DR. AFZAL AHMAD
co-founder, president & chief executive

Dr. Afzal Ahmad is a retired ophthalmologist who, after completing his retina fellowship from Harvard Medical School, built a successful practice in the Chicagoland suburbs. He is known for his numerous local and international philanthropic endeavors, having launched several charitable organizations including the Hundal Foundation, Hamdard Center and The Citizen Foundation USA.

The Hundal Collection, which he assembled with his wife over the last 50+ years, is one of the major South Asian collections in the US. His desire to cultivate the arts and culture of the region prompted him to establish the South Asia Institute. Together with his wife, Shireen, they are the only South Asian Americans to have endowed professorships in South Asian arts at multiple US universities.

DR. SHIREEN AHMAD
co-founder, secretary & chief artistic director

Dr. Shireen Ahmad is a retired academic anesthesiologist. Along with her husband she has assembled is one of the major South Asian visual art collections (The Hundal Collection) in the US.

Her strong desire to share the artistic heritage and build bridges between communities through the arts is manifested in the exhibitions, programs and events at the South Asia Institute. Together with her husband, Afzal, they are the only South Asian Americans to have endowed professorships in South Asian arts at multiple US universities.

SANGINI BRAHMBHATT
Executive Director

Sangini Brahmbhatt is a Chicago-based arts and culture leader focused on equity and access. She previously served as Deputy Commissioner of Programming at Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, managing citywide cultural partnerships. Her career includes leadership roles at Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago, Arts Alliance Illinois, and the Museum of Contemporary Photography, where she combined fundraising and relationship-building to strengthen community-serving organizations.

She holds a BA in Art + Design from DePaul University and is an alumna of Cultivate: Women of Color Leadership and Leadership in Democracy programs. As the daughter of Indian immigrants, she is dedicated to advancing South Asian arts and storytelling, fostering inclusive spaces for community connection and systemic change.

SYDNEY BAROFSKY
curator of collections & exhibitions manager

Sydney Barofsky (they/them) is a PhD student in art history at UIC. They obtained their master's degree in art history with a museum studies concentration from the University of Denver before relocating to Chicago in 2023. In addition to their four years of experience curating and working on exhibitions in Miami and Denver, Sydney enjoys helping non-profit organizations with a variety of projects.

NIA OKE-FAMAKINDE
programs and outreach coordinator

Nia earned her BA in Art Management, with a concentration in visual arts, from Columbia College Chicago (2023). As a longtime Chicagoan, she is interested in supporting local art nonprofits and exploring the wealth of knowledge that historical and contemporary art has to offer. She joined the SAI team as a Collections Intern in the summer of 2023.

TUE CHAU NGUYEN
communications and marketing coordinator

Chau is a multi-media communicator and brand curator with a deep a connection to Chicago’s creative scene through ongoing work in fashion, media, and grassroots collaborations. Born and raised in Hanoi, Vietnam, she finds herself thrive when surrounded by an artistic and cultural environment. Chau earned her Master of Arts in Digital Media and Storytelling at Loyola University Chicago in 2025 and her Bachelor of Arts in Public Health and Communication in 2022.