Board of Directors

Neelu Sachdev is the Executive Director of (RIWC) Regina Immigrant Women Centre and has been in her role for over 20 years having worked in the sector for 25 years. Neelu also served on the board of SAISIA for many years prior, and encouraged her staff to serve as well. Neelu is committed to serving the settlement sector in Saskatchewan and proud to represent RIWC again this year.

In her capacity as ED, Neelu overcame numerous challenges to ensure that sustainable funding became an integral part of RIWC to make the centre accessible to immigrant and refugee women and their families in and around Regina. Her passion and commitment to the women and their families is her focus, and she works tirelessly to ensure that they are supported, inspired and championed through the services of RIWC.

For Neelu, who has an educational background in Psychology and Administration from California State University Los Angeles and University of Regina, was born in India, emigrated as a child to the US, and raised her own family in Regina, settlement and integration are the cornerstones of immigrant life. Based on her experiences, Neelu wanted to provide accessible services and programs that newcomer women would use to enhance their settlement, something her mother did not have.

The Centre, located in South Regina in and around the Golden Mile Mall, serves the needs of the fast-growing newcomer communities through its language, employment, cultural and recreational programs. The hallmark of RIWC are its four pillars; Educate, Enrich, Empower, Integrate. RIWC has profoundly benefited from having Neelu at the helm. The growth of the organization to meet the needs of the community has directly impacted the lives of countless women and their families. Neelu has led the organization to be a hub of learning and opportunity, a safe place, full of compassionate and caring staff.

Neelu has demonstrated that strength and drive can co-exist with empathy and compassion in order to bring positive change to the community. Neelu was the recipient of the Women of Distinction Award from the YWCA in 2007, the Multicultural Leadership Award from the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan (MCoS) in 2021, and recently, the Queen Elizabeth Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022.