Our team

The people behind IAHV UK.

IAHV UK is carried by trustees, board members, project leaders and volunteers who bring practical human values work into communities.

A moment of human connection and kindness

Team member groups

Meet the project leaders and trustees who help shape, support and deliver IAHV UK’s work across communities.

The team brings experience from education, healthcare, technology, fundraising, governance, community service and international development.

Our team

Trustees

IAHV UK is carried by trustees, board members, project leaders and volunteers who bring practical human values work into communities.

Puja Handa

Trustee

Puja Handa

Puja Handa is a Senior International Faculty of the Art of Living Foundation; teaching for over 20 years; currently a Trainer of Trainers for Europe. She is a Trustee of the UK chapter of a worldwide humanitarian charity International Association for Human Values.

Puja Handa

Trustee

Puja Handa

Puja Handa is a Senior International Faculty of the Art of Living Foundation; teaching for over 20 years; currently a Trainer of Trainers for Europe. She is a Trustee of the UK chapter of a worldwide humanitarian charity International Association for Human Values. Puja’s passion for community peacebuilding interventions and mental health empowerment for youth took her to teach courses across numerous countries in Europe, Africa and Asia, including the UK of course which is her base. Puja has been a Moderator and host for numerous women leadership organisations, including International Women’s Conference. Puja was born in Botswana, graduated from London School of Economics; and has worked in corporate America over 2 decades ago. She is also a mother, and passionate about spreading peace & joy!
Madhu Rao, Trustee

Trustee

Madhu Rao

Madhu Rao began his career as a Chartered Accountant and for more than a decade partnered with a leading Chartered Accountancy firm in Mumbai.

Madhu Rao, Trustee

Trustee

Madhu Rao

Madhu Rao began his career as a Chartered Accountant and for more than a decade partnered with a leading Chartered Accountancy firm in Mumbai. Thereafter he migrated to Hong Kong where he took charge as CFO of a business group and 30 years later retired as the Vice Chairman and CEO of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. He is currently serving as the Chairman of The Art of Living Trust.
Prashant Manral

Trustee

Prashant Manral

Prashant Manral is a dedicated Trustee of IAHV UK, leveraging extensive corporate leadership experience to support the charity’s governance and strategic growth.

Prashant Manral

Trustee

Prashant Manral

Prashant Manral is passionate about community well-being, social responsibility, and human values. He is an Art of Living Part 1 and Part 2 course teacher having taught meditation to thousands. Utilising over two decades of global corporate leadership in business development and digital transformation in the Wireless industry, he strengthens the charity’s governance.

Our team

Board

IAHV UK is carried by trustees, board members, project leaders and volunteers who bring practical human values work into communities.

Jaydeep Pancholi

Board

Jaydeep Pancholi

Jaydeep is a Board Member for IAHV UK. He supports, along with other members with the day to day operations and governance of the organisation.

Jaydeep Pancholi

Board

Jaydeep Pancholi

Jaydeep is a Board Member for IAHV UK. He supports, along with other members with the day to day operations and governance of the organisation. He is also a board sponsor for key projects supported by IAHV such as the ‘Healing, Resilience and Empowerment’ (IAHV’s flagship trauma relief programme). Addition to this role, Jaydeep works in Executive Education at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, developing custom programmes. He recognises that education has a power to shift mindsets and establish strategic direction for a sustainable economy. He’s previous experience includes working on eMBA and MSc courses, non-profit, e-commerce and automotive sectors. Jaydeep achieved a PhD in Management, researching stakeholder influences on strategy in conflict zones. Additionally, he is a trainer in personal development and stress management for over 10 years, teaching programmes for all profiles and ages, embedding the core of what matters in life, happiness and ‘Human Values’.
Shailen Mittal

Board

Shailen Mittal

Passionate about ESG and Net-Zero pathways, he visited UN Climate Conferences namely COP26 in Glasgow, COP28 in Dubai and COP29 in Baku as an international delegate.

