Naina is a disability advocate and mother of a bright autistic teenager. While worrying about her own son’s future during the pandemic, she sought to build new opportunities for individuals like him in the skilled trades because of the financial stability and routine-driven nature of the work, often with fewer social and communication barriers. After teaming up with Cofounder Emeritus Hope Hohmann in early 2021, they created the idea for IPS to help young adults with differing abilities in the Northern Virginia community find new paths to employment while supporting their unique learning needs.

For over 20 years, Naina has worked and volunteered in a variety of roles in the disability community beginning with her work at the Autism Society of America (ASA) as the editor of its member magazine in 2000. From 2001 to 2005 and again from 2017 to 2020, she worked for the Organization for Autism Research (OAR), a national nonprofit that funds research and creates resources for families, professionals and educators. Most recently, she helped establish the Hire Autism program, which provides job search help to autistic adults. Naina has personally raised funds for autism research through running races as well as co-hosted charity events and helped OAR win a live grant competition in 2017. She has also participated in television interviews, created resources and written articles to raise awareness of autism. In 2018, Naina was awarded the Eleanor Sue Finkelstein Award for Special Needs by the Pozez Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia for her work in the local community.

Naina enjoys volunteering at her kids’ schools, especially serving as a Girl Scout leader and Marching Band parent, exercising, hiking and reading. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband, three children, and pets including a labradoodle named Cherry and a lizard named Rocket.