Staff
Chloe Ettari, Executive Director
Chloe has been volunteering at Camp AmeriKids since 2009, first as a cabin counselor then as both group leader and working on the wellness staff. She is a Licensed Social Worker and received her B.A. in Psychology from Penn State University, a Masters in Social Work from Fordham University and a Masters in Public Health from New York University. Previously she was a social worker serving young adults in NYC who were working towards their GEDs or high school diplomas and then switched careers to Global Public Health. Most recently she worked at Americares focusing on general health programming and disaster recovery in Asia. She served on The ELM Project’s Board of Directors for nearly two years and is thrilled to take on the role of Executive Director, as this organization has been the inspiration and motivation for her career path.
Nyeka Desther, Community Engagement Coordinator
Nyeka has a BSW from the New York Institute of Technology. Since graduating college, Nyeka has been dedicated to working with families in the non-profit sector. She has several years of experience working as a case worker in a foster care prevention program at the Harlem Children’s Zone in NYC, and as a Family Advocate at the Norwalk Housing Authority – Early Learning Academy. Nyeka remains dedicated to serving underserved populations. Nyeka is responsible for camper recruitment and building/maintaining relationships with families and community partners.
HAAMID CHAMDAWALA, MD, MEDICAL DIRECTOR
After receiving his medical degree in India, Dr. Chamdawala immigrated to the US and completed his pediatric residency training at Kings County / SUNY Downstate Medical Center. He then earned his Master’s in Public Health from the Mailman School of Public Health and went on to complete his fellowship training in Pediatric Emergency Medicine from Jacobi Medical Center, where he currently works as an attending physician and Assistant Professor at The Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY.
Since 2007, Dr. Chamdawala has been working within the New York City public hospital system that plays a critical role in providing healthcare to the city’s most vulnerable population. He brings his training and work experience, as well as his passion for pediatric emergency medicine, public health, and research to The ELM Project.
Dr. Chamdawala currently serves as Medical Director of The ELM Project. Known to the kids as “Dr. H”, he has been volunteering with Camp AmeriKids since 2016.