People

		Rakhi Mehra is co-founder of mHS and determined to make people and players think more creatively about urban housing and building inclusive cities. A Rhodes scholar and an MBA from Harvard (‘09) she has many years of international development experience with CARE, Ashoka Fellows, Grameen Bank, RABO Bank, Jeffery Sachs’ office at Columbia University. Rakhi was a competitive swimmer for India, swam in the winning English Channel Relay for Oxford University and remains an enthusiast for outdoor sport. She studied Economics at St. Stephens College, Delhi (2001), and read Politics, Philosophy & Economics at Oxford University (2001-03) [rakhi@microhomesolutions.com]
		Marco Ferrario, co-founder of mHS, favors the minimalist, functional architecture to bring good design where it has never been and where it is needed the most: low-income settlements. In India, he is working with other professionals to promote a multidisciplinary approach in urban planning. Marco graduated from the Politecnico Di Milano and worked as an architect in Italy. He interned at the Grameen Bank and returned to practice architecture with niche firms in India, Singapore and USA. The Cooper Hewitt Museum in New York selected two of his works - the Modular shelter for homeless and the Design Home Solution - to be part of their 2011 exhibition" "Designing With The Other 90 percent." [marco@microhomesolutions.com]
		Vyasdev Yengkhom is a young architect designer and has been with micro Home Solutions since inception in August 2009. One year later, he is quickly becoming an expert in low-income housing design and community engagement. When not on the field visit and travelling for work, Vyas enjoys jamming sessions, playing soccer and video games. Vyas completed his architectural degree (B. Arch) from B.K.P.S College of Architecture in Pune, Maharashtra.
		John Backman is an architect whose focus is on project delivery, project management and building systems fabrication and integration. His most recent completed project is the Art of the Americas Wing of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, for which he served as senior project architect for Foster+Partners / CBT. In 2009 he co-founded SITU, inc., a practice committed to multi-disciplinary cross-polination and innovation in the fields of architecture, urban design and project management. He is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design ('86)
		Mukta Naik is an architect and urban planner and joined mHS in March 2011. She is interested to develop effective delivery mechanisms for housing the urban poor with a focus on migrant communities. Mukta has worked with the Institute for Competitiveness heading the urban research practice and the Confederation of Construction Products and Services. She also comes with diverse communication experience and runs a content & media services company. Mukta is a graduate of School of Planning and Architecture (1999) and did her Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Texas A&M University (2002).
		Lorenz Noe joined microHomeSolutions in September 2011 as a Clinton fellow of the American India Foundation in the areas of program assistance and outreach. He has worked with the German International Cooperation (GIZ) in Dhaka, Bangladesh on garment trade issues, as well as with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Jerusalem, Israel on business networking between Israel and the West Bank. He holds a B.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in Political Economy from UC Berkeley.
		Gian Franco Ferrario graduated in 1976 from the Politecnico di Milano. After the first experiences in the field of design and architecture, has worked with several research centers making original studies in the field area. He has also collaborated with Regions and other municipalities for the preservation and restoration of cultural heritages. He wrote several books on the architecture, art and history the province of Varese. Currently is promoting an innovative approach for social hosing solutions in Italy.

Advisors

Pradip Sarmah
MD, Rickshaw Bank, Ashoka Fellow, India
Founder, Centre of Rural Development
Henri Fanthome
Practicing Architect, India
Director of Henri Fanthome Office for Architecture
Assistant Teacher SPA, New Delhi
Vivek Mehra
Partner at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, India
Head, National Regulatory Practice
Vipin Sharma
CEO of Access Development Services, India
CARE India, Micro Finance
Rushabh Kapashi
Consultant, McKinsey, USA
MBA, Harvard Business School 2009
Clinton, America India Foundation Fellow
Alberto Mazza
Practicing Architect, Italy
Architecture, communication, graphic and interactive services
Politecnico di Milano 2002