Senior Leadership Team

Sandeep Tyagi

Associate Director-Health

Sandeep Tyagi is the Associate Director – Health at Development Consortium (DC) and a seasoned health and development expert with over 24 years of experience in public health. He holds dual Master’s degrees in Public Health and Human Resource Development and brings a rare blend of strategic insight and operational excellence to program design, implementation, and evaluation.

Sandeep’s leadership spans diverse areas such as health systems digitization, adolescent health, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, RMNCH, and comprehensive abortion care. His professional journey includes impactful roles at Population Services International, NACO, Futures Group, Palladium, Ipas Development Foundation, Plan International, and Rodic Consultants.

Renowned for advancing health equity, he has led policy advocacy, built institutional capacities, and developed cross-sectoral partnerships with governments, civil society, and legislators. His culturally responsive, evidence-based approach has improved healthcare access for marginalized communities across India. Sandeep is a trusted voice in the sector, shaping inclusive and resilient health systems.

Priyanka Mali

Head -Legal and Compliance

Priyanka Mali leads the Legal and Compliance function at Development Consortium (DC), bringing over eight years of experience in litigation, nonprofit legal advisory, and human rights law. At DC, she oversees regulatory compliance, internal governance, and the development of rights-based policies across diverse public health and development programs.

Prior to joining DC, Priyanka worked with Justice Ventures International, where she advocated for survivors of trafficking and gender-based violence and contributed to landmark litigations across multiple High Courts and the Supreme Court of India. She has played a key role in setting up DC’s legal systems, leading sensitive investigations, and developing frameworks for safeguarding, data protection, and ethical governance.

She holds an LL.M. in Human Rights Law, a Postgraduate Diploma in Cyber Laws and IT, and a B.Sc. in Forensic Science. Priyanka is driven by a deep commitment to justice, equity, and accountability in the development sector.

Nidhi Sharma

Senior Manager - Communications and Digital Media

Nidhi Sharma is the Senior Manager – Communication and Digital Media at Development Consortium (DC), with over 20 years of experience in strategic communications, content creation, and youth engagement across nonprofit and media platforms. She currently leads DC’s communications portfolio, overseeing platforms like TeenBook India and Love Matters India.

A storyteller at heart, Nidhi has written for leading media outlets including The Times of India, NPR, Outlook, The Hindu, and International Business Times. Her expertise spans content strategy, social media growth, editorial leadership, and campaign design, always centered around issues that matter to young people.

She has pioneered multimedia campaigns and chatbot-based tools on mental well-being, gender, and emotional resilience, driving measurable impact. Nidhi is passionate about making complex, sensitive topics accessible and relatable, especially in the areas of digital well-being, adolescent mental health, and inclusive communication.

Neha Passi

Senior Manager - Design

Neha is the Senior Manager – Design at Development Consortium (DC), with over 14 years of experience using design as a tool for social change. A passionate creative, she has led impactful campaigns across themes like LGBTQIA+ rights, intimate partner violence, mental well-being, SRHR, gender equality, peace and conflict, child labour, and climate change—translating complex issues into powerful visual narratives.

Neha has worked with global organizations like RNW Media and nonprofits such as the Centre for Media and Alternative Communication, contributing to movements rooted in justice, equity, and sustainability.

At DC, she leads communication design for initiatives in public health, human rights, and social-emotional learning. From concept to execution, Neha ensures every visual not only informs but also moves people, making design both beautiful and bold in its impact.

Shehla Parveen

Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist

Shehla is a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialist at Development Consortium (DC), with over four years of experience in data-driven program evaluation and social research. She holds a Doctorate in Psychology and brings deep expertise in both qualitative and quantitative analysis, particularly in evaluating complex human experiences like emotions, cultural identity, and social integration.

Her academic work has led to the development of psychological assessment tools and a peer-reviewed publication in social psychology. At DC, she applies a rigorous, impact-oriented lens to assess program effectiveness. Prior to this, she led the MEL function at SwaTaleem Foundation, where she built systems to monitor and improve outcomes for adolescent girls from marginalized communities.

Shehla’s work is grounded in evidence-based practice, equity, and continuous learning—ensuring that programs deliver measurable and meaningful change aligned with organizational goals.

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Kavita Ghosh

Head- Design (Progams)

Kavita is the Head of Program Design at Development Consortium (DC), with over 15 years of experience in the education sector across teaching, teacher education, research, and policy. She holds a PhD in Teacher Education and brings deep expertise in strategic program design, curriculum development, and policy alignment.

At DC, Kavita leads the design and development of educational programs and resources, drawing from her extensive ground-level experience as both a teacher and teacher educator. She has contributed to national education policy through her work with NCERT and the University of Delhi.

Her academic research, published in national and international journals and edited volumes, reflects her strong commitment to equitable, quality education and continuous learning. Kavita combines field insight with academic rigor to create programs that are practical, inclusive, and transformative for learners and educators alike.

Siddharth Shukla

Head - Finance

Siddharth Shukla is the Head of Finance at Development Consortium (DC), and a highly experienced Chartered Accountant with over nine years of experience in financial operations and strategic leadership. He brings a strong foundation in auditing and financial management, particularly within the development sector.

Prior to joining DC, Siddharth served as the Head of FinOps at STiR Education (UK), where he successfully streamlined financial systems and enhanced operational efficiency across a global nonprofit setup. His early career as an auditor for several nonprofit organizations helped him build deep expertise in compliance, donor reporting, and financial governance. Siddharth’s analytical mindset and commitment to transparency have played a key role in strengthening DC’s financial sustainability and systems.

Waseem Ahmed

Head - Education Programs

Waseem is the Head of Education Programs at Development Consortium (DC), with over 12 years of experience in advancing equitable, quality education across India. A Chevening Scholar with an MSc in Education Policy from the University of Bristol, he brings deep expertise in education policy implementation, systems strengthening, and inclusive program design.

At DC, Waseem leads large-scale education and well-being initiatives across five states. In Uttarakhand, he is institutionalizing Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) through Project Abhyuday in partnership with Samagra Shiksha and DIETs. In Delhi, he oversees mental well-being screenings in 50 private schools and leads SCERT’s Teacher Development Coordinator (TDC) program across 1,080 government schools. In Haryana, his team is transforming government schools through infrastructure upgrades and life skills workshops.

Waseem also leads pan-India efforts to enhance digital classrooms and libraries in over 100 schools, creating inclusive, engaging learning environments that impact thousands of students.

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Karthigeyan R

Head - South India Programs

Karthigeyan is a seasoned program management professional with over 20 years of experience in strengthening education systems, particularly in the areas of teacher education, educational leadership, and IT-enabled learning.

Currently serving as Head Program (South India) at the Development Consortium, he has led large-scale initiatives in collaboration with government departments, facilitated systemic reforms, and built sustainable public-private partnerships. With expertise in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and capacity building, Karthigeyan has consistently driven innovative programs that enhance teaching and learning. Passionate about leveraging technology and fostering intrinsically motivated educators, he continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of education in India.