We believe that a strong team is the key for success
Chairperson
Email : [email protected]
Surya Prasad Newpane holds an M.Phil. in Development Studies from Kathmandu University and a Master’s Degree in Sociology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He is also a PhD scholar in Environmental Management at Prince Songkla University, Thailand, with a research focus on Green Governance. He has over 28 years of experience in governance, gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), capacity building, policy development, and training facilitation. His expertise includes gender-responsive budgeting, governance policy formulation, stakeholder engagement, disaster risk reduction, and SDG localization.
He has extensive experience in conducting qualitative and quantitative research, facilitating strategic planning processes, and designing impactful programs for local governments, NGOs, and community organizations. As a seasoned trainer and facilitator, he has conducted numerous Training of Trainers (TOTs) and workshops on leadership, governance, and policy formulation.
He has played a key role in formulating GESI policies, conducting GESI audits, and developing strategic plans for multiple municipalities and institutions. His contributions to governance and development are recognized through his research publications and training manuals on gender equality, governance, and sustainable development.
Vice-Chairperson
Kamaladevi Shrestha
Secretary
Email: [email protected]
Kum Bahadur Gurung
Treasurer
Email: [email protected]
Sandesh Subedi holds a Master’s Degree in Business Studies (MBS) with an emphasis on finance from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He has extensive experience in financial management and administration, having worked in a variety of roles across different organizations. Mr. Subedi began his career as a Senior Accountant and Finance Officer at Pokhara Foods Pvt. Ltd. and has since held various key positions, including Admin and Finance In-charge at Hotel Tulsi Pvt. Ltd., Regional Resources Center Officer at a DFID-funded capacity building project with the NGO Federation, and Admin and Finance Officer for USAID and FHI Nepal-funded projects with the Nepal Red Cross Society.
He has also served as Finance Coordinator for the EU-funded project of Naulo Ghumti and as Senior Audit Officer at N S and Associates, formed by FCA. In addition to his experience, he has led the Administration and Finance Department of NEST.
As a lead trainer in accounting and financial management, Mr. Subedi has designed and delivered numerous training programs related to saving and credit management, financial literacy, strategic and business planning, financial resource mobilization, laws for cooperatives, and general audit procedures. His diverse skill set and experience continue to contribute significantly to the financial governance and growth of the organizations he works with.
Joint Secretary
Prabha Acharya holds a Master’s Degree with an emphasis on Population Studies, a Bachelor’s in Population and Sociology, and an Intermediate in Arts from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. She has a diverse professional background, with experience in counseling, community mobilization, and operations management. Mrs. Acharya was employed as a Psychosocial Counsellor at Advocacy Forum Nepal, where she provided counseling services, including advanced and evidence-based counseling.
Before her work at Advocacy Forum, she served as a Community Mobilization Officer at Child Welfare Scheme Pokhara, where she implemented community mobilization activities for the Early Grade Reading Program (EGRP) to increase family and community support for early-grade education in Kaski district. She also worked on forming and strengthening the capacities of school management committees, parent-teacher associations, and other community forums such as Early Grade.
Additionally, Mrs. Acharya worked as the Operations In-charge at Ace Trading Pvt. Ltd., where she managed strategic logistics plans, budgets, and key logistics activities. She also held an administrative position at Nepal Water Supply Corporation, where she supported administrative tasks and managed customer billing systems, office management, communication, and secretarial work.
Her broad range of experience in community work, administration, and operations continues to contribute to her leadership role at NEST.
Member
Dr. Padamraj Shrestha
Member
Hira Kumari Gurung
Member
Mahendra Prasad Lamichhane
Member
Account Committee Coordinator
Mona Bhandari holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Studies (BBS) from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. She is currently serving as the Admin and Finance Manager at LEADS (Livelihoods Education and Development Society), where she oversees the overall management of the admin and finance department. Prior to joining LEADS, Mrs. Bhandari was employed at NEST, starting as an Office Assistant, then progressing to Admin and Finance Assistant, and finally to Finance Assistant.
Before her time at NEST, she worked with the United Mission to Nepal (UMN) Rural Development Center (RDC) on the CODE project in Achham district. Mrs. Bhandari is also a general member of Youths in the Empowerment Sector (YES Nepal).
She has received extensive training in office management, secretary training, organizational development and management, accounting, training of trainers, basic graphic art, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), and conflict transformation. As a lead administrative staff member, she has managed tasks related to Photoshop and webpage design. Her work in the development, communication, and publication sections contributed to the organization’s publications, including books and articles focused on the institutional aspects of community development.
Account Committee Member
Kedar Dhamala
Account Committee Member
Giridhari Pokharel
Program Manager
Email: [email protected]
Hari Prasad Luitel holds a Master’s Degree in Business Studies (Finance specialization) from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He is a dynamic Programme Manager with over five years of progressive experience in financial management, governance, project implementation, and organizational development within government, NGO, and INGO settings.
He currently serves as Programme Manager at the Nucleus for Empowerment Through Skill Transfer (NEST), a national-level NGO in Nepal, where he leads program design, implementation, and monitoring while ensuring financial efficiency, donor compliance, and strategic alignment with organizational goals. His role involves coordinating with development partners, government agencies, and community stakeholders to promote inclusive and sustainable development.
Mr. Luitel has extensive expertise in budgeting, financial planning, donor reporting, and capacity building. He is proficient in accounting and data management tools including Tally, Finpro, Excel, and SPSS, and skilled in using digital platforms for data collection and analysis such as KoBo Toolbox and Google Forms. He has also contributed to the development of migration profiles, baseline surveys, and local governance plans through his involvement in various research and field projects.
As a certified trainer, he has successfully facilitated professional workshops and Training of Trainers (ToT) programs on project finance management, leadership, and compliance. His leadership and commitment to excellence were recognized when he was awarded Best Employee of the Year (2022) by NEST.
Mr. Luitel is passionate about promoting accountable governance, financial transparency, and community empowerment through effective program management and innovation in development practices.
Finance & Admin Assistant
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Office Helper
Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.