Priya Shah is triggering social consciousness to challenge barriers and empower communities from the inside out. As a Chicago artist, creative and entrepreneur, she has built a network of artists and collaborators dedicated to igniting social awareness and change through art and imagination. Shah began volunteering in developing countries at a young age, in places like Mother Theresa’s orphanage and slums in South Africa, which inspired her to fill the gap between business and the social sector. She went on to earn degrees in both Accounting & Finance from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, using her studies as an opportunity to deepen her understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives through international travel. After graduating she went on to work at Big Four Accounting firm, Ernst & Young, and finally Groupon, leading strategic planning in Operations.Shah’s passion for art and travel has fueled her purpose to help better communities in Chicago and around the world. Through her experience, Shah has developed a unique perspective on humanity and believes it is her responsibility to engage communities in need. Her purpose took shape when she founded The Simple Good, a non-profit with the mission to connect the meaning of good from around the world, empowering at-risk youth to become positive activists through art and discussion. By uniting communities under a universal truth, Shah hopes to bridge understanding across all walks of life in order to bring down obstacles separating us in working towards improving the lives of our children and in turn, our future.
She has received a number of honors including being nominated for Forbes 30 Under 30, Ariane de Rothschild Fellow at Cambridge University, Brand Ambassador for Marc Fisher’s #MAKEYOURMARC Women in Philanthropy, winner of MADE Magazine’s Impact List 2016, Chicago Women’s Magazine Changemaker, BMW’s Payit4ward Honoree, amongst others. Most recently, she is the Executive Producer for a documentary film on her journey of bringing The Simple Good to post-genocide Rwanda and post war Uganda called ‘Project: Building Hope’ which is to be release Spring 2020.
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