Shailen Mittal

Board

Shailen Mittal

Passionate about ESG and Net-Zero pathways, he visited UN Climate Conferences namely COP26 in Glasgow, COP28 in Dubai and COP29 in Baku as an international delegate. He is a qualified facilitator for Climate Fresk, a French non-profit workshop for Climate Science and a Guest faculty at the University of Cambridge for the same. He leads the IAHV Climate Action project that has planted 1.8 million trees, also generates employment and protects biodiversity; serving five UN Global Goals. Shailen Mittal until recently worked for HSBC Bank Plc in London. He is part of the Regulatory Data Compliance team and in the committee for HSBC London Climate Action Network. Prior to banking, he has a decade of Commercial leadership experience in FMCG global commodities/ produce and a decade of being an entrepreneur in the export business of fashion accessories. Shailen graduated from SCBS, University of Delhi, did Masters from Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and then studied Sustainability Leadership at the Imperial College of London. Shailen loves to follow Geo-politics, indulge in Youth Empowerment and is an ambassador of the belief that HUMAN VALUES are the HIGHEST expression of human life, He speaks 5 languages including German, Portuguese and Urdu and dreams of retiring in Portugal or Italy. He loves to meet new people and is open to twenty min virtual coffee chats. Born in New Delhi, he lives in London with his wife and daughter.
Charles Appleby

Board

Charles Appleby

Charles has volunteered for IAHV UK for 10+ years and is board member.

Charles Appleby

Board

Charles Appleby

Charles has volunteered for IAHV UK for 10+ years and is board member. His background include a career in sales with IT Services such as HP and Dell. He is passionate about mitigating and building education around climate change. He’s involved in tree plantation as a low cost solution to climate change that also enables families to uplift themselves out of extreme poverty. Charles founded the project n0co2.org to make it easy for business and people to plant trees to remove their CO2 emissions. Today Charles is in talks with Investors to fund the planting of millions of trees in the Amazon Rainforest for Carbon Credits, with the aim to uplift a whole indigenous community out of extreme poverty. IAHV serves as an extraordinary platform for grassroots action to address so many critical social problems. By focussing now on the impact of our projects, he believes IAHV can make an even bigger difference and achieve much greater awareness about our extraordinary work.
Ruth Fretwell

Board

Ruth Fretwell

Ruth is now an Independent Criminal Justice Advisor, a yoga teacher, and a chronic pain relief massage therapist.

Ruth Fretwell

Board

Ruth Fretwell

A retired civil servant with extensive experience in the Criminal Justice System, Ruth Fretwell is passionate about creating a more compassionate and equitable society. During her career, she led large teams and innovative multi-agency initiatives focused on reducing re-offending, working closely with government departments and external organisations. As a qualified Probation Officer, she has significant experience supporting individuals both in custody and in the community. Now also a yoga teacher and chronic pain relief massage therapist, she values the opportunity to combine her professional experience with her passion for wellbeing and service. A proud grandmother of three, she finds inspiration in their curiosity, joy, and fresh perspective on the world. Fun fact: Her first encounter with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was in a prison—a memorable introduction to a journey that continues to shape her work today.

Our team

Project Leaders

IAHV UK is carried by trustees, board members, project leaders and volunteers who bring practical human values work into communities.

Dr Manmeet Kaur

Project Manager - Mind Body Wellness (Wales)

Dr Manmeet Kaur

Dr Manmeet Kaur is a GP Lead and Project Manager for the Mind & Body Wellness Programme.

Dr Manmeet Kaur

Project Manager - Mind Body Wellness (Wales)

Dr Manmeet Kaur

Dr. Manmeet Kaur is a GP Lead and Project Manager for the Mind & Body Wellness Programme. Combining medical expertise with extensive training in yoga, meditation, and breathwork, she champions NHS patient and staff well-being. Her impactful work, especially the mindfulness during COVID and other work has earned multiple accolades, including the 2021 EMWWA Award and the 2024 ABUHB Staff Recognition Award, honouring her dedication to community health.
Dr Katrien Hertog

Programme Director Peacebuilding

Dr Katrien Hertog

Dr Katrien Hertog is a peacebuilding researcher, trainer and practitioner with 15 years of experience in the academic and non-governmental sector.

