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Our Team

Her Majesty the Queen Mother Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuck

Co-Chair 

Lucy Goelet

Co-Chair 

Henry Lewis

Vice Chair

Brian J. Menkes

Treasurer

William Tacon

Secretary

H.E. Ambassador Tenzin Rondel Wangchuk

Board Member

Dr. Bruce W. Bunting

Board Member

Daphne Hoch Cunningham

Board Member

Dr. Lisa Danzig

Board Member

Kinzang Dorjic

Board Member

Dr. Steve Harris

Board Member

Theodore N. Kaplan

Board Member

Eric Lemelson

Board Member

Donna E. Marshall

Board Member

Matthew Oresman

Board Member

Rosemary Phelan

Board Member

Michael Philipp

Board Member

Lyonpo Om Pradhan

Board Member

Katherine van Hengel

Board Member

Tshewang Wangchuk

Board Member

In Memoriam – John and Henrietta Goelet

Board Member

In Memoriam – Hon. Frank G. Wisner

Board Member

Hon. Brian Baird

Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr.

Barbara Bowman

Hon. Curtis S. Chin

Diana Cohn

Dasho Paljor Dorji

Dr. Peggy Dulany

Caroline Gabel

Eloise Goelet Hackett

Douglas W. Hamilton Jr.

Jane Hancock

Eric Hoffman

Christopher Hunt

Hon. Kenneth I. Juster

Rudolf Laager

John LaValley

Linda Leaming

Jeffrey H. Lynford

Michael Mars

Zack McKown, FAIA

Elisabeth Meeker

Judith Brown Meyers

Dr. Katharine Morley

Hon. Kunzang C. Namgyel

Brent Olson

Sonam Ongmo

Vince Pérez

Nina Pfifer

Dr. Françoise Pommaret

Jamie Resor

Michael Reynolds

Elizabeth Ryan

Ranjani (Ren) Sankaran

Tim Sharpe

Sonam Tobgay

Sukey Wagner

Rebecca Donner Winsor

Elise Zoli

In Memoriam – Mr. Gérard Tardy

In Memoriam – Ms. Nancy Hamill Winter

Norbu Dema

Country Director

Tshering Choden

Finance and HR manager

Sangay Chedar

Program Manager

Pema Gyamtsho

Communications Manager

Phenki

Program Officer

Lungten

Program Officer

Passang Gyem

Accounts Officer

Kunzang Dorji

Communications and IT Officer

Kuenzang Dorji

Office Secretary

Tshewang Wangchuk

President and CEO

Dawa Sherpa

Chief Operating Officer

Pemma Lhazin

Senior Philanthropy Officer

Sonam Deki Tshering

Operations Officer

Kate Lal-MacLachlan

Development and Communications Specialist

Help Build a Stronger Bhutan

Every gift creates lasting change.

Your support will help:

Conserving Bhutan's rich biodiversity and pristine landscapes.

Creating opportunities for children and young people to succeed.

Improving access to quality healthcare and essential services.

Protecting Bhutan's traditions, heritage, and identity.

Other Ways to Give

Make a Wire Transfer

Please contact Ms. Pemma Lhazin at +1-202-609-7363 or pemma.lhazin@bhutanfound.org

Make a Stock Gift

Please contact Ms. Pemma Lhazin at +1-202-609-7363 or pemma.lhazin@bhutanfound.org

Mail a Check

The Bhutan Foundation
1050 Connecticut Ave NW
#66013
Washington, DC 20036

A Gift in Your Will:

There are several ways to make a bequest to the Bhutan Foundation through your will or other estate plans: a residual bequest, a percentage bequest, a specific bequest, or a contingent bequest. Whichever type of bequest you choose, please use the following language:

“I give, devise, and bequeath to the Bhutan Foundation, Inc. (“Foundation”) (EIN: 13-3376290), an Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) organization organized in the State of Delaware, or its lawful successor, the sum of $ _____ [or a percentage of my estate] to be used exclusively for purposes of promoting the Foundation’s charitable mission (the “Purpose”).”

