Board of Directors

Rajiv Ramdeo, Chairperson

Rajiv is a Project Lead for the international media conglomerate, Thomson Reuters where he is responsible for migrating portions of the company's asset base. Rajiv holds a Honors Bachelors in Business Administration from York University in Toronto, Canada. He is currently pursuing an MBA in Operations and Information Systems from Baruch College, CUNY. He was born in Trinidad and moved to New York in 1982. Prior to his election as Chairperson, he was at the grassroots volunteering with ICA on numerous projects and initiatives. 

Jamal Baksh, Vice Chairperson

Jamal has been an advocate for community residents for over 15 years. He is currently the Partnership and Data Services Coordinator for the New York Regional Census Center. In this capacity, he manages planning, outreach and follow-up activities for a diverse staff of over 180. Jamal received his BA, cum laude, from York College, CUNY in 1992 and an MPA from Baruch College, CUNY in 1995. Upon graduation, he joined the Office of the Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, where he was responsible for networking and meeting with elected officials and acting as the liaison to local Community Planning Boards in Queens. He previously served as Chairman of the local community group, Agenda 21: Building Public-Private Partnerships for Better Communities, where he successfully raised funds from large corporations to support community renewal projects. Prior to his election as Vice Chairperson, Jamal worked with ICA on our Census 2010 campaign. 

Odessa D. Despot, Secretary

Dr. Despot is a visiting  Assistant Professor of Psychology at Iona College. She received her B.S and M.A. degrees from New York University.  While at NYU, she worked on a variety of research projects including the longitudinal and grant funded Metro-Baby project which focused on child-rearing patterns among immigrant and low-income families. Dr. Despot is a trained clinical and school psychologist and has performed comprehensive assessments and provided individual, group and family therapy in schools, clinics and hospital centers. Her research has focused on the experiences of Indo-Caribbean people, specifically women's friendships, hardships and immigration.

Rafi Hamid, Director

Rafi works at a boutique investment firm and has over twenty years experience in the financial industry.  He plays a key role in two non-profit charitable foundations and volunteers across the world with Cross Cultural Solutions and at the Long Island Jewish Schneider Hospital.  Rafi graduated with a BA in Accounting and Economics from Queens College, CUNY and is currently studying for the CFA exam.