The Directors on our Board have varying backgrounds, with a special interest in Nepal as a common bond.

Mary C. Carroll, Chair, is Honorary Trade Representative of Nepal in the US and the first US citizen to receive the "Friend of Nepal" award from the Association of Nepalis in the Americas, the largest Nepali organization outside of Kathmandu.  She has made 16 trips to Nepal in 25 years; many involved organizing projects relating to education.  She and her husband, David, are enthusiastic trekkers, favoring the higher elevations in Nepal.  They have taken responsibility for our Artist-in-Residence program.

Janice Bogen, Director, Office of International Exchange Services, Thomas Jefferson University, helped establish an exchange between Jefferson and the Patan Hospital.  She facilitates experiences for Jefferson students, medical residents, faculty and administrators who wish to do rotations, teach or travel in Nepal and around the world.  Janice earned a degree in Linguistics from Northwestern University, and Master's degrees in Linguistics and Education at the University of Michigan.  Very active in NAFSA, Association for International Educators, she was recently awarded the Region VIII Award for Outstanding Contributions to International Education and the Homer Higbee Award for distinguished service.

Dennis L. Cohen, Esq., a partner with the Philadelphia law firm Cozen O'Connor, is our legal advisor.

Nancy Hirsig, a member of the Philadelphia & Vicinity YMCA International Committee and the Board of Philadelphia's Arden Theatre Company.  Long interested in travel and international exchanges, she has hosted foreign exchange students, sent each of two daughters for a year of high school abroad, lived in England for six years, and been fortunate to be able to travel with some frequency.  She is pleased to count ethnic diversity amongst several younger members of her family.  She has visited Nepal several times to assist on fund-raising trips and projects, and has hosted Nepalis and other foreign visitors in her home.

Margarett F. McKeel is a long-time resident of Philadelphia and has served on many boards, including the YMCA of Philadelphia and Vicinity, (where she is currently the Chair of the International Committee); the Pennsylvania Historical Society; former Chair of Philadelphia Hospitality, Inc;  Board member of historic Fort Mifflin, and many others.  Her husband, Sam, a former Publisher of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Publisher and CEO of the Chicago Sun Times, and is now retired.  The McKeels have hosted many guests and friends from Nepal and other countries, and have been very supportive of Nepal.

Christine Miller is leading the educational piece of the Basa Project.  An elementary teacher in the Philadelphia area, she teaches English language learners, and has taught reading and study skills at many levels, including Penn State University.  She volunteered as a teacher at the Laboratory School in Kathmandu for a summer, living with the Nepali Headmaster's family.  (Gophal Shrestha, who now lives in the U.S. and has been a member of The Nepal Foundation Board.)  Christine will be working on a PhD in Education, and is considering Nepal as a thesis topic.

Binod Moktan is an accomplished artist, specializing in Thanka art.  He has exhibited in many countries in addition to Nepal, including the US, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Japan.  He is also active in Nepal's political scene and is a highly respected member of the Nepali Congress Party, having run for public office from his district.  He is co-owner of the Persian Grill, a highly successful award-winning restaurant in Lafayette Hill, PA.

Sunil K. Nepal, Ph.D is a Principal Biostatistician with Bristol Myers. He has a degree and special interest in forestry and is active in The New Jersey Nepali Committee. 

Dr. Bishnuhari Poudyal, MD, MPH, Ph.D. works in the Department of Radiology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.  His many published papers are frequently cited in international journals.  His research interests include diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, prostate cancer, colerectal cancer, and the development of imaging techniques for early diagnosis and therapy monitoring.  He has received various national and international awards in the field of cancer imaging; in 2008 he was awarded a Postdoctoral Fellowship by the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science for his proposal for cancer imaging and therapy.
 
David W. Reynolds, the Manager of Natural Resources Management Division of the Northeast Region of the National Park Service, has traveled to Nepal to establish a "Sister Park" agreement with Sagarmatha National Park. He has professional international experience throughout the world, most recently in Botswana and Namibia, and is a former Peace Corps volunteer.

Dick Riegler is leading the water aspect of the Basa Project.  He is an engineer and an expert in water issues, having been a top executive with Aqua America, Inc., one of the largest publicly traded water companies in the U.S.  Now retired, Dick has experience working in developing countries, and is a former board member of Water for People and a founder of the Philadelphia Global Water Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania.  In the summer of 2010 he was in India helping small villages develop clean water and sanitation systems.  He has worked with other NGOs and with USAID.  His son is stationed in Bangkok with USAID, the district office for Nepal.

Jambala Ruit, a graduate of Villanova University, is an engineer with Jacobs Engineering Group.  He is interested in working towards improvement of education in Nepal and Tibet, and owns a shop in Manyunk which sells handmade goods from Tibet. 

Barbara B. Supplee has retired as a teacher, administrator and development assistant in US private schools. Her many volunteer activities include a homeless shelter, educational institutions, music and dance organizations, environmental alliances, historic preservation organizations, Hospice and Planned Parenthood. She has traveled extensively throughout the world, with two past trekking adventures in Nepal and many more to come.