Our Board

Vibhaas Basukala

President

Vibhaas is deeply committed to driving meaningful change in education and social equity through innovative ideas and collaborative leadership. With a Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt University, his extensive background spans education, policy analysis, and human rights, with a focus on creating opportunities for diverse learners. As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Prime College and Prime Educational Inc., Vibhaas leads efforts to enhance access to quality education, foster innovation, and empower students to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

In his role as Treasurer of Karuna Foundation Nepal, Vibhaas supports initiatives in disability prevention and rehabilitation while continuing to advocate for inclusive and equitable education for all. Through his work, he champions strategies that empower marginalized communities and promote sustainable development. Vibhaas also brings a global perspective to his work, drawing from his experience with the United Nations in New York, where he contributed to initiatives addressing critical issues of equity and sustainability. As President of Karkhana Samuha, Vibhaas leads efforts to inspire creativity, foster innovation, and build a community-driven approach to development. His leadership reflects a shared vision of empowering individuals and transforming communities through education and collaboration.

Era Shrestha

Vice President

Era is a Development management consultant, with 15+ years of experience in the area of organization development and development programming. She has worked closely with Civil Society Organisations (CSO) at the forefront of building human rights movements particularly of youth, women, people with disabilities and other marginalized communities. She has undertaken several evaluations, most of which focused on human rights, social justice, empowerment and movement building. She has facilitated designing of development interventions and planning. As an OD expert Era had supported organizations to strengthen their systems, develop policy frameworks and define their strategic directions. She is also active as a learning facilitator. She has led several research and studies.

Srishti Vaidya

Treasurer

Srishti is a consultant for the Country Advisory and Economics team of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank Nepal. The team is the government and sector facing Department of IFC and its overall purpose is to create an enabling environment for IFC investments and private sector investments and capital mobilization. Previous to this role, Srishti was the Finance and HR Director of Vaidya Group for six years. Vaidya Group is involved in Trade, Construction, Real Estate, Automobiles and other sectors. She is in the Board of Karkhana Samuha and Canopy Nepal, both of which are non- for- profit organizations in the education sector. She is the Outgoing Curator for the Global Shapers Kathmandu Hub for the 2024-2025 term and has previously served as its Curator, Vice-Curator, Impact Officer and Treasurer. She also founded the Kathmandu Book Club in 2019 to promote a reading culture in Nepal and encourage people to develop and evolve their minds through active discussion with peers.

Yuyutsav Subedi

Member Secretary

With over eight years of experience spanning engineering, digital technologies, education, and e-commerce, Yuyutsav has successfully contributed to scaling multiple startups and multinational companies. In leadership roles at organizations like Daraz (Alibaba Group) and Foodmandu, he has driven significant business growth, managed cross-functional teams, and launched strategic initiatives. His entrepreneurial ventures and expertise in business development have enabled him to identify opportunities and innovate for impactful results. Additionally, through his work as a visiting faculty member and mentor, he has engaged deeply in education, combining his business acumen with a passion for learning.

He has also worked in the not-for-profit sector, founding a venture focused on agribusiness, driven by a desire to create social impact and foster community development. With strengths in project management, communication, and leadership, alongside extensive experience in governance and scaling initiatives, he is well-aligned with the mission of educational organizations. He brings strategic oversight and valuable insight to a board of directors role in this sector.

Aradhana Gurung

Executive Member

Aradhana Gurung is a visionary leader and the CEO of Impact447 Pvt. Ltd., a prominent player in the realm of Innovation Consultancy within the private sector. At the forefront of her organization, Aradhana is dedicated to forging impactful collaborations with humanitarian and development agencies. Impact's unique approach integrates design thinking, communication for development, and research to co-create innovative solutions tailored to address deeply entrenched and intricate challenges.

With a career spanning 19 years, Aradhana has been steadfast in her commitment to empowering marginalized communities, especially women and young people, in decision-making processes. In her various roles at the United Nations, international NGOs, and the private sector, Aradhana has become a driving force in fostering meaningful transformation. Employing methodologies such as communication for behavior impact, human-centered design, and promoting meaningful participation, she has become a trailblazer in driving positive change and addressing complex societal issues.

Rupa Manandhar

Executive Member

Rupa is a recently retired educator with a career spanning over 30 years. As the former principal of Panchakanya Secondary School, Chhauni, Kathmandu, she has been instrumental in shaping young minds and leading educational initiatives. Beyond the classroom, she has authored and translated science fact books for young readers. In retirement, she is focusing on her personal passion projects and contributing to STEAM education.

Nishtha Rajbhandari

Executive Member

Nishtha is currently serving as a Senior Program Officer at the Fulbright Commission in Nepal. With over six years of experience in international higher education administration, Nishtha has developed a deep passion for improving the educational infrastructure in Nepal, striving to create pathways that enhance learning opportunities for students and professionals alike.

Having an academic foundation in business management, strategy, management consultancy, accounting, and professional development, Nishtha applies a multidisciplinary approach to advancing educational initiatives. As an educator, she also teaches postgraduate students in MBA programs, helping to shape the next generation of leaders and innovators.

With a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Nebraska, USA, Nishtha continues to contribute to the fields of education and professional development, both locally and internationally.

Nawang Sherpa

Executive Member

Nawang is a Private Sector Advisor for USAID Clean Air, FHI 360, with over 12 years of experience driving impact in social and sustainable development. His expertise spans private sector engagement, community development, fundraising, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives, and youth leadership.

Prior to his current role, Nawang served as the Director of Impact at Upaya, where he spearheaded the organization’s ESG initiative, blending sustainability and strategic management to drive measurable outcomes. His past experiences include serving as the Fundraising Officer at Teach For Nepal, where he specialized in individual, international, and crowdsourced fundraising, and contributing as a Teach For Nepal Fellow.

Nawang holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship from King’s College, awarded through a full scholarship, and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Psychology. He is a Founding Executive Board Member of the Teach For Nepal Alumni Association and Changing Stories Nepal. Additionally, he is an alumnus of the United States Youth Council.

Rushil Shakya

Executive Member

Rushil is a technology educator who is passionate about making the sector more inclusive. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Bates College, and has worked in leadership capacities in large fortune 500 company as well as in technology startup. Rushil has also volunteered his time and expertise for a number of social justice organizations in Nepal and the United States.