Priyanka Bista is a Nepali-Canadian architect, and designer working at the intersection of public interest design and biodiversity conservation. She’s the Co-Founder and Executive Director of KTK-BELT studio, a non-profit based in New York that works collaboratively with local communities in Eastern Nepal to create the “Vertical University” project spanning an 8,000-meter vertical gradient from Koshi-Tappu (67 m) to Mount Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), the third tallest peak in the world. Her work has won numerous awards including the What Design Can Do Climate Action Challenge, the Energy Globe Award, the SEED Public Interest Design Award, UIAA Mountain Protection Award, and the Finalist for the Buckminster Fuller Challenge. In 2019 she was selected as the Visiting Faculty Fellow for the Design for Spatial Justice Initiative at the University of Oregon. Here, she led an architectural studio focused on the design and development of a campus located in the lowest plains of the Vertical University in Koshi Tappu, home to over 5% of all world’s birds. She possesses degrees in Architecture, International Development, and Regeneration and Shelter after Disaster from Ryerson University, Toronto and Oxford Brookes University, UK. She has previously held the position of Senior Architect and Planner at Collaborative Media Advocacy Platform (CMAP), Nigeria, where she worked with youth from the informal settlements of Port Harcourt on the “Human City Project”.

Born in Long Island, New York, Rajeev is the Co-Founder and Nepal Country Director of the KTK-BELT project. A graduate of Brown University, New York University School of Law and Cornell University, he is a lawyer, conservationist, and non-profit worker. At Cornell, as a masters student under Dr. Karim-Aly Kassam, his thesis focused on the concept of the 'Vertical University' for protecting indigenous knowledge and reducing ecosystem fragmentation. Between 2008 to 2011, he was the national coordinator of the 'Push for Peace Corps' Campaign, which helped increase the national budget of the Peace Corps by $60 million, the largest increase in its history. Rajeev's first book, ‘The Springs of Namje’ (Beacon Press, 2012), won the Paul D. Cowan Award for Non-Fiction. As a United Nations Volunteer (UNV), he worked for the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Kathmandu as a translator/interpreter. Rajeev worked as a consultant at the International Trade Center (ITC) in Geneva to help design their Youth and Trade program. There he also supported national environmental strategies for Myanmar and Burkina Faso. Rajeev is a recipient of the Eric Dean Bender Prize for Public Service from NYU Law School and the Franklin H. Williams Award from the Peace Corps.

Originally from eastern Nepal, Mr. Lingden comes to KTK-BELT with an extraordinary combination of credentials and experience. He possesses more than a decade of diverse professional experience in accounting, auditing, taxation, finance, management, consulting, law & governance. Prior to joining KTK-BELT, he served as a practicing chartered accountant for an array of clients across the NGO, INGO, academic, government, private, financial, and cooperative sectors. Passionate for education and ethics in governance, he has served as an expert consultant to the Government of Nepal, the then Ministry of Population & Environment, and various government agencies. He has worked as a finance expert in the Evaluation Team of the Social Welfare Council, the regulatory body of social organizations in Nepal. Mr. Lingden holds rich experience as a member of the Ethics Committees of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal (ICAN), the apex regulatory body of auditors in Nepal. In addition, he works as a resource person of law at the ICAN and CCMA College. Also, he has served as a consultant for organizations across multiple fields. Mr. Lingden has completed his Chartered Accountancy Degree from the ICAN. Further, he holds an advocate license from the Nepal Bar Council and obtained a Master’s Degree in Business Studies from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He is also currently a Ph.D. candidate.

Stephanie Odegard has been involved in assisting developing countries to promote and preserve the traditional artisanal crafts since she served in the Peace Corps in Fiji in 1976. After working for the United Nations and the World Bank, she founded her revolutionary company renowned for its inspired designs, high production standards and creation of luxurious hand-knotted carpets. Now, an internationally recognized leader in contemporary design, Stephanie has garnered numerous accolades and awards that acknowledge both her design talents and her commitment to social progress and philanthropic accountability. In June 2001, the Peace Corps presented her with an award honoring a former volunteer who promotes international economic development, exemplifies respect for cultural diversity and provides a model workplace for employees. Stephanie Odegard seeks to preserve rare artistic traditions from around the world and has devoted her career to assisting artisans in developing countries promote and preserve their traditional crafts. Recognized as an international leader in contemporary design, she has expanded carpets to include finely crafted objects from regions outside Nepal and Tibet and has focused on preserving the ancient traditions which flourished during the Mughal period. Having consulted in craft sectors for 15 years, before starting her own business, she served in different nations around the world positioning her well to develop products not only in textiles but in furniture, accessories, and architectural fixtures. Stephanie gets the most excitement and inspiration working through new concepts using ancient traditional skills with designers, helping them realize their visions for interiors. Each unique piece is infused with a clear sense that the artist’s hand has been at work. Stephanie Odegard has been commissioned to re-create the entire interior surface of a mirrored glass room from a 17th-century Indian palace.