Tax ID Number: 13-3376290

The Bhutan Foundation is a 501(c)(3) registered charitable organization in the United States. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

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Her Majesty the Queen Mother Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuck

Co-Chair

Mrs. Lucy Goelet

Co-Chair

Lucy Goelet is Co-Chair of the Bhutan Foundation, where she provides strategic leadership in advancing education initiatives and supporting the preservation of Bhutan’s unique cultural heritage. She brings a global perspective shaped by decades of involvement in international education and expedition-based programs.
Early in her career, Mrs. Goelet worked as a personal assistant to author Sir Laurens van der Post, an experience that fostered her interest in cross-cultural engagement. She later joined Operation Raleigh, a global experiential education program for underprivileged youth in England, where participants traveled by sea to countries around the world while contributing to local development efforts, including improving access to clean drinking water and enhancing living conditions.

A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, Mrs. Goelet worked with Nigel Winser, Deputy Director, and Shane Winser, Head of the Expedition Advisory Centre, further deepening her involvement in expedition-based education and leadership development.
Mrs. Goelet has long been engaged with organizations that promote education, exploration, and cultural understanding. She has served on the boards and advisory councils of the Johns Hopkins Sheridan Libraries, Oldfields School, the Valley Planning Council, and the New York Botanical Garden Patrons Committee.

Mrs. Goelet’s connection to Bhutan began in the mid-1980s and has remained a central focus of her philanthropic work. She is particularly committed to supporting initiatives in education, health, and agriculture, while helping to preserve Bhutan’s unique cultural identity.

Mrs. Goelet resides in Maryland with her husband, Christopher, where they maintain a farm raising sheep, chickens and bees.. An avid equestrian, she remains actively involved in the region’s steeplechase community through organizations such as the Maryland Steeplechase Association, the Steeplechase Owners and Trainers Association, and the Maryland Hunt Cup.

Henry Lewis

Vice Chair

 

Brian J. Menkes

Treasurer 

William Tacon

Secretary

H.E. Ambassador Tenzin Rondel Wangchuk

Board Member

Ambassador Tenzin R Wangchuk joined the civil service of the Royal Government of Bhutan as a Trainee Officer in February 1993 in the Ministry of Finance and served in various capacities primarily coordinating and managing development assistance to Bhutan until December 2003. In January 2004, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and functioned in various capacities covering both bilateral multilateral relations. He was posted to the Bhutanese embassies in New Delhi and Brussels. In February 2018, he was reassigned to the headquarters as the Director of the Department of Multilateral Affairs. From August 2020, he served as the Permanent Representative of Bhutan to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva with concurrent accreditation to UNESCO, WFP, FAO, and the United Nations’ Office in Vienna. During the same period, he also served as Ambassador of Bhutan to Switzerland, Austria and Norway. In September 2025, he was appointed as the Director General of the Department of Economic and Tech Diplomacy in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade.

Dr. Bruce W. Bunting

Board Member

Dr. Bruce W. Bunting is President Emeritus of the Bhutan Foundation and the Foundation’s former President. Prior to this, Dr. Bunting was a Managing Director and Vice President of the World Wildlife Fund. He first visited Bhutan in 1986 and has been a long-time advisor to the Bhutanese government on a variety of issues including the establishment of Bhutan’s national park system, the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation, the world’s first such trust fund, and the Bhutan Health Trust Fund. He has authored several articles, including “Bhutan, Kingdom in the Clouds” for National Geographic Magazine. He received a B.S. in zoology and a doctorate in veterinary medicine with high honor from Michigan State University.

Daphne Hoch Cunningham

Board Member

Dr. Lisa Danzig

Board Member

Kinzang Dorjic

Board Member

Mr. Kinzang Dorjic is currently serving as Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the United Nations in New York. He has held various positions within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Bhutan including Chief of Division for the Asia and the Pacific Division, and served as Political Counsellor at the Royal Bhutanese Embassy in New Delhi. Earlier postings include the Royal Bhutanese Embassy in Dhaka and various roles in Thimphu. He holds a BA in Journalism from Curtin University of Technology, Australia, and an MA in Security, Intelligence and Diplomacy from the University of Buckingham, UK. His training includes programs in nuclear disarmament, security cooperation, humanitarian law, and leadership. He speaks Dzongkha, Sharchop, English, Hindi, and Bangla.

