Dr. Zeenat Kassam Mitha is an accomplished leader, educator, and community impact maker. She has been a trail blazer in the greater community and has been instrumental in initiating involvement and positive change for over 30 years. 

Dr. Mitha is a Professor and Senior Lecturer at the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD). She has incorporated community engagement projects and critical thinking in her university courses for the last 15 years and has been nominated twice as Outstanding Lecturer. Dr. Mitha is also a Senior Consultant, and the Founder of Sweetwater Specialty Consulting. She has spoken at many conferences and consults with executives, administrators, and leaders in the areas of public relations (PR), media, and communications.

Prior to working with UHD, Dr. Mitha was the Associate Director of External Affairs at Asia Society Texas Center (ASTC). In this position, she wrote grants and served as the bridge between funding and programming. She worked with a dynamic team and helped raise $30 million for the current ASTC building in the Museum District. She also suggested to the Executive Director at the time, to consider changing ASTC’s International Award to The Huffington Award, after Ambassador Roy Huffington, for his immense contribution and financial support to the organization.

Dr. Mitha holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Methodist University in Journalism and a minor in Business Administration. She also has a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of New Mexico, and a Doctorate in Executive Educational Leadership from Houston Baptist University, now Houston Christian University. She also did a Fellowship In Public Policy at Georgetown University.

Dr. Mitha has served on the Education and Outreach Committee of ASTC since 2015. She is a Legacy Circle donor and has supported programs at ASTC over the past two decades. As one of the first donors when the ASTC building was in inception mode, a seat in the Brown Auditorium has been named for her and her husband, Iqbal Mitha.

Dr. Mitha has also supported Child Advocates of Fort Bend (CAFB) for 22 years. She has been a donor and supported many of the organization’s events, including bringing her university students to events there to understand the needs of this nonprofit. She is on the advisory board, and she is a Forever Angels Legacy Society donor.

Dr. Mitha is also a donor for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for over two decades, and she has been a donor, supporter, volunteer, and Legacy Gift donor for the Aga Khan Foundation USA. Dr. Mitha also served on the Board of Directors, and as Membership Chair, for the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce from 2011 to 2014. And, she was on the board of directors of the Literacy Council of Fort Bend County from 2012 to 2014. Dr. Mitha is also a mentor to young women and is affiliated with Worldwide SHEROES.

For over 17 years, Dr. Mitha has volunteered with the Greater Houston Retailers Cooperative Association (GHRA) as their mistress of ceremonies, PR and protocol advisor for their galas. She also volunteered as the mistress of ceremonies and PR advisor for the Ibn Sina Foundation for many years. This organization provides health care to all those in the Greater Houston community that cannot afford it.

Dr. Mitha had a monthly column on Culture and Diversity for almost four years with Fort Bend Focus Magazine. In it, she highlighted various cultural or faith-based celebrations to educate the greater community on diversity and inclusion. Her goal was to unite the county and build bridges of understanding and tolerance.

In recognition of her many accomplishments, Dr. Mitha has received numerous honors, including an award for Outstanding Service from the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, being honored by Asian American Family Services in September 2012 for embracing hope and changing lives with compassion and dedication, and being recognized for her Outstanding Work as Media Team Leader for the Aga Khan Foundation Partnership Walk in 1998 and 1999.

Dr. Mitha is a supportive wife to Iqbal, and the proud mother of two bright and caring boys, Shamir and Armaan. She is also a compassionate daughter to her parents, Nizar and Mehrun Kassam, who are her inspiration when it comes to service and giving.
She also commends her husband, who has served the community for more than 12 years, and he has made some very significant contributions. He continues to serve through pro bono cases and contributes in ways where he can make the most difference.
It is for all the reasons mentioned above, and many more, that Dr. Zeenat Kassam Mitha has been named an Inspiring Woman Star Impact Maker for 2025.