Dr Siraj Sira
MBBS, FRACGP
Chairperson and co-founder of GMF Australia
Dr Sira is the co-founder of GMF Australia. Since its inception, he has coordinated and been on regular medical and surgical missions to Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Philippines, Jordan and Bangladesh.
Dr Sira is also a General practitioner based in Sydney. He graduated from Kempegowda Institute of Medical sciences, Bangalore in 1998. After completing the Australian Medical Council exam, he gained valuable experience at Gosford and Wyong Hospitals. He completed his senior resident years at St Vincent’s, St George and Shoalhaven Hospitals. Dr Sira trained in Young, in country NSW and completed the fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in 2010.
Dr Javed Sheriff
BMedSci (Hons 1) MBBS PhD FRACP
Secretary
Dr Javed Sheriff is a cardiologist who completed his cardiology specialist training at Concord Hospital. He completed his PhD evaluating the role of Angiotensin II in the central control of sympathetic outflow from the University of Sydney, and his research was supported by an Australian Postgraduate Award Scholarship.
Dr Sheriff is a staff specialist at Canterbury Hospital and a visiting medical officer at the Sydney Adventist Hospital. He is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine and teaches medical students and junior doctors at the University of Sydney. He is currently undertaking a fellowship in clinical Cardiac Magnetic Resonance at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and has Level A accreditation for reporting CT coronary angiograms.
His interests include cardiac assessment using non-invasive imaging modalities, management of heart failure, coronary artery disease, congenital and valvular heart disease and general cardiovascular risk assessment.
Dr Sanjay Adusumilli
MBBS, MS, FRACS
Treasurer
Dr Sanjay Adusumilli graduated from Monash University in 2003, before undertaking his surgical training at Westmead Hospital. He pursued further sub-specialty training in Colorectal surgery through the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSSANZ). This was undertaken in Fremantle Hospital and Oxford University Hospitals (United Kingdom). He worked as a consultant in the Oxford which is world renowned for its colorectal surgery.
Dr Adusumilli presently works for the Sydney West Area Health Service. He has an interest in colorectal malignancy, inflammatory bowel disease and pelvic floor disorders. Sanjay completed a Masters of Surgery (University of Sydney) with his research focused on colonic bleeding. He has presented and published on an array of topics including faecal incontinence, obstructed defecation, colonic bleeding and single incision surgery.
GMF Australia Advisory board
Khaled Al Melham
Advisory Board
Khaled is a senior communications strategist working for a Federal government agency, he has over 20 years experience in regulatory compliance, Australian tax and superannuation’s systems, stakeholder’s management and community engagement. Khaled is also is accredited by NAATI as a professional interpreter.
Bina Sira
BBiomed Sc (Hons)
Advisory Board
Bina graduated from UTS Sydney with a degree in Bio medical science, majoring in pharmacology. She worked for the NSW Poisons information centre for over 10 years as a poisons information specialist. Bina is one of the founding members of GMF Australia and helps in the coordination of medical missions and administration.
Dr Ismail Goolam
BAppSc (MRS) DR, MBBS
Advisory Board
Dr Goolam is currently a senior radiology registrar at Westmead Hospital. He completed his medical degree at the University of Western Australia in 2012, after having undertaken early training in computer /biomedical engineering. He subsequently completed a degree in Diagnostic Radiography. In his early medical years he gained experience in general surgery within the Western Sydney Health network and then proceeded to his current area of specialization.
Dr Goolam has been actively involved in the training of medical students and junior medical officers informally and as a conjoint lecturer with the University of Western Sydney.
He has also over the years been involved in a number of not-for-profit organisations and associations, including Interact, Alpha- Omega youth camp, Learn2Pray, CMS (treasurer and VP of social university committee) and the RMO Association of Blacktown Hospital.
Zen Xiao
Advisory Board
Zen is a community pharmacist based in Sydney. She graduated her Pharmacy bachelor degree from the University of Sydney, and Master of Actuarial Studies in Practice from Macquarie University. Customizing medicinal treatments is where her interest is, where she puts into practice in her own compounding pharmacy.
Zen first joined GMF Australia in late 2016, her main responsibility is liaising with local organisations to ensure medical supply and ensuring safety administration of medications. “I believe affordable basic health care should be available for everyone regardless of their race, religion, gender or political beliefs” she said “ being part of the GMF team has been a very inspiring journey, which have help me grown both professionally and personally.
Sabah Sheriff
Advisory Board
Sabah is a creative thinker, innovator, and a designer with a passion for sustainability, justice and grassroots social change.