Scott was the Treasurer of KTK-BELT and also a co-founder of Phul Maya Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Vermont. He was the founding partner and an attorney in Biggam, Fox & Skinner law firm for over 20 years. Before becoming a lawyer, Scott served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal from 1964-1966 and had continuously engaged on charitable projects in the country since that time. Scott and his law partner Pat Biggam have fundraised and helped build five new primary schools in Bhedetar, numerous libraries, and water infrastructure projects.

Hom Lamsal has served in the journalism field for over two decades in Nepal. Well known for his work with Radio Nepal and Image Channel, Lamsal currently is the news provider from the United States to Republica Media and Citizen Daily. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Khabarmala.com. Lamsal's journalistic work has focused deeply on the natural environment, biodiversity, migration, and community development. He is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and has held various high-level positions with the Federation of Nepali Journalists. Lamsal also serves as the NRNA ICC Co-Chair for the Media Committee. He lives between the United States and Kathmandu.

Sanjeev M. Sherchan is the Director for Global Leadership Initiatives at the Asia Society. In this capacity, Sherchan is primarily responsible for conceptualizing and overseeing all aspects of the Society’s global initiatives. He joined the Asia Society in the fall of 2000 as a Program Assistant in the policy department. Prior to that, before returning to the United States for graduate studies in 1998, Sherchan worked as a consultant for PLAN International in Nepal. Sherchan has been a commentator on news and television programs and written op-eds on South Asia. In December 2008, he was one of the 60 National Democratic Institute (NDI) accredited foreign election monitors who observed voting and counting during Bangladesh’s Ninth Parliamentary Elections. He was deployed in the Jessore district in south western Bangladesh.Sherchan is a graduate of Baylor University in Texas; he received his M.A. in International Relations in 2000

Dr. Jules White is the Technical Director of KTK-BELT. He is an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Vanderbilt University and the Art Editor of the American Center for Artists. He has been volunteering on the Bhedetar project since 2003 as a donor and strategic advisor. He is supporting KTK-BELT with innovative integration of GIS and Android technology into village knowledge management systems.

Varun Saraf is the Chairman of the Saraf Foundation for Himalayan Traditions and Culture and founder of numerous social impact and business ventures.

Robert is an environmental lawyer, sustainability advocate and supporter of conservation work. He is currently a Fellow at the Pace Energy and Climate Center and an advisor at The Sustainability Lab. He previously worked for over five years on renewable energy development in Africa, breaking ground on first-of-their-kind solar and battery projects. He has also worked in the IUCN Mission to the United Nations in support of biodiversity and illegal wildlife trafficking agreements. Robert is a graduate of Tulane University, Washington University School of Law and has recently received an LL.M. in climate and energy law at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law

Shirine holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the George Washington University and comes to us with over ten years of experience in science education. She is primarily based in the United Arab Emirates and her experience includes work with academic publisher, McGraw-Hill Education and the World Wide Fund for Nature ( WWF), where her focus was environmental education and citizen science. She is incredibly passionate about the environment and believes the only way to live harmoniously with nature is to provide people with the appropriate tools and knowledge to do so.

Swapnil has over 12 years of experience in leading conservation and development programs in South Asia, Hindu Kush Himalaya, Africa, and Europe. He holds Masters in Ecology from Pondicherry Central University, India, and M Phil in Conservation Leadership from University of Cambridge, UK. Over the years, he has served in different capacities with local, regional, national, and international agencies working on climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, ecological agriculture. Recently he was Regional Program Officer for Kailash Sacred Transboundary Landscape Program between India, Nepal, and the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China where he was instrumental in bringing policy and practice changes on managing the biodiversity in high altitude areas of the Himalayas. He is well-travelled, has worked on marine turtles, Asian mega faunas, and grassland birds of the Deccan plateau. In 2020, he established the GroundUp Conservation, a consulting firm, that strengthens the organizational capacities of non-profits in South Asia. He is currently working on digital transformation in the agriculture sector of Nepal, and establishing a for-profit social enterprise for the indigenous community in India. With KTK BELT he has been associated since 2016, and currently assisting in the wetland restoration program of Koshi Tappu Learning Grounds.

