Meet the Founders and our Executive Team

PRATIMA PENUMARTHY

Pratima Penumarthy has been a part of the elder community from a very young age. From helping elders in their little tasks to taking care of her parents, Pratima knows how hard life is for the senior citizens of the community. Dedication to give back to the community and creating a positive impact upon the society have always been her main goals.

Volunteering for Seniors has been established by Pratima Prenumarthy as a non-profit organization. The main idea behind it is to help the golden agers who truly need assistance in their daily life and are shy to come forward.

RAMAKRISHNA PENUMARTHY

Ramakrishna Penumarthy is an advocate of supporting the seniors and has been making a positive impact in the community. He has been the main source of motivation and support for Pratima to establish a community of volunteers as Volunteering for Seniors.

His kind nature makes him believe that if we don’t help our community by assisting the ones in need, then we also shall not get support in our difficult times. It is this very belief that has made Ramakrishna Penumarthy play a vital role in giving a meaningful form and substance to Volunteering for Seniors.

BADARINADH VISSAPRAGADA

Mr. Badarinadh Vissapragada is a philanthropist, a successful leader, a highly achieved professional in his career. His passion and dedication to volunteering and in particular helping seniors is what made him to be part of this initiative. He always supported and advocated volunteers who loved working with the elderly and brought smiles on their faces.

Badarinadh retired after 35 years of his professional life in oil & gas industry worked in different countries and finally settled in Boston mainly involved in charity. He was the founder of Srutjilayalu organization mainly to promote carnatic music and Kuchipudi dance art forms.

DR. ROHIT CHANDRA

Dr. Rohit Chandra is an M.D. and a psychiatrist at MGH Chelsea Healthcare Center and an Instructor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

He is the Board chair for a South Boston-based arts and healing non-profit organization called Medicine Wheel. He has been involved in community activities such as acting in the Boston area’s Indian acting troupe, SETU, and serving as a judge for the India International Film Festival Boston (IIFFB). He is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with our sorely-needed volunteering organization, Volunteering for Seniors  and pillar us through our activities.

DR. SRINIVAS SONTI

Dr. Srinivas Sonti is currently working at Sartorius Biotech in the manufacturing department of medicines and vaccine and has closely worked with several Pharma and Bio Pharma companies including Merck, Abbott, Sanofi, Moderna, etc. He holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering and Business Management and a PhD degree in Chemical Engineering with focus in the biotech area.
He is very passionate about serving humanity through development of new technologies that help people live a healthy and active life. As part of his passion, he has been a constant support to Volunteering for Seniors.

AKHILA PENUMARTHY

The VP of Outreach collaboratively develops and implements a comprehensive strategic plan to grow and deepen VFS's relationship with our current members, and partner organizations and identify areas for collaboration.  They will lead the planning and execution of engagement and outreach actions and activities with community allies and partner organizations. Akhila  works closely with the Board to develop plans to effectively engage our membership and program offerings.  Additionally, she will focus on modern and easy communication among volunteers, expand our program to colleges and motivate youth to contribute and build the next generation force.

ARPITA SHAH

Arpita is a small business owner in the healthcare sector in the state of Massachusetts. She likes to give back to the community & create a positive impact.She was attracted to VFS for its mission to help mostly  seniors to keep them energetic & active. As VP of Community engagement, Arpita represents VFS organization in public; fosters productive relationships with community leaders in order to understand community needs, facilitate community connections and develop strategic partnerships.She works collaboratively with the Executive Leadership Team to establish long-range goals and strategies.

RASHI JOSEPH

Rashi works at Harvard University, but her real passion lies with creative and social causes. She’s a interior designer who has recently reignited her entrepreneurial journey with an e-commerce business. A mother of two she is well regarded among her peers in the Greater Boston area for being a design powerhouse, an idea factory and a true connector of people. She believes in giving back to society with her involvement in local non-profits.
Rashi has degrees in business management, data science, interior & fashion design and has previously held roles in major financial institutions before running her own leather export  business.

SWAPNA KARI

Swapna Kari is a successful  IT professional and an entrepreneur with a loving husband and 2 daughters. Her passion to serve does not end at her family but takes it forward to serve her community as well. She enthusiastically established VFS -PA chapter in Pennsylvania and has been working hard relentlessly in reaching out to the local seniors.

The involvement with the seniors have changed her perspective of life and  taught her to take on life as it comes, welcome each day with a smile and just be grateful to life.Her family cherishes spending time with the seniors and loves to find opportunities for more individuals to connect  with these young at heart people.

DOTTIE FULGINITI

Dottie Fulginiti was elected to the Easton,MA Select Board in 2013 and has served as the chair for the past three years. She also serves on the Easton Economic Development Council, Commission on Disabilities, and Shovel Town Cultural District Management Partners and Easton Age Friendly Committee. 

Easton ,MA Select Board Chair Dottie Fulginiti was recently honored as a member of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women’s 2021 class of Unsung Heroines.

NEIL ANDERSON

Neil has served non-profit organizations in staff and advisory roles for over 25 years.  While most of this time has been in service to youth, he has always enjoyed working with and for seniors and led efforts to facilitate cross-generational programming while serving as a YMCA Director. As an estate planning attorney, he advises and assists seniors in their planning needs.  When he learned of the terrific work being done by Volunteering for Seniors, he knew he could play a valuable role as an advisor and bring to bear a relevant legal background coupled with a wealth of knowledge and experience from the non-profit sector.

DR.Vikas Merchia, MD, FACOG

Dr. Merchia founded ESP Medical in 2011. 

Dr. Vikas Merchia is recognized as a Top Doctor by the “Leading Physicians of the World” and also by South Shore Living, and Cape Cod Magazine. He has a passion for educating students, and serves as a student mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) and Tufts University.He is also an associate professor at MGH Institute of Health Professionals (Mass General) in Boston, MA, as well as at Tufts University. He has lectured locally and nationally on topics of urogynecology, incontinence and prolapse surgeries.