Dr. Steve Harris

Board Member

Theodore N. Kaplan

Board Member

Eric Lemelson

Board Member

Donna E. Marshall

Board Member

Mrs. Donna Marshall is a member of the Bhutan Foundation. She is a psychoanalytic psychotherapist in private practice in New York with multi-cultural adults.
She has been involved for many years in women’s education. She has served on the Board of Trustees at Stephens College where she established the Marshall Lecture Series to widen student knowledge of history and world affairs. She has also provided students to travel abroad to experience foreign countries.
Ms. Marshall also has a deep interest in historic preservation and has worked with a preservation architect on building preservation in New York.

She has visited Bhutan several times since 2010. Her heartfelt interest in the culture and the Bhutanese people is a cornerstone of her long involvement with the Wangduechhoeling Palace project to ensure that it will serve both current and future generations as a valuable source to learn and celebrate their government and cultural past.

Matthew Oresman

Board Member

 

Rosemary Phelan

Board Member

Ms. Rosemary Phelan was a co-founder and board member of The Bhutan Canada Foundation (BCF), which continues the Canadian–Bhutanese collaboration on education in Bhutan by placing English-speaking teachers in remote Bhutanese schools and makes further impact on educational and social institutions across Bhutan. Rosemary has been a frequent visitor to Bhutan and looks forward to a renewed philanthropic role in the country. She is a member of a fifth-generation family company in Canada and serves in an official capacity on several family-related companies. She is also a board member of volunteer organizations, including the George R. Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art in Toronto, Canada.

Michael Philipp

Board Member

Mr. Michael Philipp is a Managing Partner of Ambata Capital Partners, a merchant bank that seeks to develop businesses as a positive force for change for the people, communities, and environments in which they operate and to advance sustainability as a core competency.

Michael has over 25 years of experience as a senior banking executive and was a member of the Group Executive Board of Credit Suisse from 2005 to 2008, as well as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Credit Suisse Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
From 1995 to 2002, Michael helped build the investment bank at Deutsche Bank. From 2000 to 2002, he was Global Head of Asset Management and a member of the Board of Managing Directors, responsible for the Middle East and Africa.
Prior to joining Deutsche Bank, Michael spent over a decade at the forefront of the rapidly expanding global futures and options industry. At Goldman Sachs (1982 to 1990), he held a variety of positions in the Fixed Income and Futures Services departments; and at Merrill Lynch (1990 to 1995), he was Global Head of Futures and Options.

Mr. Philipp is also a board member of Reykjavik Geothermal and Bhutan for Life. Michael has a BA and MBA from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts with his wife, Sherry.

Lyonpo Om Pradhan

Board Member

Katherine van Hengel

Board Member

Tshewang Wangchuk

Board Member

Tshewang Wangchuk is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Bhutan Foundation, where he oversees the organization’s strategic direction, programs, operations, and partnerships. A pioneer in Bhutan’s conservation efforts, he was among the first Park Managers during the establishment of the country’s protected area system, now covering over 51% of Bhutan. His research on snow leopards and the Bhutan takin deepened his understanding of both the natural habitats and the mountain communities of northern Bhutan.

From 2003 to 2005, Tshewang coordinated WWF International’s Global Tiger Program, collaborating with biologists and conservationists across Asia and the Russian Far East. He is Bhutan’s first National Geographic Explorer, a member of the Explorers Club, and serves on the board of directors of the Snow Leopard Conservancy.
He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland and a Master’s in Conservation Biology from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, with additional graduate research in Wildlife Biology at the University of Montana.

CONTACT INFORMATION

tshewang.wangchuk@bhutanfound.org

In Memoriam – John and Henrietta Goelet

Board Member

In Memoriam – Hon. Frank G. Wisner

Board Member

Hon. Brian Baird

Advisory Council

Ambassador Robert O. Blake, Jr.

Advisory Council

Barbara Bowman

Advisory Council

Hon. Curtis S. Chin

Advisory Council

Diana Cohn

Advisory Council

Dasho Paljor Dorji

Advisory Council

Dr. Peggy Dulany

Advisory Council

Caroline Gabel

Advisory Council

Eloise Goelet Hackett

Advisory Council

Douglas W. Hamilton Jr.

Advisory Council

Douglas Hamilton currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Hamilton Associates and related entities, a family of entrepreneurial companies where he served as CEO for 37 years, until his retirement in 2012. One company, Elevator Safety Company, is a leading manufacturer of elevator suspension systems, used by major elevator companies throughout the world. A second firm, Air Techniques International, manufactures filter and gas mask test equipment, used in both commercial and military applications in the area of nuclear, biological, and chemical protection.

