Founder & Executive Director

Vibha is the daughter of Indian immigrants, born, bred and raised in the midwest, now firmly transplanted to the left coast. Emergency room doctor by day (and night) she was inspired by her patients to create something to address the systemic injustices she witnesses on a daily basis. She thinks of NINS as a place to positively channel her frustration into something beautiful that combines her passion for food, culture and people. She hopes that NINS can help to push the needle towards comprehensive immigration reform.

Artist Relations & Production Coordinator

Ahsan is a Pakistani-American happiness facilitator, born and raised in Indonesia. He supports his Spice-Route-centric cookbook addiction by working in sustainable agriculture and bioremediation. For fun, he likes hosting gatherings (small and not-so-small) centered on food, nature, and ambient music.

Creative Director

Tiffany (thanh nguyệt) is child of immigrants, Vietnamese American writer, artist, and inner child advocate. She has lived many lives through her career from working as an exhibit designer, weaving stories into physical space, to being a community facilitator. What she loves most is creating moments for deep conversation and belonging.

Communications and Press Coordinator

I love people, connection, and community. After years bouncing around the Midwest and Northeastern US, I now call Oakland home – and feel deeply fortunate to be planted in place, to have an opportunity to grow in this community, and to be part of the NINS team! 

Operations

Born in Delhi and raised in California, I'm an immigrant by definition and a blend of both the US and India.  I share the love of food and the core belief that there is goodness in all people with my fellow NINS community.  I have worked in events and the hospitality industry for a decade and now spend my days working in Clinical Operations at a Pharmaceutical Company helping bring transformative medicines one step closer to those who need them. 

Designer

Elina is a Bay Area raised and based creative. They believe a shared meal is as powerful a medium for storytelling and building connections as any piece of artwork in a museum. Through their work they hope not just to express their individual point of view but create opportunities to uplift community to tell their own stories and control their own narratives.

Currently spending their time reconnecting to hands-on crafting through embroidery, sewing, and growing pigmented plants for dyes and paints.

Communications and Strategy Advisor

I am a humanitarian and daughter of Central American immigrants. As a writer, I believe in the transformative power of communication to advocate for humanity and empower communities. I also believe that the shared experience of food can bring people together and create welcoming spaces. My mission is to cultivate understanding, inspire action, and amplify the voices of those often excluded. Together, we can flip the narrative on immigration and celebrate the cultural richness of our communities!

Development Lead

Zeena is Bay raised and rooted, guided by a belief in justice, liberation, and our shared humanity. Growing up within the tiny Parsi Zoroastrian community gave her an early sense of what it means to belong to an ethnic minority and helped shape her instinct to root for those whose voices are less often heard. A former attorney who left the law long ago to raise her family, she’s passionate about immigrant rights, movement as a form of healing, and creating spaces where people feel seen and belong. NINS is a natural home for the values she holds close.

Event Strategist

Becca Bloom is the Founder and Lead Event Strategist at the two-time award-winning BB Events. With a heart fueled by purpose and social impact, she has been perfecting the art of gathering since 2015. Becca has a wealth of experience, having curated and executed hundreds of events that have brought together thousands of people and raised millions of dollars. She specializes in purpose-driven events for nonprofits, community organizations, and businesses across the San Francisco Bay Area, infused with vibrancy and creativity. 

Becca is an industry trailblazer, certified in Sustainable Event Strategist from Meeting Professionals International and a Virtual Event & Meeting Management expert from the Event Leadership Institute. She is an active member of organizations such as the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Women Business Owners, and currently holds a pivotal role as President of the International Live Events Association of Northern California.

Community Coordinator

Manny is a self-taught culinary enthusiast with a true Californian spirit. He comes from a rich cultural heritage that includes Puerto Rican, Cuban, and African American roots. He embraces diversity and enjoys immersing himself in different cultures, especially through culinary exploration. He is a lover of community, dogs, authentic relationships, and swimming in large bodies of water.

Manny has a passion for food and loves to share it, whether it’s providing home cooked meals for his unhoused neighbors in West Oakland or making pozole for the staff at Chez Panisse. He is driven by a desire to make a positive impact on the world and hopes to inspire others to do the same.

See what He’s cooking up on IG @tacosandbanchan

Culinary Coordinator

Xochitl was born and raised in the Napa Valley to immigrant parents and moved to the Bay Area in 2009 where she quickly began working in restaurants.

Her love for food and The Bay Area fuel her dedication to uplifting immigrant communities and celebrating culinary diversity. 

Photographer

Humble, hardworking, hungry & handy with a camera. Pittsburg, CA raised me, Oakland, CA made me. Always on my grind but easy to find.

Check out Scotts amazing work on generations of townfolk in Oakland and his other works.