MEET THE TEAM

JAYA GUPTA

Founder and President

Jaya Gupta is the founder of Girls and Literature. As someone who has always been passionate about education, she was inspired to use her resources to help girls around the world create better lives for themselves. Jaya is a student at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and her favorite book is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

ZARA LAIQ

Director of Operations

Zara Laiq is the Director of Operations of Girls and Literature. She is committed to expanding the organization's reach through leading new initiatives and events that create meaningful opportunities for children to grow. Zara is a Junior in High School, and her favorite book is The Fifth Wave.

HUMAIRAH BINTE-SHARIF

Staff Writer

Humairah Binte-Sharif is the Staff Writer for Girls and Literature. She strives to make a positive impact, through her enthusiasm and commitment. Out of the many hobbies she has, reading is her most treasured! Her favorite children’s book is “The Giving Tree.”

NAKSHATRA VALA

Book Drives Lead

Nakshatra is Girls and Literature's book drives lead. She finds schools in areas with low literacy and works to donate books to them. She is currently a junior in high school and her favorite book is The Pact.

ERICA TIMOTHY

TikTok Content Creator

Erica is a member of the social media team and originally from Bristow, VA. She joined GAL because she wanted to help girls all around the world gain access to books and education. Her favorite book is The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.

VENICE TAMAYO

Social Media Content Creator

Venice Tamayo is part of the GAL social media team and works to promote the nonprofit and spread awareness. She is passionate about increasing access to education. Venice is a current Junior in high school and enjoys reading. One of her favorite book series is The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han.

VANESSA TAMAYO