About The National Executive Board

Siddharth Devarajan, a senior at Walter Payton College Prep, serves as the President of the National Student Refugee Coalition (NSRC) and has been involved with the organization since his freshman year. He is deeply passionate about NSRC's mission to support refugee and newcomer youth and build a more united, inclusive community, a mission he has helped carry from a single Chicago chapter into a growing national movement reaching students across the country. For Siddharth, the heart of that work is the direct connection with refugee youth and their families: moments at events where a student who arrived feeling like an outsider begins to feel seen, supported, and at home.

At Payton, Siddharth co-founded and is the co-president of the Payton Aerospace Engineering Club, serves as the event chair of the South Asian American Club, and plays on the tennis team. He plans to study mechanical or aerospace engineering, combining his technical interests with a commitment to service and community connection.

Nimay Piparia, a senior at Walter Payton College Prep, serves as the Vice President of the National Student Refugee Coalition (NSRC) and has been dedicated to the organization since his freshman year. He deeply resonates with NSRC's mission of building a welcoming community for refugee and newcomer youth in the U.S., and has helped grow the organization's reach through chapter leadership and community programming. For Nimay, the most meaningful part of the work is watching newcomer students go from feeling like strangers in a new country to feeling like they belong — the moments at events where hesitation turns into laughter and connection. Nimay is also the Vice President of the Hydroponic Venture Project, serves on the Junior Economic Club of Chicago's expansion committee, participates in PACE Student Investing, and writes for On the Money magazine's entrepreneurship track. He plans to study business and behavioral economics, combining his interests in finance and entrepreneurship with a commitment to social impact.

Shaan Datta, a Senior at Walter Payton College Prep, serves as the Director of Development for the National Student Refugee Coalition (NSRC) and has been in the organization since his freshman year. He is supportive and passionate about NSRC's mission to support newcomer youth and build a more inclusive community. From this work, Shaan values the direct connection with newcomers and their families. At Payton, Shaan is a Varsity chess player, a co-president of Payton’s Bollywood dance team— Payton Masti, and is a leader in Walter Payton’s Aerospace engineering club.  In college, he plans to study engineering, taking his passion for building and creating to help his community. 

Anaya Sharma, a senior at Walter Payton College Prep, serves as the National Director of Marketing for NSRC. She joined NSRC because she values creating opportunities for students and helping build a welcoming and safe community for all. Outside of NSRC, Anaya is a varsity cheerleader who enjoys traveling and going to concerts, and she has been involved with Team Sweetness and She Became since her freshman year, giving back to her community and supporting others. In the future, she plans to study economics or marketing in college and pursue a career in business, where she can combine creativity and problem-solving to make a meaningful impact.

Armaan Sheth, a senior at Walter Payton College Prep, is the National Director of Internal Affairs and Communications at the National Student Refugee Coalition (NSRC), where he works to strengthen collaboration across chapters and expand support for refugee communities. He is passionate about creating inclusive spaces for youth, helping lead initiatives like Youth Fest that bring together hundreds of families through both engagement and resource distribution. His commitment to serving underrepresented communities extends through his work as the founder of Rise Up Sports Foundation (RUSF), a student-led organization that provides underserved youth with access to sports, mentorship, and equipment. Outside of community service, Armaan serves as Co-President of Payton’s South Asian American Club, while also being a dedicated student-athlete involved in both varsity and club soccer and tennis. Looking ahead, he plans to pursue mechanical or industrial engineering, continuing to explore his interest through robotics and hands-on experiences.

Alexander Ford, a senior at Walter Payton College Prep, serves as Director of Outreach for the National Student Refugee Coalition (NSRC). He cares deeply about NSRC’s mission to support refugee and newcomer youth and build a more inclusive community. For Alex, the heart of that work is personal. As a Kurdish-American student, he knows what it means to find your footing in a new place, and what matters most to him are the direct moments: helping a newly arrived student feel less alone, and watching someone who felt like an outsider begin to feel seen and at home. At Payton, Alex co-founded and co-leads Payton Aerospace Engineering, serves as President of STEMgineering, and mentors students through the Kurdish Cultural Center of Illinois. He also plays for his school and club soccer teams. He plans to study mechanical or electrical engineering, combining his technical interests with a commitment to serving the underprivileged.