Sabah graduated with an honours degree in Law BA (LLB) from Bangalore University in 2009 and has since been involved in various ethical and sustainable initiatives both in India and Australia.
Zain Malik
Advisory Board
Zain Malik is a mechanical engineer and certified project manager working in the Oil and Gas industry. He has been the member of GMF Australia since its foundation in 2013. Zain has a passion for sustainability, humanitarian and environmental issues.
Over the years he has been part of various NGO’s like Engineers Without Borders (EWB) and Islamic Relief. He assists with our national outreach programs and fundraising campaigns for upcoming medical missions
Shaakira Essop
Advisory Board
Shaakira Essop is a primary school teacher and mother of one, who was born in South Africa but spent most of her younger years in New Zealand. She graduated from the University of Auckland completing a Bachelor of Arts and Graduate Diploma in Teaching. She has a passion for educating and has been involved in running a large tutoring agency as well as more recently being involved in producing a youth education TV series. In addition she has participated in and organised a number of charitable projects. Through her involvement with GMF Shaakira aims to improve the conditions of those less fortunate by assisting and educating those in need.
Adam Kharodia
APIA AFA ASA JP
Marketing Manager
Adam Kharodia is an accountant who completed his accounting degree at University of Western Sydney. He has worked as an accountant for over 10 years at Integra Accounting & Tax Services with his father, Shabbir Kharodia and brother, Zaheer Kharodia. He has gained valuable knowledge in taxation, management and cost accounting whilst understanding how businesses run and operate within many sectors. He also runs his own consultancy Firm – ADZ Consultancy which helps people in debt as well as running workshops to support and educate people in financial literacy.
In 2017, he started working at a charity organisation specialising in financial difficulty cases, logistics and marketing. Having worked at this charity for over 3 years, it gave Adam valuable experience in helping the less fortunate. This in turn allowed him to understand and implement strategies for marketing and donation collecting funds from the public and private sector. Adam has been assisting his father, Shabbir Kharodia, in numerous charity projects. He assists with the marketing aspects of GMF and is motivated to help the less fortunate any way he can.
Sofia Ezzat
Advisory Board
As a motivated and dedicated individual with 16 years of leadership experience, I am passionate about making a positive impact through humanitarian work. Throughout my professional journey, I have had the privilege of leading various teams and organizations, honing my skills in strategic planning, project management, and team collaboration.
My educational background in psychology has equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of human behaviour, which I have been able to leverage to empathize, connect, and communicate effectively with stakeholders and has been instrumental in driving collaboration and achieving shared goals.
My passion for humanitarian work stems from a deep belief in the power of compassion and empathy. I have witnessed firsthand the transformative effect that even small acts of kindness can have on individuals and communities.
Having worked in both the private and public sectors, I have developed a keen understanding of the unique challenges and dynamics within each environment.
I thrive in fast-paced and dynamic environments, constantly seeking innovative solutions to address pressing humanitarian issues. I am adept at developing and implementing strategic plans that align with organizational goals and maximize the impact of limited resources. I firmly believe in empowering individuals and communities to become agents of change, and have actively promoted capacity building and sustainable development in all my endeavors.
My commitment to humanitarian work goes beyond professional aspirations; it is a personal mission that drives me to continuously learn and grow. I am eager to leverage my skills and experience to contribute to projects that tackle global challenges and create lasting positive change.
I am dedicated to making a difference and believe that every individual has the power to create a better world.
GMF Australia Patron
Shabbir Kharodia
Patron
Mr Kharodia is a founding member and director of Global Aid Foundation. He has previously served as a member on the board of MAA international and currently works jointly with MAA International, Horn of Africa Relief and Development Agency, UNHCR and other humanitarian aid organisations to deliver aid to indigenous and local communities in Australia and around the world.
Most notable of this is cataract surgeries for restoring Eyesight in Kenya where total number of beneficiaries over the last ten years has exceeded 160,000.
Mr Kharodia is passionate above delivering water wells in remote areas of Ethiopia, Indonesia, Malawi, Cambodia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, emergency food relief for communities displaced by war in Syria, Yemen and other drought and poverty-stricken areas on the African and Asian continents.
Mr Kharodia is a Certified Practicing Accountant, a registered tax agent and JP. He is a Fellow Member of CPA Australia, a fellow member of the Chartered Association of Certified Practicing Accountant (UK) and a Chartered Tax Advisor. He is the principal of Integra Accounting & Tax Services, a well-established practicing firm of Accountants in Marayong NSW. He has been running this practice for nearly 30 years, and is supported by his sons Zaheer and Adam Kharodia who are also actively engaged in the business.