He and his wife, Tsognie, through a family foundation, support educational and monastic projects in Mrs. Hamilton’s birth country (now state of India) of Sikkim, Bhutan’s immediate neighbor to the west. The Hamiltons have trekked extensively in Sikkim beginning in the early 1970’s. Since 2007, along with their neighbors and good friends, Christopher and Lucy Goelet, the Hamiltons have sponsored a Bhutanese Archery tournament for members of the American Bhutanese community at Tashiding, their country property in Maryland. From 2011 through 2017 Mr. Hamilton served as President or Chair of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. He currently serves on the board of the Valleys Planning Council, a land preservation advocacy organization in North Central Maryland.

Jane Hancock

Advisory Council

Eric Hoffman

Advisory Council

Christopher Hunt

Advisory Council

Christopher Hunt is a private investor and traveller from Chicago, Illinois, USA. He began his college years in Switzerland and finished his studies at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California with a degree in International Studies and Communications. He currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Miami Corp. , a position he has held since 1991. Christopher is a Trustee of the Chauncey and Marion Deering McCormick Foundation located in Chicago.

His passions are art, travel, philanthropy and nature conservation. Christopher currently sits on the Arts of Asia Committee at the Art Institute of Chicago. He is also a Trustee of the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens in Miami, Florida.

Christopher has traveled through over 50 countries, including the Kingdom of Bhutan. There he has partnered with the Bhutan Foundation and the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature in Thimphu to install water and sanitation systems in rural villages. Helping to save the White Bellied Heron from extinction is another ongoing project. Christopher is the lead sponsor of the Thimphu City Football Club- a boys soccer team and a girls team.

Dr. George Archibald is a longtime family friend; and Christopher is the 3rd generation of supporters of the International Crane Foundation. He has learned that helping cranes entails helping people; and by helping people we can help the cranes of the world. Like all good relationships , a symbiotic balance must be found. The Black Necked Cranes which visit Bhutan each year are celebrated in Pobjika with a local festival the ICF helped start with local partners.
Christopher lives on the central coast of California.

Hon. Kenneth I. Juster

Advisory Council

Rudolf Laager

Advisory Council

John LaValley

Advisory Council

Linda Leaming

Advisory Council

Jeffrey H. Lynford

Advisory Council

Michael Mars

Advisory Council

Zack McKown, FAIA

Advisory Council

Zack McKown has been recognized for his contributions across the fields of urban design, architecture, interior design, as well as furniture and product design. He serves on the Bhutan Foundation’s Advisory Board and specifically served as a planner and advisor to BF in the restoration and repurposing of the Wangduechholing Palace. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Design Trust for Public Space, a nonprofit dedicated to improving public space in New York City, and on the board of Scenic Hudson, a nonprofit instrumental in preserving and restoring the Hudson River, its Valley, and its communities. McKown was elected as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 2006. In 2009 he received a National Design Award from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Museum, along with his partner Calvin Tsao. In 2022 they received the NY AIA’s highest distinction, the Medal of Honor. McKown has served as guest critic and lectured widely, and has been honored, along with Tsao, by retrospective exhibits at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, Syracuse University, and Parsons The New School for Design.

Education
Harvard University / Master of Architecture
University of South Carolina, Honors College / Bachelor of General Studies

Elisabeth Meeker

Advisory Council

Judith Brown Meyers

Advisory Council

Judith has been connected to Bhutan since 1993 when she started consulting with the newly created office of the World Wildlife Fund. Her assistance with strategic planning, development programs, and organizational development grew to include other civil society organizations including the Bhutan Center for Media and Democracy, the Royal Society for the Protection of Nature, and the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation. She has been a supporter of the Bhutan Foundation for over 30 years and continues to consult with several projects in Bhutan.

Her other professional experience includes creating and managing a public opinion research company and a public policy consulting company in San Francisco: serving on the management teams of several large mixed-use real estate development projects in northern California; and developing a Tibetan Buddhist retreat center in upstate New York. She has served on numerous Boards of Directors including SFJAZZ, World Learning, and the Monterey Institute of International Studies.
Judith holds MA degrees from The School of International Studies at American University and SIPA at Columbia University and a Ph.D. from Columbia – all focused on South and Southeast Asian Studies. She studied photography at the San Francisco Art Institute and has extensively photographed the Tibetan Buddhist communities of the Himalayas from Ladakh to Bhutan. As a life-long learner, she is studying oil painting under the guidance of renowned artist, Tatjana Krizmanic.

