Two Indian Americans, Padmini Pillai from Boston and Nalini Tata from New York, have been appointed to the 2024-2025 class of White House Fellows. Announced on Thursday, they are among 15 talented individuals selected from across the United States for this esteemed programme. Participants spend a year working alongside senior White House staff, cabinet secretaries, and other high-ranking officials, gaining skills to serve as stronger leaders in their communities. Tata will be stationed at the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs, while Pillai will be at the Social Security Administration.
Padmini Pillai, from Newton, Massachusetts, is an immunoengineer focused on integrating immunological discoveries with biomaterial design to treat diseases. She has led a team at MIT developing a tumour-selective nanotherapy for challenging cancers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she appeared in various media outlets, including “CNBC”, “The Atlantic”, and “The New York Times”, discussing vaccination, immunity, and the pandemic’s impact on vulnerable communities. Pillai holds a PhD in immunobiology from Yale University and a BA in biochemistry from Regis College.
Nalini Tata is a neurosurgery resident at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Centre/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, treating both emergency and elective neurosurgical conditions. Her work has been published in various journals, focusing on improving equity in healthcare. Tata’s career in neurosurgery and her interest in public policy are driven by a commitment to public service. She earned a BSc in neurobiology from Brown University, an MPhil from the University of Cambridge, an MD from Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, and an MPP from Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Indian-Americans Padmini Pillai, Nalini Tata named White House Fellows https://t.co/Hd5xi9wmp7
— Himanshu Verma (@hv2008) October 4, 2024
This year’s White House Fellows were chosen through a competitive selection process. They are a highly accomplished group with diverse backgrounds, bringing experience from various sectors, including private industry, state government, academia, non-profits, medicine, and the armed forces.
What Other Media Are Saying
- DevDiscourse highlights trailblazing Indian Americans Padmini Pillai and Nalini Tata joining the 2024-2025 class of White House Fellows, promoting diversity in leadership.(read more)
- Hindustan Times reports two Indian Americans selected as White House Fellows, highlighting their potential to make significant contributions to the U.S. through their diverse backgrounds and skills.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Who are the Indian Americans appointed as White House Fellows for 2024-2025?
Padmini Pillai and Nalini Tata.
What will Padmini Pillai and Nalini Tata do as White House Fellows?
Pillai will work at the Social Security Administration, and Tata at the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs.
What is Padmini Pillai’s professional background?
She is an immunoengineer working on tumour-selective nanotherapy and has a PhD in immunobiology from Yale.
What is Nalini Tata’s professional background?
She is a neurosurgery resident with a focus on equity in access to care and has an MD from Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine.
How many individuals were named White House Fellows for 2024-2025?
Fifteen exceptionally-talented individuals.
