Staff & Locations
We would like to thank our incredible staff, especially in 2021! They are the ones who put themselves in harm’s way, work long hours, and give up their weekends so we can find new and innovative ways to help and protect our community.
Santosh Kumar
Roshita Pandey
Executive Director
Mrs. Kumar is a counselor, attorney, professor, community leader, and businesswoman: is the founder and the Executive Director of Metropolitan Asian Family Services, a non-profit agency working for the wellbeing of the community. Years ago, she set out on a journey to make a difference in the world face by face and what she initiated with a small group of people and a few resources, is now one of the biggest Social Service organization (MAFS) which was recognized and proclaimed by the Governor of State of Illinois on October 17, 2006 as MAFS day under her leadership for her exemplary community services. She is popularly known as “Mother Teresa” of Chicago. She did her Bachelors of Science (1969) from Rajasthan University, Bachelors of Law (1972), Masters in Law (1974) from AMU. At the age of 22, Mrs. Kumar became an attorney and professor of law in the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, and practiced law for 11 years before migrating to the US in 1985. She earned her Law Graduate degree from the US in 1989 and a Computer Desktop Publishing degree in the year 1992. Mrs. Kumar’s versatility and her restless efforts to wipe out social injustice from the community were recognized by various national & international institutions. Niles Township honored her Leadership & Excellence in serving seniors, the needy and the disable. She was recognized as “Top Woman of Chicago” by US Congressman Danny Davis, 7th Congressional District on International Women Day of 2016 for her Outstanding Leadership. The Pillar of Service Award (2009) was given at the Governor’s conference by Charles Johnson, Director of IDOA for Outstanding Leadership & Advocacy on behalf of Ethnic Older Adults by CLESE. She was honored with the “Jewel of Rajasthan” award for her pioneering
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Grants Manager work in serving, leading and enhancing lives of needy people in Chicago, US. Recently, she was given the “Exemplary Community Service” award for her outstanding and dedicated service to the general welfare of the Asian American community in the State of Illinois by Asian American Coalition of Chicago. Mrs. Kumar defines Social Work as a passion and not just a profession. She derives satisfaction from helping people access resources, solving their problems and seeing them improve. Her philanthropic personality and extraordinary communicating skills enabled her to connect with people and deal with even the most difficult and deeply troubled client. She has extensive counseling experience with individuals, couples and families. She encountered many obstacles and sad situations in this field in all these years but despite everything, she remained optimistic. She thinks that there’s a great need to help with all that life throws at people and social workers like her can make a difference. She speaks for people who do not get heard and her advocacy efforts light a beacon in their distressed lives. Mrs. Kumar’s success story couldn’t be completed without the help of her late husband, Mr. Pramod Kumar. He was an Engineer from IIT Kharagpur, India and Master in engineering from IIT Chicago, an entrepreneur a businessman, a philanthropist, who was a backbone to her efforts in serving the community. She is also supported by her two sons, Prashant a Computer Scientist, and Sagar Kumar a Industrial Engineer both from Purdue University. Both have started taking responsibilities at MAFS.
Roshita Pandey has 11 years of work experience with a proven track record in fundraising for non-profits & client servicing for leading advertising agencies. She displays demonstrated strengths in fundraising, grant writing, grant management, program implementation, communications, and public relations. She has a Master’s degree in Marketing Communications Management from the National Institute of Advertising, New Delhi. She has also done a Certificate Program in Fundraising Development from the University of Richmond, Virginia. Roshita started her career as a communication professional with leading advertising agencies Lowe Lintas and Ogilvy & Mather in Delhi. After a few years in the corporate sector, she responded to her inner calling to serve the community and made a conscious transition to the nonprofit sector. That decision held her in good stead as she continued to gather enriching experiences as a fundraising professional in various non-profit organizations in India and the US. Some of the organizations she has worked for are YMCA (Richmond, VA), Sanjeevani (Chicago), SOS Children’s Villages of India (India), Concern India Foundation (India). As MAFS Grants Manager, she performs the dual role of supervising all the MAFS programs to ensure effective implementation and bringing in the much-needed grants/funds to support these programs. In a short duration of over a year, she has raised a substantial amount of funds through grants which have helped to start many new programs at MAFS. She feels it is a thoroughly gratifying experience to raise funds for programs that empower and transform the lives of countless immigrants from our South Asian community. She lives by the motto- “if you do good to the world it comes back to you in much greater measure”!