Dr. Katharine Morley

Advisory Council

Hon. Kunzang C. Namgyel

Advisory Council

Brent Olson

Advisory Council

Sonam Ongmo

Advisory Council

Vince Pérez

Advisory Council

Nina Pfifer

Advisory Council

Ms. Nina Pfifer spent the first decade of her career trying to change the world via ‘traditional’ means – working for the International Institute for Peace, the UN and the European Commission – before becoming inspired to change careers to the investment world, with a new understanding of the power of well- directed capital. As Chief External Affairs Officer, Nina works across capital raising, investor relations, ecosystem development and management, and branding, communications and PR. Her role encapsulates Conduit Capital’s collaborative core; she is responsible for fostering and deepening the firm’s connections to external stakeholders, from investors to the wider impact ecosystem. Nina has almost 20 years’ international business and finance experience and previously held senior roles at TR Squared Capital and 51North Partners. She has provided IPO and investor relations advice for companies such as Coca-Cola, BIM, Efes Breweries and Albaraka Bank.
Nina hopes to see sustainable, long-term investing become best practice, and sustainable capitalism become the enduring economic model.

Dr. Françoise Pommaret

Advisory Council

Jamie Resor

Advisory Council

Jamie Resor is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience in renewable energy, finance, and environmental conservation. He has held leadership roles in several successful organizations, including serving as CEO and Board Director of EDF Renewables Distributed Solutions, where he led the company’s growth in solar and battery storage solutions across North America. Prior to that, Jamie was the CEO of groSolar, a company acquired by EDF Renewables in 2016, where he oversaw the completion of projects in over 25 U.S. states and Canada.

Jamie’s earlier career included diverse roles ranging from working on the Thai/Cambodian border with the International Rescue Committee to directing the World Wildlife Fund’s pioneering conservation finance program. He structured over $150 million in long-term funding for environmental projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and was instrumental in establishing the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTFEC) — the first long-term funding mechanism of its kind in the world. His contributions to Bhutan’s environmental conservation efforts remain significant, as the country continues to lead globally in managing conservation alongside its people’s livelihoods, and being a carbon-negative nation.
Throughout his career, Jamie has been recognized for his expertise in international conservation and renewable energy, having testified before the U.S. Congress and other governmental bodies on key topics such as economic development, trade, and solar industry manufacturing. He is passionate about leveraging finance and innovation to drive sustainable development.

Michael Reynolds

Advisory Council

Elizabeth Ryan

Advisory Council

Ranjani (Ren) Sankaran

Advisory Council

Ranjani (Ren) Sankaran is currently Executive Director, Project & Export Finance at Standard Chartered Bank in London, where for over 14 years she has acted as financial advisor, structuring bank, and mandated lead arranger on pathbreaking project debt financings across power, infrastructure, natural resources, predominantly in Africa. Prior to Standard Chartered, Ren worked at the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation from its inception in 2004, financing sovereign-sponsored projects in emerging economies across Africa, Asia & Pacific, and Eastern Europe.

Prior to that, she worked on the Congressionally-mandated Africa Policy Advisory Panel’s Report, on capital markets and financial sector development in sub-Saharan Africa for Secretary of State Colin Powell, in addition to working at the Canadian Embassy OLIFI and the UN IFAD earlier in her career. Her interest in Bhutan and its culture and development stems from her travel there in 2008, during her summer travelling before business school. Ren holds an MBA from London Business School, an MA in International Development Studies from the GW Elliott School of International Affairs, and a BA with Distinction in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a co-founder of the Flore Foundation.

Tim Sharpe

Advisory Council

Sonam Tobgay

Advisory Council

Sukey Wagner

Advisory Council

Rebecca Donner Winsor

Advisory Council

Elise Zoli

Advisory Council

In Memoriam – Mr. Gérard Tardy

Advisory Council

Mr. Gérard Tardy was a well-known European venture capitalist with over 30 years of experience. He was the founder and manager in Paris of two major private equity firms, Citicorp Venture Capital and Schroder Ventures. In 1999, he founded his own company, Sitka Limited, in London, which invested in young companies in healthcare services and industries.

