co-owner of a salon and medical spa. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, and learning languages. She graduated from Stanford University with a double major in biology and art history and the University of Pittsburgh Medical School.