Dr Katrien Hertog

Programme Director Peacebuilding

Dr Katrien Hertog

Dr. Katrien Hertog is a peacebuilding researcher, trainer and practitioner with 15 years of experience in the academic and non-governmental sector. She has a MA in Peace Studies from the University of Bradford and a PhD from the Centre for Peace Research at the University of Leuven. Thanks to her book “The Complex Reality of Religious Peacebuilding: Conceptual Contributions and Critical Analysis” (Lexington, 2010), she has become an international reference and resource on religious peacebuilding. Dr. Hertog has worked as project manager for different peacebuilding INGO’s and as Senior Peacebuilding Trainer and Facilitator at International Alert. As a trainer in peacebuilding, rehabilitation, stress management and capacity development, she has trained 1000+ people, including UN and EU personnel, Dutch and UK government, NGO’s and CSO’s, students, journalists, refugees and prisoners. Currently she is Director of the internationally renowned prisoner rehabilitation programme Prison Program and BreatheSMART for Europe and independent consultant trainer and researcher. Her working experience has mainly been in the Middle East, Asia and Russia / North Caucasus.
Anish Patel

Project Manager - Art of Living Free Schools (formerly Gift-a-Smile)

Anish Patel

Anish Patel is a seasoned Database Engineer and Consultant with over 20 years of experience in IT, working predominantly within the financial sector while also supporting clients in the public sector.

Anish Patel

Project Manager - Art of Living Free Schools (formerly Gift-a-Smile)

Anish Patel

Anish Patel is a seasoned Database Engineer and Consultant with over 20 years of experience in IT, working predominantly within the financial sector while also supporting clients in the public sector. He has seen first hand the importance of embracing new technologies to transform business challenges into opportunities for innovation and growth. Having gained an Engineering degree that opened doors that might otherwise have remained closed, Anish believes deeply that education should be a right for every child, not a privilege. Through the IAHV Art of Living Free Schools project, he is committed to helping ensure access to free education becomes a reality for children.
Ashish Monga

Project Manager - IAHV Read Library

Ashish Monga

Ashish is the project lead for the IAHV Read Library project, spreading the joy of books through school libraries in India and Kenya.

Ashish Monga

Project Manager - IAHV Read Library

Ashish Monga

Ashish Monga has been the dedicated lead of the IAHV Read Library initiative for many years, driven by the belief that books can transform lives. In his professional career, Ashish works as a product manager in a financial firm. Bringing his structured expertise in strategy and execution to his humanitarian work, he has bridged the gap between donors, volunteers and schools and has helped bring the joy of learning to thousands of underprivileged children.
Birgit Konig

Project Manager - Yes for Schools

Birgit Konig

Birgit is a paediatric doctor by training with 25 years of practice experience both within the NHS in the UK and in Tanzania.

Birgit Konig

Project Manager - Yes for Schools

Birgit Konig

Birgit is a paediatric doctor by training with 25 years of practice experience both within the NHS in the UK and in Tanzania. She has vast experience working with young people from all walks of life with diverse issues, including mental health problems. She is passionate about supporting young people through the challenging times of growing up. Birgit is a youth teacher since 2019.
Aneshree Young

Project Lead - Prison Program and BreatheSMART

Aneshree Young

Aneshree Young is a strategic business consultant with more than two decades of professional experience across business transformation and leadership.

Aneshree Young

Project Lead - Prison Program and BreatheSMART

Aneshree Young

Aneshree Young is a strategic business consultant with more than two decades of professional experience across business transformation and leadership. Bringing her passion for service and community impact to IAHV, she has taken on the mantle of Project Leader for Prison Program and BreatheSMART projects, contributing her skills, energy, and commitment to supporting positive social change.
Dipti Patel, Project Manager - Art of Living Free Schools

Project Manager - Art of Living Free Schools (formerly Gift-a-Smile)

Dipti Patel

Driven by my love for children, I've committed myself to the Art of Living Free Schools project to ensure no child misses out on a safe and happy childhood.

