Board of Directors

Dr. Vinay Mehta joins the BOD of GCI

Dr. Vinay Mehta is an American board certified allergist from Lincoln, Nebraska. He is a regular visiting faculty for the DAA program at Christian Medical College, Vellore India. He has widely published on various subjects in the field of allergy. He is active in the American Academy of allergy, asthma and immunology as a teaching faculty in several symposiums.

Dr. Vinay has been associated with IAS activities very closely for the past 8 years. He has been an active volunteer missionary and teacher for the IAS outreach activities in India, Kenya, Russia. He is also a regular voluntary faculty for the Diploma Allergy Asthma (DAA) training program at the Christian Medical College-Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.

We welcome Dr. Mehta to the BOD of GCI.

Dr. Pudupakkam K. Vedanthan, MD

Dr. Vedanthan (Dr. PK) is the founder/architect of International Asthma Services (IAS) a non-profit charitable 501 c-3 (tax exempt) organization registered in Colorado, USA.
Dr. Vedanthan is a native of Mysuru, India. He completed his medical education at the University of Mysuru and moved to USA along with his wife Mrs Kamala in 1971. He had further training in Medicine, Pediatrics and fellowship in Allergy & Immunology in Rhode Island and Denver, Colorado. He is certified by the American Boards of Pediatrics, Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

During his frequent visits to his native place in India, he was highly influenced by the lack of proper infrastructure and trained physicians in the field of Allergy & Asthma. To improve the awareness and care of these patients, starting in 1987, Dr. PK and a few of his colleagues started conducting allergy & asthma awareness camps in different parts of India. This led to the registration of ‘International Asthma Services’ as a medical charity in 1992. The services of IAS have spread to Kenya, Phillippines, Mauritius, Argentina, and Fiji over the subsequent years.

The main activities of IAS are in India. Regional chapters of IAS have been established to promote the education of physicians and patients in several locations. IAS has partnered with several service organizations such as Rotary clubs, Lions clubs, hospitals and educational institutions to conduct its activities. In the educational sphere, IAS has partnered with Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India to offer the formal course of Diploma in Allergy & Asthma (DAA) to qualified physicians since 2006.

Dr. PK, along with his wife Mrs. Kamala Vedanthan who assists as a coordinator of IAS, tours for nearly 5-6 months a year organizing and inaugurating IAS activities around the globe. He is the Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, USA. He has been recognized by the University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) for his dedicated efforts and contributions.

Professor Ved P. Nanda

Professor Ved P. Nanda is Thompson G. Marsh Professor of Law and Director of the International Legal Studies Program at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and in 1992 he was named John Evans University Professor. From 1994 to 2008 he served as Vice Provost for Internationalization at the University of Denver. In 2007 Professor Nanda was honored with a $1 million gift to the College of Law, and a matching amount from friends and former students, to found the Nanda Center for International & Comparative Law. The Center began its programming in 2008.

He is Past President of the World Jurist Association, former Vice President of the American Society of International Law and its counselor, and a member of the advisory council of the United States Institute of Human Rights. He currently serves as Honorary President of the World Jurist Association, an elected member of the American Law Institute and as a council member-at-large for the American Bar Association Section of International Law and Practice, Honorary Vice-President of the International Law Association – American Branch. He was formerly the United States Delegate to the World Federation of the United Nations Associations, Geneva, Vice-Chair of its Executive Council, and on the Board of Directors of the United Nations Association of the United States of America.

Among his numerous national and international awards Professor Nanda has received the Gandhi, King, Ikeda Award for Peace Building from Soka Gakkai International and Morehouse College and the Lifetime Best Teacher Award from the Indian Law Teachers Association. He was awarded the World Jurist Association’s Highest Order of Justice and earlier its World Legal Scholar award. He was also the recipient of the United Nations Association’s Human Rights Award and the Anti-Defamation League’s Civil Rights Award.

He has received honorary doctorates from Soka University in Tokyo, Japan, and from Bundelkhand University, Jhansi, India. He is widely published in law journals and national magazines, has authored or co-authored 23 books in the various fields of international law and more than 200 chapters and major law review articles, and has been a Distinguished Visiting Professor and Scholar at a number of universities in the United States and abroad. Professor Nanda is the 2010 UN Day Chair for Colorado as appointed by Governor Bill Ritter. He writes regularly on international issues for the Denver Post and is a frequent commentator on TV and radio, including the BBC and the Voice of America.

