TEACH FOR NEPAL LEADERSHIP TEAM

Kedar Bhakta Mathema

Kedar Bhakta Mathema graduated from Tribhuvan University and entered the field of education as a lecturer at Tri-Chandra College, and the then College of Education in Kathmandu. In 1975, he joined the World Bank Mission as Senior Program Manager. Mr. Mathema left the World Bank in 1990, and until 1994 served as the Vice Chancellor of Tribhuvan University. In 1995 he was designated chairman of a high-level committee on youth affairs. From 1996 to 2003 he represented Nepal as Ambassador to Japan. An avid education reformer, education has always been his true calling.

Dr. Mana Prasad Wagley

Professor Wagley holds a PhD from Southern Illinois University, USA. Dr. Wagley is one of Nepal’s foremost educationists and was formerly Dean of Kathmandu University, School of Education. Dr. Wagley actively writes on issues of education, research and social inequity for publications in Nepal. He is involved in supporting Teach For Nepal’s training program.

Rameshore Khanal

Rameshore Khanal is Professor at the South Asian Institute of Management, Lalitpur. Mr. Khanal served as Secretary at the Ministry of Finance from October 2007 to April 2010. After 31 years of experience in the civil service, Mr. Khanal sought voluntary retirement from the Nepal Government to become more active in teaching, social service and to work as an active participant in the development sector. He was previously advisor to the former Prime Minister of Nepal, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai.

Shekhar Golchha

Shekhar Golchha is Director, the Golchha Organization. He holds a Bachelor’s in Commerce from Delhi University, and a degree in Business Administration from Webster University in the UK. He joined the Golchha Organization, set up by his grandfather Ram Lal Golchha, 14 years ago. Today he is considered a major entrepreneur, employing more than 300, and overseeing a business worth NRs 1 billion annually. He is Managing Director, Him Electronics, Hansraj Hulaschand, and Hulas Investments. Mr. Golchha is also the director of Hester Nepal Pvt. Ltd., Neoteric Nepal Pvt. Ltd., and Eastern Sugar Mills Ltd.

Anil Shah

Anil Shah is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Mega Bank Nepal Limited, Nepal. He has been CEO at Nabil Bank Ltd., Head of Consumer Banking & Chief Operating Officer at Standard Chartered Bank Limited (Nepal) and Financial Analyst at ICIMOD. He has held leadership positions at the Nepal Investment Board, the Nepal-USA Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the All Nepal Football Association, Lincoln School and the Nepal Banker’s Association. Among other accolades, he received the “Top CEO” award in 2007, 2006 and 2005, as recognized by The Boss Business Excellence Awards.

Gagan Thapa

Gagan Thapa is a political activist and a central committee member of Nepali Congress. A social entrepreneur and a youth leader, he pushes for the needs of youth leadership in the country. He was the general secretary of the Nepali Congress student wing, the Nepal Student Union, and also served as a Constituent Assembly member from 2008-2012. He was again elected to serve in the Constituent Assembly convened in 2014.

Kiran Nepal

Kiran Nepal has been a prominent name in Nepali journalism for nearly two decades. He started his journey in the media field by working at Classic FM and later, Radio Sagarmatha. His work in print media includes roles at Kantipur Publications and Surya Publications as Marketing Manager. Currently the editor-in-chief of Himal Khabarpatrika, Mr. Nepal was President of the Society of Economic Journalists Nepal. He is a board member of a number of media related organizations, including the Antenna Foundation and Radio Program Production and Training Center.

Rajan Shrestha

Mr. Shrestha is a freelance footwear consultant. Until recently, he was Head of Sales and Marketing at Goldstar Shoes. He held the position for the past seven years, and has been part of the team that has made Goldstar Shoes grow from employing 400 to more than 2000 people. Mr. Shrestha previously worked at Chaudhary Group for four years. He has a Master's Degree in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin (Whitewater).

Jagadish Bhattarai

Jagdish Bhattarai is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nepal and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. He has worked as an auditor and accountant since 1997. After completing his audit training from Thakur Vaidyanath Aiyar & Co., Chartered Accountants, New Delhi, Mr. Bhattarai returned to Nepal and joined TR Upadhya & Co, Chartered Accountants, a KPMG firm. His professional engagements include his tenure as a Finance Manager at Laxmi Bank Ltd., and as a Short Term Consultant at the IFC. In 2002, he established MJ Associates. He has been a partner at Kuber & Co. since 2003.

Reshu Aryal Dhungana

Reshu Aryal Dhungana is Director at Habeli Outdoor Learning Center. Ms. Aryal Dhungana worked at Ullens Education Foundation from 2009 to 2013, where she also served as Director of Program and Communications. Previously, Ms. Aryal Dhungana was Coordinator at Film South Asia - Festival of South Asian Documentary. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1999 with a Bachelors in Anthropology and has completed her joint Masters in Leadership and Educational Change from the National Institute of Education, NTU, Singapore and Teachers College, Columbia University.

Shisir Khanal

Shisir Khanal is Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Teach For Nepal. Mr. Khanal graduated with a Master’s degree in International Public Affairs (MIPA) from the La Follette School of Public Affairs in 2005, and has a Bachelor’s degree in International Political Economy from University of Bridgeport. In 2012, University of Wisconsin-Alumni Association awarded him the “Forward Under 40” award for his outstanding work in sustainable development. Mr. Khanal has been Executive Director of Sarvodaya- USA, and serves as advisor to ENVEST, a microfinance initiative based in Wisconsin.

Swastika Shrestha

Swastika Shrestha is co-founder and Director of Training at Teach For Nepal. She completed her Master’s in Public Affairs from Cornell University, New York. Ms. Shrestha has been working in youth development for the past eight years, and is co-Founder of Youth Initiative, a youth led organization that has gone on to become a major national youth organization in Nepal. She co-founded Anuvuti International in 2010, a social enterprise that provides in service learning opportunities for young people in Nepal. Since 2010, Anuvuti has worked with over 4,000 Kathmandu-based young people on various service projects.