Shazia Khawaja
CHAIRPERSON
Shazia is a Partner at Polpis Capital, an energy transition and sustainable infrastructure investment firm. She leads investments in green hydrogen, clean energy, renewable fuels, sustainable transport, and circular economy sectors. Previously, she was a Managing Director at StormHarbour Securities, structuring private market financings. Before that, she built and led the Asia investment platform at DA Capital, focusing on private infrastructure and energy deals. Shazia also held senior roles at Sithe Energies and began her career at Milbank LLP. She holds a BA from Mount Holyoke College and a JD from Columbia Law School.
Usman Ismail
Treasurer / Director
Usman Ismail serves as Treasurer and Director of i-Care Fund America, with extensive experience in general management, business development, and global sales. He opened and staffed the EMEA region sales office in London, boosting non-US revenues from $500 K to $7 M and achieving market leadership in two years. At AimTech, he grew revenues tenfold to $9 M and raised $7 M in equity through strategic partnerships.
Kashif Riaz
Director
Kashif Riaz is President and Chairperson of i-Care Fund America. He is a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager in BlackRock’s Fixed Income group. Kashif holds an MBA from Columbia University (2005) and an SB in Engineering from MIT (1998). As board Chair, he provides strategic oversight of fundraising, compliance, and governance, leveraging his deep institutional finance expertise to ensure that U.S. donors supporting vetted Pakistani charities maximize their impact.
Tushna Kandawalla
Director
Tushna Kandawalla is CEO of Captain PQ Chemical Industries, where she oversees finance, strategy, marketing, and operations. Prior to joining CPQ in 2004, she contributed to HBO’s Financial Planning & Strategy group in New York and Arthur Andersen’s Audit Practice in Boston. A CPA with an MBA from Boston University and a BA in Economics from Brown University, Tushna serves on boards including Injaz Pakistan, The Captain Foundation, i-Care Fund America, and the Kandawalla Trust.
Spenta Captain Kandawalla
Director
Spenta Captain Kandawalla is Chairperson and owner of Captain PQ Chemical Industries, Pakistan’s leading silicates manufacturer. A founding Trustee of i-Care Fund America, she brings nearly 50 years of leadership. Spenta has served on boards of State Life, Engro Foods, Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan, and Pakistan Cables. An active philanthropist, she chairs The Captain Foundation, Patients Aid Foundation, and holds governance roles at LRBT, Liaquat National Hospital, Parsi General Hospital, and Wellesley College.
Aziza Fatima “Shimmi” Kidwai
Director
Aziza Fatima “Shimmi” Kidwai is a director of i-Care Fund America and long-time nonprofit leader, currently serving as President of The Hunar Foundation and Director at The Citizens Foundation USA (TCF-USA). Honored with Pakistan’s Tamgha-e-Khidmat, she has devoted over three decades to educational and social welfare initiatives, championing programs that empower underserved communities and bridging US-Pakistan philanthropic partnerships.
Shahzad Qasim
Director
Shahzad Qasim is a founding Director of i-Care Fund America and international executive specializing in electric utility management, project development, financing, and corporate governance. As President EMEA at AES Corporation and former Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, he drove power project development and people leadership. Shahzad delivers strategic oversight in organizational development, ensuring effective governance and resource mobilization.
Shezad Habib
Director
Shezad Habib is President and Managing Partner at Manhattan Strategy Group, bringing over 15 years of consulting and advisory services to federal agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and international NGOs. In his role as a director at i-Care Fund America, he brings his strategic foresight to help i-Care navigate challenges and strengthen donor and partner relations.
Dr. Zebulon C. Taintor
Director
Dr. Zebulon C. Taintor is a Director at i-Care Fund America, bringing extensive expertise in psychiatry, public health, and medical education to support the organization’s mission. As an Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, he has led initiatives in mental health policy and clinical governance. His experience strengthens i-Care’s efforts to ensure quality healthcare outcomes and promote sustainable community well-being across partner programs.
Imran Akram
Director
Imran Akram is a serial entrepreneur and business executive with over three decades of leadership experience. Mr. Akram founded and now serves as the Executive Chairman of NuAxis Innovations, delivering business and information technology solutions to the US Federal Government and other public sector clients. He is a passionate supporter of the Pakistani-American diaspora’s causes and is a founder and Board Chair of the Washington, DC chapter of the Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs of North America (now OPEN) and in 2014, served on the Asian Advisory Board to the Virginia Governor.
Pamela J. Anderson
Secretary / Director