Mr. Tardy served as a Venture Partner of Mérieux Développement and sat on the boards of several companies in Europe and in Singapore. In 2008, he founded the Loden Entrepreneurship Program in Bhutan within the Loden Foundation, one of the Bhutan Foundation’s principal partners in Bhutan.
Mr. Tardy is remembered for his commitment to entrepreneurship, innovation, and social impact across Europe and Asia.

In Memoriam – Ms. Nancy Hamill Winter

Advisory Council

Nancy Hamill Winter supported the Bhutan Foundation since traveling with Bruce Bunting and Daphne Cunningham in 2007 on a WWF journey through Bhutan honoring the work of the late Mingma Sherpa. Her interest in the Himalaya stemmed back to 1964 on the first of many treks in Nepal. She was a naturalist specializing in habitat restoration and a consummate advocate for land conservation, having served in leadership roles with The Nature Conservancy, Field Museum of Natural History, JoDaviess Conservation Foundation, Teton Regional Land Trust, Prairie States Conservation Coalition, and Morton Arboretum. She was also a lifelong equestrian—a graduate A of the United States Pony Club, a short-listed member of the 1984 Olympic Three Day Event Team, former Vice President of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, and former President of the Equine Land Conservation Resource. Nancy had recently relocated to Vermont after a life rooted in the Illinois prairie and became involved in regional conservation issues of the Northeast. She held a BA from George Washington University in International Relations, an MA in East Asian History from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies, and a Naturalist Certification Degree from The Morton Arboretum.

Norbu Dema

Country Director

Ms. Norbu Dema is the Country Director of the Bhutan Foundation based in Thimphu, Bhutan. She holds a Bachelors of Engineering in Civil Engineering from VTU Bangalore India and an MA. in Public Policy with a specialization in development studies from Australian National University. Norbu comes with a wide range of experiences of having worked for more than 16 years with the Royal Government of Bhutan, international development partners, and civil society organizations in Bhutan. Ms. Dema worked for more than ten years in the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources in various capacities managing programs and strategic planning in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Human Resource Development.

After leaving her government job, she worked as Program Manager for the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC), managing a Governance Program in the areas of anti-corruption & transparency, public service delivery, media, and youth engagement. She also worked as the Bhutan Country Facilitator for LOGIN-Asia (Asia Centric Regional Network), aiding reforms in decentralization and local governance. She also consulted for Asian Development Bank as a TVET policy advisor and as a monitoring and evaluation expert. Before joining the Bhutan Foundation, she worked briefly with the Bhutan Network of Empowering Women (BNEW). During her free time, Norbu enjoys spending time with her children, indulging in craftwork, and is passionate about issues surrounding special needs children and their educational needs.

CONTACT INFORMATION

norbu.dema@bhutanfound.org

Tshering Choden

Finance and HR manager

Ms. Tshering Choden is the Finance Manager of the Bhutan Foundation office based in Thimphu, Bhutan. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting from Gaeddu College of Business Studies. She worked for four years at DHI-Infra Ltd. (now merged with Construction Development Corporation, Ltd.), where she served as a Finance Officer in the Finance and Accounts Department. She was also the Core Team Member of the company’s system SAP ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) for the module FICO (Finance and Controlling) and FM (Funds Management). She interned with Bhutan National Bank Limited, Thimphu, for several months before joining DHI-INFRA Ltd. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and doing volunteer work.

CONTACT INFORMATION

tshering.choden@bhutanfound.org

Sangay Chedar

Program Manager

Mr. Sangay Chedar is a Program Manager at Bhutan Foundation based in Thimphu. He holds Masters Degree in Environmental Science with specialization in Environmental Management from The University of Western Australia (UWA), Australia. Mr. Chedar has a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration from Royal Institute of Management, Bhutan. Mr. Chedar worked with erstwhile Gross National Happiness Commission (GNHC) for 13 years as Planning Officer. Subsequently, he served as Deputy Chief Programme Coordinator with the Department of Planning, Budget and Performance (DPBP) and Department of Macro-Fiscal and Development Finance (DMDF) under the Ministry of Finance. While in GNHC, he was involved in formulating the long- and medium-term development plans of the country. At the DPBP, Sangay worked with Local Governments on strengthening the planning and budgeting system. While in DMDF, Mr. Chedar was involved in coordinating with the development partners and resource mobilization. He enjoys reading, travelling and hiking during his leisure time.

