Our team

Varsha Venugopal

Co-Founder

Varsha leads various activities across Suvita, including strategy, partnerships, communication and fundraising.

Varsha has more than 15 years' experience of setting up and running development projects and programmes in global institutions including the World Bank and the Open Society Foundation. She has a Master’s degree in Development Management from the London School of Economics and a Bachelor’s in Urban Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture in India.

Fiona Conlon

Co-Founder

Fiona leads various activities across Suvita, including strategy and programme design and improvement.

Fiona holds a double first-class degree from the University of Cambridge in Natural Sciences and Management. She worked at the World Health Organization in Geneva, organising a conference on non-communicable diseases. Fiona also worked on the planning, implementation and evaluation of health interventions in Dar es Salaam, with the student-led charity Cambridge Development Initiative.

Shweta Saxena

Head of Technology

Shweta works as Head of Technology to design and develop new ways to leverage technology solutions to deliver Suvita’s programmes and expand our reach and thus impact.

Shweta holds a Master's degree in Computer Applications from Banasthali Vidyapith and a Bachelor’s in Physics from Delhi University. She has 16 years of corporate experience in software engineering, solution design, project & team management. Shweta previously worked as VP, Technology Manager with Deutsche Bank and also in roles with IBM India and HCL Tech. Shweta also founded Adopt A Family which works to support families in Pune who lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vinoj Raj

Data Scientist

Vinoj is a dedicated advocate for sustainability and the circular economy, blending data-driven strategies with profound social impact. Internationally recognized as a leading youth entrepreneur, Vinoj has received several accolades, including the National Youth Award for Social Entrepreneurship. At Suvita, Vinoj is committed to leveraging innovation to meet global sustainability goals.

Michael Kinzer

Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Specialist

Michael manages Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning for Suvita. Working with the rest of Suvita's team, he helps Suvita to monitor our implementation, improve programmes, and evaluate the impact of our work.

Michael brings MEL experience from three NGOs across the USA and India - on issues ranging across gun violence in American cities, international human rights, and the livelihoods of goat farmers in Uttar Pradesh. Michael has also worked on projects with UNICEF South Asia, IDinsight, and Johns Hopkins University. He has a Masters in Public Health in Biostatistics & Epi from Johns Hopkins University, a Masters in Economic Development from Columbia University, and a Bachelors in International Studies from American University. Michael lives in Pune and is constantly looking for the best biryani when he's not working on his Hindi.

Mario Pinto

Head of Finance, Legal & People Operations

Mario works to strengthen Suvita's internal systems to enable greater organisational impact. Mario works across functions including HR, legal, regulatory compliance, finance, accounting, donor reporting, infrastructure, and equipment.

Mario has 14 years' experience in the corporate sector, working across functions including profitability & pricing, programme management & operations, product management, and scientific research. He holds a Master’s degree in Computational Science from the Indian Institute of Science, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the College of Engineering, Pune (COEP).

Edward Lewis

Finance and Legal Operations Associate

Edward works to maintain and develop Suvita's legal and financial operations as it continues to scale.

Edward holds a Masters degree in Physics from the University of Birmingham and previously worked on process improvement within semiconductor manufacturing. He is passionate about health and development and aspires to maximise his impact in this space.

Zhen Paintal

People Operations Manager

Zhen serves as Suvita's People Operations Manager, where she develops processes, policies, and systems to drive organizational growth. As a Terra.do alum with a strong foundation in environmental awareness, she is deeply committed to fostering social impact and addressing the interconnected challenges of environmental and social issues.

Prior to Suvita, Zhen held leadership roles in various organizations, where she enhanced workflows, drove expansions, and built thriving communities.

Mario Pinto

Head of Finance, Legal & People Operations

Mario works to strengthen Suvita's internal systems to enable greater organisational impact. Mario works across functions including HR, legal, regulatory compliance, finance, accounting, donor reporting, infrastructure, and equipment.

Mario has 14 years' experience in the corporate sector, working across functions including profitability & pricing, programme management & operations, product management, and scientific research. He holds a Master’s degree in Computational Science from the Indian Institute of Science, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the College of Engineering, Pune (COEP).

Edward Lewis

Finance and Legal Operations Associate

Edward works to maintain and develop Suvita's legal and financial operations as it continues to scale.

Edward holds a Masters degree in Physics from the University of Birmingham and previously worked on process improvement within semiconductor manufacturing. He is passionate about health and development and aspires to maximise his impact in this space.

Zhen Paintal

People Operations Manager

Zhen serves as Suvita's People Operations Manager, where she develops processes, policies, and systems to drive organizational growth. As a Terra.do alum with a strong foundation in environmental awareness, she is deeply committed to fostering social impact and addressing the interconnected challenges of environmental and social issues.

Prior to Suvita, Zhen held leadership roles in various organizations, where she enhanced workflows, drove expansions, and built thriving communities.

Sumit Swami

Programme Manager, Maharashtra

Sumit manages the implementation and scaling-up of our programmes in Maharashtra. He also helps us identify new stakeholders, and co-ordinate and nurture strong relationships with local government officials at the Maharashtra Public Health Department and State Family Welfare Bureau.

Sumit holds a Master’s degree in economics from Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics. He previously worked on managing research activities, designing questionnaires, managing field teams, monitoring surveys and writing research reports. He is passionate about working in health, education and rural livelihood sectors.

Deepak Bansal

Programme Coordinator, Bihar

Deepak manages our data entry team, ensuring accuracy and efficiency of data flow processes so that caregivers have a smooth experience of enrollment for SMS reminders. He also manages the survey team as they implement our immunisation ambassadors pilot.

Deepak has previously worked as a data officer, a surveyor and a field supervisor in various organisations including J-PAL, IDinsight and on a project for the University of Chicago. His experience spans both the education and health sectors.

Nawaz Noor

Routine Immunisation Consultant, Bihar

Nawaz holds a Master’s degree in Rural Development from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and has worked with esteemed organisations, including UNICEF, Tata Trusts, and the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), focusing on field operations, project implementation, and delivering impactful, evidence-based solutions.

He is dedicated to driving sustainable development and enhancing the quality of life in underserved communities through innovative and community-centric approaches.

Rounak Kumar

Programme Manager, Bihar

Rounak manages the delivery and scaling up of our SMS reminders and ambassadors programming in Bihar, as well as leading our partnership with the Bihar state government and various other stakeholders.

Rounak has 7 years of experience working for holistic rural development. He has worked in various themes including Community Mobilisation, Women Empowerment, Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM), Governance and Health & Nutrition. He has worked in PRADAN in Bihar and Jharkhand leading various projects for improving the lives of rural people. He has a Master’s degree in Development from Azim Premji University and Bachelor’s in Metallurgical & Material Engineering from Jadavpur University. He is very passionate about working on health and aspires the vision of ‘Health for All’.

Dharmendra Padalkar

Programme Coordinator, Maharashtra

Dharmendra manages our survey team in Maharashtra, overseeing the successful execution of our SMS program & immunization ambassadors program. With a rich background in Public Health and Education, Dharmendra brings a wealth of experience, notably focusing on areas such as Tuberculosis, Mental Health, and Adolescent Health.

Beyond his professional achievements, Dharmendra is a certified Art-Based Therapist, seamlessly integrating the realms of Arts, Theatre, and Mental Health. His innovative approach has proven particularly effective in working with diverse groups