Dipti Patel, Project Manager - Art of Living Free Schools

Project Manager - Art of Living Free Schools (formerly Gift-a-Smile)

Dipti Patel

Driven by my love for children, I’ve committed myself to the Art of Living Free Schools project to ensure no child misses out on a safe and happy childhood. My goal is to turn maternal empathy into practical action for those who need it most. I’m passionate about Art of Living Free Schools because I believe every child deserves the same love and opportunities I strive to give my own children. My background in accounting will allow me to provide the strategic oversight needed to grow the project reach and ensure long-term stability for the children we serve.
Dr Farnaaz Sharief

Clinical Lead for Mental Health Director, Manage Your Mind-CIC

Dr Farnaaz Sharief MBChB, MRCGP

Muskaan Banatwalla

Project Manager - Climate Action Now

Muskaan Banatwalla

A conflict and development professional in humanitarian affairs, climate action, and security, serving as a Programme & Fundraising Intern at IAHV. I support trauma relief, advocacy events, and climate resilience initiatives, including carbon credits, and represented IAHV at COP 30 in Belém. Holding a Master's from King's College London, my research spans post-conflict reintegration, women’s digital political participation, OSINT analysis, and regional case studies across South Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Muskaan Banatwalla

Project Manager - Climate Action Now

Muskaan Banatwalla

I am a conflict and development professional, serving as a Programme & Fundraising Intern at the International Association for Human Values (IAHV). In this role, I support trauma relief for conflict-affected communities, coordinate advocacy events, and contribute to climate resilience projects, including exploratory work on carbon credits. I recently represented IAHV as a delegate at COP 30 in Belém, engaging in global policy dialogues on nature-based solutions and community-based alternative livelihood mechanisms. I hold a Master’s degree from King’s College London, where my research focused on grassroots mechanisms in post-conflict reintegration and 3rd generation DDR and Transitional Justice nexus frameworks. My work also encompasses women’s digital political participation in Europe (CoTo) and open-source intelligence (OSINT) projects on nuclear testing and the dark web. Bringing case expertise on civil war and post-conflict processes in Sierra Leone and Colombia, state-building in Afghanistan, and South Asian nuclear policy, I am motivated to apply evidence-based research and policy insights to advance humanitarian and climate solutions.
Sundar Sivasundar

Project Manager - Sri Lanka Children's Homes

Sundar Sivasundar

Role Open for Application

Role Open for Application

Disaster and Trauma Relief

Role Open for Application

Role Open for Application

Youth Leadership Training Program (YLTP)

Ann Revington

Project lead for Ayurveda Mother and Infant (AMI)

Ann Revington

Ann is a certified Infant Massage Trainer with 25 years as Training Director for Sri Sri Ayurveda at the Art of Living International Centres in Canada and Europe.

Ann Revington

Project lead for Ayurveda Mother and Infant (AMI)

Ann Revington

Ann is the Training Director for Sri Sri Ayurveda at the Art of Living International Center situated at Saint-Mathieu-du Parc, Quebec. She is certified by the Sri Sri Ayurveda Teaching Hospital in Bangalore to train massage therapists, teach cookery teacher training programs and give lifestyle consultations. Her specialized training in baby massage was completed with The Sacred Window School , whose Director, the late Ysha Oakes , has personally overseen her training and certified her as a Baby Massage Trainer. In February 2018 Ann finalised a partnership with the University of Rio in Brazil to receive certification endorsement for AMI in Brazil.

Our team

IAHV admin

IAHV UK is carried by trustees, board members, project leaders and volunteers who bring practical human values work into communities.

Kaushik Anil

Events Fundraiser Lead

Kaushik Anil

My experience in healthcare strengthened my drive to give back, ensuring that compassion and accountability guide everything I do.

Kaushik Anil

Events Fundraiser Lead

Kaushik Anil

I work as a civil servant in the healthcare sector, where my role is rooted in delivering healthcare services that directly support the wellbeing of our communities. This commitment to public service naturally extends into my life outside of work, where I serve as a core volunteer tasked with campaigning funds as a fundraising officer for IAHV’s humanitarian projects. My experience in healthcare strengthens my drive to give back, ensuring that compassion and accountability guide everything I do. Through volunteering, I aim to create a positive, lasting impact for those who need it most.
Young People Safeguarding Lead

Young People Safeguarding Lead

Debbie Turner

Graphics and Web Lead

Graphics and Web Lead

Sowmya R

Role Open for Application

Role Open for Application

Social Media Lead

Dipti Patel

Finance Team — Core Team

Dipti Patel

Finance Team — Core Team

Finance Team — Core Team

Kashmira Patel

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