Afshan is a lawyer and interdisciplinary researcher who engages in policy-driven work on philanthropy, nonprofits, and access to justice. She is an Assistant Research Scholar and PhD Candidate. She studies legal environments— how they shape access to justice for marginalized communities and enable philanthropic activities. She also studies the role of philanthropy and nonprofits in navigating and shaping public interest law and justice initiatives. She remains committed to bridging academic research with real-world impact.

Afshan served as Director of the 2025 Global Philanthropy Environment Index (GPEI), an international dataset on the enabling environment for philanthropy. Under her leadership, the research team partnered with over 170 global lawyers, academics, and civil society leaders to provide an updated mapping across 95 countries and 15 regions. Her current project examines the unique role of immigrant-oriented nonprofits in bridging access to justice across legal deserts. She continues to be active in legal and philanthropic communities, currently serving on the board of The Appellate Project—a U.S. nonprofit that supports emerging leaders as they work to build a more just and representative appellate field.

Awards and distinctions

• Fulbright Researcher, hosted by the University of British Columbia Centre for Migration Studies with the support of Fulbright Canada  (2024-2025)
• Elite50 Award, Indiana University Indianapolis (2025)
• Global Philanthropy Fellow, supported by the Giving USA Foundation (2023-2024)
• Outstanding Philanthropist, Nominee, American Muslim Community Foundation (2023)
• Mission Possible, 1^st Place, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (2020)
• Honorable Judge David Shaheed Access to Justice Award, Muslim Alliance of Indiana (2015)