Office of International Visitors
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
U.S. Department of State
INTERNATI NAL VISITOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
A Regional Project for South Asia
These visitors are invited to the United States under the auspices of the Department of State's
International Visitor Leadership Program. Their program is arranged by Graduate School USA.
Primary Program Contacts: Ms. Desiree Williamson, Graduate School USA, 600 Maryland
Avenue, SW, Suite 320, Washington, DC 20024; Telephone - (202) 314-3525; Toll-free - (800)
331-4229; Fax - (202) 479-6806; Email - desiree.williamson@graduateschool.edu
Department of State Program Contacts: Ms. Elisabeth Gomez and Ms. Kyle Hartwell, Office
of International Visitors; Telephone - (202) 632-9335 or (202) 632-9347; Email gomezem2@state.gov or hartwellk@state.gov
Accompanied By: Ms. Natasha Metzger, English Language Officer
May 20 - June 7, 2013
___________________________________________________________________________________
The Department of State has outlined the following specific objectives for the project:

Provide an overview of the social, political, and economic origins of entrepreneurship in the
U.S. with particular attention to the free market economic system;

Explore the values of responsible leadership, with an emphasis on corporate philanthropy,
public-private partnerships, and ethics.

Illustrate the variety and scope of women’s involvement in business;

Identify the skills and training necessary for enhancing leadership, including the role of
mentoring programs;

