Whether serving on the Loyola University Chicago Board of Trustees or Mayor Richard M. Daley’s 21st Century Leadership Council, Smita Shah has a passion for civic leadership in Chicago, IL. Serving as the committee chair for Delhi, India, in Chicago Sister Cities International, Smita Shah works to encourage economic and cultural exchanges between the two cities. In 2003 and 2005, she led trade missions for the organization from Chicago, IL, to India.
Chicago Sister Cities International was established in 1960 by Mayor Richard J. Daley, when the city entered into a Sister Cities agreement with Warsaw, Poland. Today, the organization has similar agreements promoting international business development and friendship with nearly 30 cities worldwide. Member cities range from Belgrade and Paris to Lahore and Shanghai. Some of the humanitarian efforts undertaken by Chicago Sister Cities International include supporting groups like UNICEF and donating hearing aids worth more than $500,000 to cities in Morocco and Jordan. Through its continuing efforts, Chicago Sister Cities International is the most active organization of its kind in the world.
Smita Shah (Chicago, IL) 