CONTACT INFORMATION

sangay.chedar@bhutanfound.org

Pema Gyamtsho

Communications Manager

Pema Gyamtsho is the Communications Manager at the Bhutan Foundation, based in Thimphu. He holds a Master’s degree in Information and Technology specializing in Cybersecurity from the University of Canberra, Australia. With over fifteen years of experience in communications and media, Pema has contributed to several prominent organizations in Bhutan. Before joining the Bhutan Foundation, he served as the Communications Officer at the Royal Textile Academy and spent more than a decade with the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN), where he managed digital platforms, publications, photography, and media relations. Pema is passionate about storytelling, digital communication, and using media to promote social and environmental causes. Outside of work, he enjoys volunteering, photography, graphic design, and web development.

CONTACT INFORMATION

pema.gyamtsho@bhutanfound.org

Phenki

Program Officer

Ms. Phenki is a Program Officer with the Foundation. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Environmental Studies from Royal Thimphu College, Royal University of Bhutan, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in English from Samtse College of Education, Royal University of Bhutan. She taught for a year at Dr. Tobgyel Middle School in Thimphu. After her PGDE, she taught in-service for four years. She volunteered at the Mountain Echoes Literary Festival and with WWF Bhutan at the Global Earth Hour Campaign. She strongly believes in women’s empowerment. Phenki is passionate about building an enabling environment for every child. She enjoys editing videos and pictures, journaling, taking landscape photographs, and dancing during her leisure hours.

CONTACT INFORMATION

phenki@bhutanfound.org

Lungten

Program Officer

Mr. Lungten holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan. Before joining the Bhutan Foundation, he began his career in biodiversity conservation at the Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN) as an intern, where he served for about three years. He made significant contributions to various conservation and research projects at RSPN, particularly focusing on the conservation of the White-bellied Heron, wetlands, and freshwater biodiversity. In addition to his conservation work, he played a key role in the development of several RSPN conservation projects. Moreover, he has successfully secured several small research grants for studies on threatened waterbirds that share habitats with the White-bellied Heron in Bhutan. Mr. Lungten has a deep fondness for nature and enjoys engaging in wildlife photography, hiking, and birding. He is also passionate about environmental conservation and spends most of his leisure time learning about and exploring nature.

CONTACT INFORMATION

lungten@bhutanfound.org

Passang Gyem

Accounts Officer

Ms. Passang Gyem is the Accounts Officer at Bhutan Foundation. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Gedu College of Business Studies. She started her career as an accountant at Tashi Infocomm (Tashicell), where she worked for one year. Following that, she served as an Assistant Finance Officer at Bhutan Lottery Limited in Phuntsholing for five years. Currently, she is with Bhutan Foundation. In her free time, she enjoys exploring and learning new things.

CONTACT INFORMATION

passang.gyem@bhutanfound.org

Kunzang Dorji

Communications and IT Officer

Mr. Kunzang Dorji is the Communication and IT Officer at the Bhutan Foundation. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Sherubtse College. He began his career as a Photographer, Videographer, Visual Editor, and Designer at Yeewong Media. He then worked as an IT Technician and Graphic Designer at the Indo-Bhutan e-Library. Following this, he served as an Assistant ICT Officer for the ePIS Project at GovTech, employed as an SSA by the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in Bhutan. In this role, he was responsible for managing the Bhutan Vaccine System during the COVID-19 pandemic and overseeing the advocacy, training, and distribution of ICT equipment for electronic Patient Information Systems.

CONTACT INFORMATION

kunzangd@bhutanfound.org

Kuenzang Dorji

Office Secretary

Mr. Kuenzang Dorji is currently serving at Bhutan Foundation as the office secretary. Over the last decade, he has served with dedication and commitment at the GNH Centre Bhutan in various assistant level capacities. He have contributed towards the other clerical and administrative responsibilities for the Centre. He believes that fostering a sense of solidarity and kinship among team members is pivotal for developing and realizing the goals of any organization. In his free time he loves to learn new things from everyone, playing games and hiking.

