JNF

Meet the Board
JNF Sessions
JNF Social

Parag Parekh (Rego Park, NY)

Profession: Attorney
Favorite YJA Experience: Jains Got Talent at the 2010 YJA Convention
Sejal Dhruva (San Francisco, CA)

Profession: Contracts Negotiator for Salesforce.com
Favorite YJA Experience: The 2010 YJA Convention - I made the best friends a girl could ask for!

Suraj Devraj (Los Angeles, CA)

Profession: Physical Therapist
Favorite YJA Experience: All of them. Mainly I just love being involved and making friends.
Krupa Shah (Rego Park, NY)

Profession: Conferences & Communications Coordinator for New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
Favorite YJA Experience: JNF Pajama Party at YJA 2010-The pillow fight was epic and the games/junk food made the night even better! Looking forward to an even better repeat at YJA 2012! :)

Kunal Dagli (Morganville, NJ)

Profession: Developer In Training
Favorite YJA Experience: Making lots of Jain friends and Gary Francione's talks
Meit Shah (Carlsbad, CA)

Profession: Management Consulting
Favorite YJA Experience: Rep. Dennis Kucinich speaking about the importance of veganism and how Jains can apply their principles in America.

Pooja Nagda (Boston, MA)

Profession: Process Scientist
Favorite YJA Experience: The Winter Wonderland Ball! :)
Rujuta Khanderia (New York, NY)

Profession: Consultant / B.A Finance, University of Texas at Austin, 2006
Favorite YJA Experience: Winter Wonderland Formal

Sejal Shah (Atlanta, GA)

Profession: Sales Assistant at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta
Favorite YJA Experience: So hard to pick to one! The best moments are during the last night when everyone goes in silly mode! :)

This year’s JNF sessions will bring a diverse group of speakers ranging from a variety of fields, including politics, social activism, and bodybuilding. Attendees will experience more of an interactive dialogue with speakers and will not only learn about the evolving opportunities to practice Jainism in today’s modern society, but also be challenged to ponder about issues facing our generation, while making lasting friendships.

JNF Keynote Speaker

J. Ashwin Madia

J. Ashwin Madia's parents moved to the United States from Mumbai, India. Madia's family settled in Plymouth, Minnesota, where he went to Osseo Senior High School. He attended the University of Minnesota, where he became student body president. He then attended New York University School of Law. Madia provided pro bono representation to battered women, disabled children, and immigrants seeking asylum while in law school.

Madia then joined the U.S. Marine Corps and completed Officer Candidate School and The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia. His first duty station was Okinawa, Japan, where he served as a prosecutor, defense counsel, and legal advisor to a Marine Corps commander. Madia was one of the first attorneys to successfully defend a fellow Marine from discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Madia later served in Iraq from September 2005 to March 2006. While there, he worked in a non-combat role to strengthen Iraq's criminal justice system. This job included working with Iraqi judicial officers, U.S. military and civilian officials, and representatives of the European Union and United Nations, as well as briefing top U.S. generals on the status of the rule of law in the country. In July 2006, Madia finished active duty and returned to Minnesota, where he began to work as a litigator at a local law firm.

Madia announced his candidacy for Congress in his home district in November 2007, which had not elected a Democrat in fifty years. Despite the lack of any existing political or fundraising base, the political newcomer defeated his heavily favored opponent for the Democratic nomination in April 2008. Because of the Madia campaign’s strong organization and fundraising, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee placed Madia’s race on its “Red to Blue” list, reserved for the top campaigns in the country. In the general election in November 2008, Madia fell just short and lost a three way race to the Republican candidate. Madia opened his own law firm in May 2009. He specializes in employment and civil rights litigation.

Vegan Bodybuilder, Motivational Speaker, Author

Robert Cheeke

Robert Cheeke grew up on a farm in Corvallis, OR where he adopted a vegan lifestyle in 1995 at age 15. Today he is a best-selling author of the book Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness - The Complete Guide to Building Your Body on a Plant-Based Diet.

As a two-time natural bodybuilding champion Robert has been considered one of VegNews Magazine's Most Influential Vegan Athletes. He tours all over North America regularly giving talks about his story transforming from a skinny farm kid to champion vegan bodybuilder. Currently Robert works full-time for Vega, a line of vegan whole-food products, as a representative of the new pro-vegan film Forks Over Knives and also works full-time running Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness on www.veganbodybuilding.com, which includes writing books, touring and maintaining the popular website.

Robert recently moved to Austin and continues to spread the vegan way of life leading by example as an accomplished vegan athlete. For more information about Robert please visit www.veganbodybuilding.com

Thursday Late-Night: Cupcake Mixer
Come relax by the waterfront and enjoy the nice Tampa Bay weather by personalizing and eating cupcakes near a tiki bar. You will have the chance to meet other JNF'ers in a low-key, casual, and fun time outdoors. Unfortunately, best cupcake won't win a prize, but can get you the attention of others :)
Friday Late-Night: Masquerade Ball

JNF'ers will have the exclusive opportunity to attend a Masquerade Ball! Taking place at the beautiful Armani's Restaurant, atop the Grand Hyatt, JNF'ers will be provided masquerade masks, be able to take fun memento-like photo booth pictures, and indulge in elegant treats, such as a chocolate fountain! The Masquerade Ball is YJA's first ever masquerade themed event and will certainly be an unforgettable experience.

Saturday Late-Night: Starlight Slumber Party

After a weekend of creating new memories, come to the JNF Starlight Slumber Party for a bit of nostalgia as a picture slide show showing the evolution of JNF and JNF'ers is displayed. Remember those all-nighters you pulled in college? This will be better - we will have treats, music, games the night will be a memorable way to end the weekend!