Tula Bahadur Kandel is a practicing attorney in Nepal Since 2000, he has served as an advocate of the court. Mr. Kandel completed his LLM from Kathmandu School of Law. Beside his legal practice Mr. Kandel has worked as consultant to various national and international organisations and also worked as a project director on a project of Nepal Bar Association and Canadian Bar Association in support of the First Constitutional Assembly of Nepal. Mr. Kandel specializes in establishing businesses for foreigner entities and immigration law. He has worked for numerous NGOs and INGOs on human rights and other issues.

Dinesh Kumar Chaudhari, born in Jajarkot District of Karnali Province, completed his Master's Degree in Rural Development from Mahendra Multiple Campus in Nepalgunj. Holding 17 years’ experience in the development sector, he has worked with various INGOs and NGOs in Nepal, and also to strengthen the sector. For 9 years he was a Central Committee Member of the NGO Federation of Nepal, at one point serving as the main representative for all civil society partners. He has also been a writer and journalist speaking about regional social and environmental issues. At KTK-BELT, he is assisting with scaling out of the Learning Grounds/Vertical University core concept in the Karnali through partnerships with local leaders and grassroots stakeholders. He is an avid traveler, reader, and bird watcher.

Mohan is currently working on the Lumbasumba conservation project as an ecologist. He is originally from Syangja district with a master’s degree in Botany with a specialization in 'Ecology and Resource Management' from the Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan University. He is interested in research related to endangered plant species, use and harvesting patterns of wild plant resources, local ethnobotanical knowledge, impact study and management of invasive plant species, climate change, and conservation. He holds 5 years' experience in long-term vegetation monitoring, biodiversity conservation, invasive alien plant species, documentation of ethnobotanical knowledge, and other aspects of ecology. During research projects, he has worked in various districts across Nepal including the Terai Arc Landscape (TAL), Chitwan Annapurna Landscape (CHAL), and Kailash Sacred Landscape (KSL).

Shankar is a qualified member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). He also possesses a Bachelor's degree in Business Studies from Tribhuwan University and currently is pursuing his masters. Before joining KTK BELT, he had over three years of experience in an Audit Firm, R.K. Associates, Chartered Accountants as a Senior Auditor conducting the internal/external audits & handling the accounting assignments of various organizations having diverse objectives including NGOs/INGOs, projects, hospitals & others. He has been working with KTK-BELT since October 2016.

Lasta Maharajan joined KTK-BELT in 2020 as the Finance and Reporting Officer. She possesses MBS and BBS from Tribhuvan University. She has extensive experience working in the NGO and private sector. Most notably she's worked as an auditor at BRS Neupane & amp Co. for two years where she audited many INGOs, commercial banks, insurance companies, and private companies. Her endeavor in the INGO sector extended when she worked as an internal auditor intern in Save the Children where she worked with quite a few local partners and government organizations for a year in various districts of Nepal. She is currently working towards her ACCA certification. Having worked extensively with diverse people in numerous places, she is also into paper arts like origami, quilling, and drawing mandalas to unwind herself.

Ganga Limbu, a 25-year-old girl, was the first youth fellow of KTK-BELT working in the areas of participatory mapping, social research, and environmental education. Today, she serves as a full-time staff as an IT, GIS, and Landscape design officer. She graduated in Bachelors of Education in Mahendra Multiple Campus, Dharan. She was born in a large family in Mukten village of Bhedetar VDC. Since she was young, she has received scholarships from Phulmaya Foundation and most recently received a scholarship for her Bachelor's degree. She’s currently living in Satisale village, Yangshila. Along with doing research in conservation, she is fluent in ArcGIS, QGIS, AutoCAD, Sketchup, Adobe Suite, and other software.

He is wildlife enthusiast and researcher currently working on Lumbasumba project. Holding a master’s degree in Environmental Science from Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University and previous experience in the wildlife studies at different elevational gradients of Nepal is fundamental source of competence to achieve a wildlife conservationist and researcher position in this organization. Assisting in two PhD studies particularly on dietary analysis of herbivores and carnivores species, worked and volunteered in organizations like NTNC and WWF has enhanced his capabilities and further motivated to acquire in-depth knowledge on faunal diversity.

Gopal Magar is a very dedicated and hardworking individual born in Baraha Chhetra VDC ward no 4 Sunsari. He has 34 years of driving experience. He went to Iraq and stayed there for two years and Kuwait for 6 years and worked as a driver. For the last 3 years he has been engaged with the Vertical University Project of KTK-BELT and has been serving as the driver to reach different project sites. He likes to work for environmental conservation and agriculture-related projects.