CONTACT INFORMATION

kuenzang.dorji@bhutanfound.org

Tshewang Wangchuk

President and CEO

Tshewang Wangchuk is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Bhutan Foundation, where he oversees the organization’s strategic direction, programs, operations, and partnerships. A pioneer in Bhutan’s conservation efforts, he was among the first Park Managers during the establishment of the country’s protected area system, now covering over 51% of Bhutan. His research on snow leopards and the Bhutan takin deepened his understanding of both the natural habitats and the mountain communities of northern Bhutan.

From 2003 to 2005, Tshewang coordinated WWF International’s Global Tiger Program, collaborating with biologists and conservationists across Asia and the Russian Far East. He is Bhutan’s first National Geographic Explorer, a member of the Explorers Club, and serves on the board of directors of the Snow Leopard Conservancy.
He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland and a Master’s in Conservation Biology from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, with additional graduate research in Wildlife Biology at the University of Montana.

CONTACT INFORMATION

tshewang.wangchuk@bhutanfound.org

Dawa Sherpa

Chief Operating Officer

Ms. Dawa Sherpa is Chief Operating Officer for the Bhutan Foundation. She is also President and co-founder of the Greater Himalayas Foundation, which supports conservation and humanitarian programs in the Himalayas. Ms. Sherpa holds a Bachelors of Science from Virginia Tech, and Masters in Global and Community Health from George Mason University. She has international development experience working in the field on HIV/AIDS programs in Nepal with the United Nations Development Program, implemented rural public health awareness programs through Students Partnership Worldwide in the US, and helped develop the emergency medical services and public health programs with Bhutan’s Ministry of Health.

CONTACT INFORMATION

dawa.sherpa@bhutanfound.org

Pemma Lhazin

Senior Philanthropy Officer

Pemma Lhazin is the Senior Philanthropy Officer at the Bhutan Foundation, where she plays a key role at the intersection of fundraising, communications, and community engagement. Pemma supports the Foundation’s mission by cultivating donor relationships, developing fundraising campaigns, organizing events, and developing compelling narratives that connect supporters to Bhutan’s most pressing challenges and inspiring successes.
She collaborates closely with the Communications team to enhance the global visibility of Bhutan through strategic storytelling, dynamic social media content, and engaging outreach materials that highlight the Foundation’s work across environmental conservation, education, public health, cultural preservation, and good governance.

Pemma brings prior experience in fundraising for environmental nonprofits and is deeply passionate about sustainability, health equity, and social impact. A graduate of Endicott College with a BA in International Studies and a minor in English, Pemma also brings a strong foundation in global affairs and written communication.
In 2021, she volunteered in COVID-19 response efforts after completing the 44th Desuung Training Program in Tendruk, Samtse.

CONTACT INFORMATION

pemma.lhazin@bhutanfound.org

Sonam Deki Tshering

Operations Officer

Sonam is the Operations Officer at the Foundation, where she manages day-to-day operations: donor records, financial coordination, event logistics, annual mailings and the systems that keep the DC and Thimphu teams connected. She has a B.A. in Environment and Information Studies from Keio University in Japan.

Outside of work, Sonam serves as Membership Chair of the Climate Reality Project DC Chapter and is an active volunteer with several organizations including New York Cares, Team Rubicon, the Emerald Isle Immigration Center, Step Up Tutoring, and the Kreeger Museum, supporting causes including hunger relief, immigrant services, environmental restoration, education, and the arts.

CONTACT INFORMATION

sonam.tshering@bhutanfound.org

Kate Lal-MacLachlan

Development and Communications Specialist

Ms. Kate Lal-MacLachlan is the Development and Communications Specialist for the Bhutan Foundation, developing strategic communications and supporting donor outreach and materials. Through engaging storytelling, she highlights the incredible work of the Foundation and inspires people to be a part of the amazing projects and impact still to come in Bhutan. Ms. Lal-MacLachlan holds a B.A. in Global Studies from Lehigh University and an MPH in Global Health from Washington University in St. Louis. She has experience working in both global health communications and national health communication campaigns, focusing on issues such as surgical access, emergency response and HIV/AIDS. Prior to the Bhutan Foundation, she worked on two CDC campaigns, one focused on increasing health workers’ confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine and another improving prevention, testing and treatment for HIV. 
Outside of work, Kate volunteers with local services supporting the unhoused and fosters animals. 

CONTACT INFORMATION

+1 202 609 7363

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