Meet the Board JNF Sessions JNF Social Parag Parekh (Rego Park, NY) Profession: Attorney Favorite YJA Experience: Jains Got Talent at the 2010 YJA Convention Sejal Dhruva (San Francisco, CA) Profession: Contracts Negotiator for Salesforce.com Favorite YJA Experience: The 2010 YJA Convention - I made the best friends a girl could ask for! Suraj Devraj (Los Angeles, CA) Profession: Physical Therapist Favorite YJA Experience: All of them. Mainly I just love being involved and making friends. Krupa Shah (Rego Park, NY) Profession: Conferences & Communications Coordinator for New York Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center Favorite YJA Experience: JNF Pajama Party at YJA 2010-The pillow fight was epic and the games/junk food made the night even better! Looking forward to an even better repeat at YJA 2012! :) Kunal Dagli (Morganville, NJ) Profession: Developer In Training Favorite YJA Experience: Making lots of Jain friends and Gary Francione's talks Meit Shah (Carlsbad, CA) Profession: Management Consulting Favorite YJA Experience: Rep. Dennis Kucinich speaking about the importance of veganism and how Jains can apply their principles in America. Pooja Nagda (Boston, MA) Profession: Process Scientist Favorite YJA Experience: The Winter Wonderland Ball! :) Rujuta Khanderia (New York, NY) Profession: Consultant / B.A Finance, University of Texas at Austin, 2006 Favorite YJA Experience: Winter Wonderland Formal Sejal Shah (Atlanta, GA) Profession: Sales Assistant at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta Favorite YJA Experience: So hard to pick to one! The best moments are during the last night when everyone goes in silly mode! :) This year’s JNF sessions will bring a diverse group of speakers ranging from a variety of fields, including politics, social activism, and bodybuilding. Attendees will experience more of an interactive dialogue with speakers and will not only learn about the evolving opportunities to practice Jainism in today’s modern society, but also be challenged to ponder about issues facing our generation, while making lasting friendships. JNF Keynote Speaker J. Ashwin Madia J. Ashwin Madia's parents moved to the United States from Mumbai, India. Madia's family settled in Plymouth, Minnesota, where he went to Osseo Senior High School. He attended the University of Minnesota, where he became student body president. He then attended New York University School of Law. Madia provided pro bono representation to battered women, disabled children, and immigrants seeking asylum while in law school. Madia then joined the U.S. Marine Corps and completed Officer Candidate School and The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia. His first duty station was Okinawa, Japan, where he served as a prosecutor, defense counsel, and legal advisor to a Marine Corps commander. Madia was one of the first attorneys to successfully defend a fellow Marine from discrimination based on sexual orientation. Madia later served in Iraq from September 2005 to March 2006. While there, he worked in a non-combat role to strengthen Iraq's criminal justice system. This job included working with Iraqi judicial officers, U.S. military and civilian officials, and representatives of the European Union and United Nations, as well as briefing top U.S. generals on the status of the rule of law in the country. In July 2006, Madia finished active duty and returned to Minnesota, where he began to work as a litigator at a local law firm. Madia announced his candidacy for Congress in his home district in November 2007, which had not elected a Democrat in fifty years. Despite the lack of any existing political or fundraising base, the political newcomer defeated his heavily favored opponent for the Democratic nomination in April 2008. Because of the Madia campaign’s strong organization and fundraising, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee placed Madia’s race on its “Red to Blue” list, reserved for the top campaigns in the country. In the general election in November 2008, Madia fell just short and lost a three way race to the Republican candidate. Madia opened his own law firm in May 2009. He specializes in employment and civil rights litigation. Vegan Bodybuilder, Motivational Speaker, Author Robert Cheeke Robert Cheeke grew up on a farm in Corvallis, OR where he adopted a vegan lifestyle in 1995 at age 15. Today he is a best-selling author of the book Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness - The Complete Guide to Building Your Body on a Plant-Based Diet. As a two-time natural bodybuilding champion Robert has been considered one of VegNews Magazine's Most Influential Vegan Athletes. He tours all over North America regularly giving talks about his story transforming from a skinny farm kid to champion vegan bodybuilder. Currently Robert works full-time for Vega, a line of vegan whole-food products, as a representative of the new pro-vegan film Forks Over Knives and also works full-time running Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness on www.veganbodybuilding.com, which includes writing books, touring and maintaining the popular website. Robert recently moved to Austin and continues to spread the vegan way of life leading by example as an accomplished vegan athlete. For more information about Robert please visit www.veganbodybuilding.com Thursday Late-Night: Cupcake Mixer Come relax by the waterfront and enjoy the nice Tampa Bay weather by personalizing and eating cupcakes near a tiki bar. You will have the chance to meet other JNF'ers in a low-key, casual, and fun time outdoors. Unfortunately, best cupcake won't win a prize, but can get you the attention of others :) Friday Late-Night: Masquerade Ball JNF'ers will have the exclusive opportunity to attend a Masquerade Ball! Taking place at the beautiful Armani's Restaurant, atop the Grand Hyatt, JNF'ers will be provided masquerade masks, be able to take fun memento-like photo booth pictures, and indulge in elegant treats, such as a chocolate fountain! The Masquerade Ball is YJA's first ever masquerade themed event and will certainly be an unforgettable experience. Saturday Late-Night: Starlight Slumber Party After a weekend of creating new memories, come to the JNF Starlight Slumber Party for a bit of nostalgia as a picture slide show showing the evolution of JNF and JNF'ers is displayed. Remember those all-nighters you pulled in college? This will be better - we will have treats, music, games the night will be a memorable way to end the weekend!