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Professor Ved P. Nanda – 303 871 6276 – [email protected] – 2255 E. Evans Ave., Suite 407, Denver CO 80208

Dr. Preveen Ramamoorthy

Dr. Preveen Ramamoorthy founded the Molecular Diagnostics department at National Jewish Health, Denver in 2007. Currently, he directs the translation of biomarkers into molecular diagnostic tests at the Advanced Diagnostic Laboratories at National Jewish Health. His laboratory has launched numerous rapid diagnostic, prognostic and companion diagnostic tests and is serving patients and physicians at National Jewish Health and the U.S.A.

Prior to joining National Jewish Health Dr. Ramamoorthy was involved in the development of viral vaccines, cancer vaccines and monoclonal antibodies at MedImmune. Dr. Ramamoorthy completed his post-doctoral fellowship at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring in genomics and molecular diagnostics. During his Ph.D at Clemson University Dr. Ramamoorthy co-invented a prolactin receptor antagonist, a molecular therapeutic drug for breast cancer. Dr. Ramamoorthy obtained his Master’s in Medical Microbiology at the University of Madras before he embarked upon his Ph.D program at Clemson University.

Dr. Ramamoorthy is passionately interested in the development of genome based diagnostic tests, integrating them into personalized medicine clinical programs and enabling physicians and patients to prevent, manage and treat diseases. In addition, Dr. Ramamoorthy has social entrepreneurial aspirations in creating and developing diagnostics solutions suited for resource insufficient settings such as developing countries. He is convinced that the bi-directional flow of healthcare ideas and innovations from developing countries to developed countries will not only benefit health care sector of developing countries but also developed countries.

Harold S. Nelson, MD

Dr. Nelson received an undergraduate degree in economics from Harvard College and later earned a doctor of medicine degree from Emory University. He then completed a residency in internal medicine at Letterman General Hospital and a fellowship in allergy/immunology at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Nelson has published over 300 articles and book chapters. . He has served on the Board of Regents of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI), as well as on the Board of Directors of both the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) and the American Board of Allergy and Immunology. He was a member of the First, Second and Third Expert Panels of the NIH – NAEPP for developing the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma.

Dr. Nelson has been honored with the “Fellow Distinguished Award” and “Gold-Headed Cane Award” of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology; the “Distinguished Clinician Award”” Special Recognition Award” and “Distinguished Service Award” of the AAAAI; the “Outstanding Clinician Award” from the World Allergy Organization and the “Lifetime Achievement Award” of the National Jewish Medical and Research Center. He was also honored with named lectureships at the annual meetings of the ACAAI 2008-9 and the AAAAI 2001-10.

Erika L.Kurt, B.A., LL.B.,B.C.L. Attorney. New York City

Erika Kurt is a New York-based attorney and consultant whose practice has focused on international legal issues, health and human rights, and public policy. Erika is currently working as a Strategist for LGT Venture Philanthropy where she is developing a framework to increase the impact of philanthropic investment strategies in emerging markets in the health and sanitation sector.

Erika has a longstanding commitment to taking action on pressing global challenges and harnessing collaborative action to achieve real, lasting change. Drawing on her experience from the public and private sectors, Erika founded and chaired an advocacy campaign to support evidence-based reforms to health policy and spending limiting access to lifesaving medicines. While working at the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College, Erika designed and managed public policy programs to empower the next generation of public service leaders, foster informed policy debate, and promote financial literacy. She has also fought for the implementation of a major human rights treaty, won asylum for immigrant victims of gender-based persecution, assisted victims of domestic violence, and taught classes on human rights.

Erika graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Vassar College with Highest Honors in International Studies and French and earned two law degrees with Distinction from McGill University Faculty of Law.

Ranjani Vedanthan

Ranjani Vedanthan works in the field of Accounting in Fort Collins, Colorado. She has actively been involved in various roles within GCI and IAS since its inception, starting with the creation of its name and logo! She loves to support her parents and their friends in the global endeavors this organization pursues. Her role is Treasurer of the organization.

Ranjani graduated from Bryn Mawr College, Cum Laude in History, with Minors in Mathematics and Computer Science. She then won fellowships to study at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and attained her MA in South Asian Studies with a Graduate Certificate in Women's Studies. Before returning to Fort Collins in 2013, Ranjani spent 10 years as a public-school teacher in Oakland, CA and Harlem, NYC teaching middle-school Mathematics. She is also an avid dancer and teaches BollyFusion Dance classes weekly at the Empire Grange in Fort Collins.

In October 2022, Ranjani earned a BS in Accounting with Honors from Colorado State University Global. She has been managing the financial folders of the organization and family for the past several years, and is currently working at J. Stuart Yeager, CPA PC, as well as pursuing a Certificate in Managerial Accounting. Her goal is to complete her CMA credential, upon which she will begin preparing for the CPA exams.