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CRY America bids farewell to longtime CEO Shefali Chandel
After more than three decades of service and two decades at the helm, Shefali Sunderlal Chandel steps down as CEO and President of CRY America as the nonprofit ushers in a new leadership chapter under Sandeep Bathala.
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Staff Reporter - Tue, 02, Jun 2026
- 17:03 EDT
- 54
Shefali Sunderlal Chandel / Handout
CRY America has announced a leadership transition, bidding farewell to its longtime CEO and president, Shefali Sunderlal Chandel, while welcoming executive director Sandeep Bathala into the role.
In a message shared by the organization, CRY America thanked Chandel for her 35 years of commitment to the child rights nonprofit and the children it serves. Chandel became CRY America's first CEO and led the organization for the past 20 years, helping build its donor base, volunteer network, fundraising events, and community support structure across the United States.
Also Read: CRY Bay Area gala raises over $500K for child welfare projects in India
The organization credited her with laying a strong foundation for CRY America's growth and impact, noting that she helped build the nonprofit “person by person, volunteer by volunteer, action center by action center, donor by donor, gala by gala.”
As CRY America enters its next phase, leadership will transition to Sandeep Bathala, a nonprofit executive with more than 25 years of experience in fundraising, donor engagement, and global partnerships. According to CRY America, Bathala has held senior leadership roles managing relationships with major donors, foundations, and corporations and is focused on expanding the organization's supporter base and national visibility.
As executive director, Bathala has already represented the organization at CRY America's 2026 fundraising galas across several U.S. cities, where she highlighted the importance of community support in advancing opportunities for underprivileged children.
Founded in 2002, CRY America is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to advancing children's rights and supporting initiatives focused on education, healthcare, protection, and development for underserved children. The organization has engaged thousands of donors and volunteers and supported child-focused projects across India and the United States.
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