Offer networking opportunities for sharing innovative entrepreneurial and managerial
strategies.
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Afghanistan
Ms. Ghizal ZARIF
Deputy Finance Manager, Technologists, Inc.
India
Ms. Butool ABBAS
Managing Director and Co-Founder, Thinking Threads Design
Ms. Latha BALLAGERE GANGAIAH
Proprietor, Shree Agro Foods, Bangalore
Pakistan
Ms. Sara ANSARI
Secretary General, Islamabad Women’s Chamber of Commerce
and Industry
Ms. Zulekha BIBI
Executive Director, Balochistan Educational and Economic
Development Society
Sri Lanka
Mrs. Vidyani HETTIGODA
Chairperson, Women's Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Mrs. Fathima Rifa MUSTHAPHA
Director, ZRI Corporate Consultants Limited
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Afghanistan
Name:
Ms. Ghizal ZARIF
Present Position:
Deputy Finance Manager, Technologists, Inc.
Previous Positions:
Finance Officer, Technologists, Inc. 2010 – 2011
Banker, Ghazanfar Bank, 2009 – 2010
English Teacher, Tolo Knowledge and English Language Center,
2007 – 2009
Education/Training:
Degree courses in Commerce and Diploma courses in English,
Banaras Hindu University, India
Address:
Technologists, Inc.
305 Shashdarak Road
Kabul, Kabul
Afghanistan
Telephone:
791606463
Email:
family0820@gmail.com
Languages:
Dari (primary), English, Hindi, French
U.S. Travel:
No previous U.S. travel
Other Travel:
India, Pakistan
Professional Background:
Ms. Zarif is the deputy finance manager for Technologists,
Incorporated, which is Afghanistan’s largest engineering and
construction firm. Ms. Zarif has received accolades in her current
position and has been promoted, to now supervise a large staff.
India
Name:
Ms. Butool ABBAS
Present Position:
Managing Director and Co-Founder, Thinking Threads Design
Education/Training:
Master of Design, Indian Institute of Technology, 2009
Bachelor of Architecture, Maharaja Sayajirao University, 2007
Address:
G-6 Thinking Threads Design
SIDBI Building, IIT Kanpur
Kanpur 208016
India
Telephone:
91-9956713300
Email:
butoolabbas@gmail.com
Languages:
Hindi (primary), English
U.S. Travel:
No previous U.S. travel
Other Travel:
No other travel
Professional Background:
Ms. Abbas is the managing director and co-founder of Thinking
Threads Design, a design consulting service. In addition to her own
business, Ms. Abbas works with youth at a juvenile center in
underserved areas and nearby villages to create and nurture talent,
as well as promote education.
India
Name:
Ms. Latha BALLAGERE GANGAIAH
Present Position:
Proprietor, Shree Agro Foods
Previous Positions:
Manager, Manjushree Lampwire Industries, 2003 – 2008
Education/Training:
Entrepreneurship Development Training Program, AWAKE
Bangalore, 2009
Bachelor of Arts in Education, Bangalore University, 1995
Bachelor of Science, Bangalore University, 1993
Address:
Shree Agro Foods
No. 35A-B, Byraveshwaranagar, Laggere
Peenya
Bangalore, Karnataka 560 058
India
Telephone:
+91-80-2323 5341
Email:
shreeagrofoods@yahoo.com
Languages:
Kannada (primary), English
U.S. Travel:
No previous U.S. travel
Other Travel:
No previous travel
Professional Background:
Ms. Latha founded Shree Agro Foods, a small business to
manufacture different health products, in Bangalore. Shree Agro
Foods sells agricultural grains, dry fruits and spices, as well as
manufactures a number of organic products based on the
ingredients they sell. Shree Agro Foods has received several health
certifications, and all products are laboratory tested. Ms. Latha is
constantly working towards improving the quality of food products
sold by Shree Agro Foods.
Pakistan
Name:
Ms. Sara ANSARI
Present Position:
Secretary General, Islamabad Women’s Chamber of Commerce
and Industry
Previous Positions:
Auditor, Ernst and Young
Education/Training:
Associate Chartered Accountant, Institute of Chartered
Accountants of Pakistan, 2010
Associate Chartered Accountant, Institute of Chartered
Accountants of England and Whales, 2012
Certified Financial Consultant, The Institute of Financial
Consultants, Canada, 2010
Advance Level External Program, Cambridge University, 2003
Ordinary Level External Program, Cambridge University, 2001
Memberships:
Member, Institute of Internal Auditors
Associate Member, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan
Address:
G-5
Al Mustafa Apartment
G-8 Markaz
Islamabad, Federal Territory 44000
Pakistan
Telephone:
+92-51-2252256
Fax:
+92-51-2256074
Email:
sara.ansary@gmail.com
Languages:
Urdu (primary), English
U.S. Travel:
No previous U.S. travel
Other Travel:
South Africa
Professional Background:
Ms. Ansari is the secretary general for Islamabad Women’s
Chamber of Commerce. In this role, Ms. Ansari is responsible for
ensuring quality controls and implementation of standard operating
procedures, organizing periodic meeting of members, compiling
financial statements, guaranteeing compliance to government
regulations, and providing trainings to members on financial and
business planning.
Pakistan
Name:
Ms. Zulekha BIBI
Present Position:
Executive Director, Balochistan Educational and Economic
Development Society
Education/Training:
Designing Poly Technique Institute Quetta, 2007
Address:
H.# C 5/A, Railway Housing Society
Joint Road
Quetta, Balochinstan
Pakistan
Telephone:
923003853582
Email:
zulekha.raisani@yahoo.com
Languages:
Urdu (primary), English
U.S. Travel:
No previous U.S. travel
Other Travel:
Bangladesh
Professional Background:
Ms. Bibi is the executive director for the Balochistan Educational
and Economic Development Society. Her tasks are to supervise
and monitor the overall activities of the staff of the organization, as
well as create and implement the organization’s strategy. In
addition to her roles as executive director, Ms. Bibi owns her own
embroidery and design company, employing and empowering
females in her province.
Sri Lanka
Name:
Mrs. Vidyani HETTIGODA
Present Position:
Chairperson, Women's Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Concurrent Position:
Vice Chairperson, SAARC Chamber Women Entrepreneur
Council
Group Director, Hettigoda Group of Companies
Previous Positions:
Second Vice Chairperson, Women's Chamber of Industries and
Commerce, 2007 – 2008
Treasurer, Women's Chamber of Industries and Commerce, 2004 –
2006
Assistant Treasurer, Women's Chamber of Industries and
Commerce, 2002 – 2004
Systems Specialist, Royal Mail, United Kingdom, 1992 – 1996
Education/Training:
Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Computer
Science, Middlesex University in London, 1992
Memberships:
Executive Board Member, Federation of Chambers of Commerce
and Industry of Sri Lanka
Executive Member, Small Medium Enterprises Developers
Committee Member, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
Advisory Committee Member, Giftware and Life Style Sector of
the Export Development Board of Sri Lanka
Member of the Board of Trustees, Youth Business Sri Lanka
Committee Member, Confederation of Asia Pacific Chambers of
Commerce and Industry
Committee Member, Sri Lanka Economic Summit
Member, Zonta II
Address:
Sri Lanka
Telephone:
Email:
(077) 753-0895
vhettigoda@gmail.com
Languages:
Sinhala (primary), English
U.S. Travel:
Some U.S. travel
Other Travel:
Some travel abroad
Professional Background:
Mrs. Hettigoda is the chairperson of the Women’s Chamber of
Industry and Commerce (WCCI), which is the leading women’s
chamber in Sri Lanka. As the chairperson, she is responsible for all
activities implemented by the organization, including the skill
development program for members. The organization seeks to
promote the interest of women entrepreneurs by including them in
mainstream business activity in Sri Lanka. Under Ms. Hettigoda’s
leadership WCCI launched a project for war widows and other
women in war-affected regions.
Sri Lanka
Name:
Mrs. Fathima Rifa MUSTHAPHA
Present Position:
Director, ZRI Corporate Consultants Limited
Concurrent Position:
Legal Representative, Women's Chamber of Industry and
Commerce
Chairperson, Women's Wing of the Faiszer Musthapha
Previous Positions:
Junior Counsel, Chambers of Faiszer Musthapha, President's
Counsel, 1993 – 2002
Voluntary Coordinator, Kandy District Program for Strengthening
Plantation Communities, 2002
Coordinator, Kandy District-Program for Strengthening Plantation
Communities, 2002
Private Secretary, Deputy Minister of Tourism, 2005
Education/Training:
Attorney's Exam, Sri Lanka Law College, 1993
Memberships:
Member, Bar Association of Sri Lanka
Address:
Sri Lanka
Telephone:
Email:
(077) 739-7993
zriconsultants@gmail.com
Languages:
Tamil (primary), English
U.S. Travel:
Previous U.S. travel
Other Travel:
Australia, Bahrain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India,
Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom
Professional Background:
Mrs. Musthapha is director of ZRI Corporate Consultants Limited,
a corporate consulting firm promoting investment throughout Sri
Lanka. Mrs. Musthapha’s role is to offer companies advice for
investment opportunities in Sri Lanka for both local and foreign
clients, serve as a legal and tax consultant, and process business
outsourcing services if necessary.