Mary founded Women Light The World after she was introduced to Nepal, and Humla specifically.  She was inspired by the gentleness and positive energy of the people despite their serious needs of basic things, like light. She was encouraged to bring to reality Women Light The World to develop sustainable economies through empowering women. 

Harsh is the CEO for India-based Bindi International (formerly Barefoot College). Harsh has been working in the rural development non-profit sector for nearly a decade, during which time he has held diverse leadership/management positions: Project manager, overseeing an educational facility; supervisor for the Youth for India Fellowship program in Tilonia, Barefoot’s base; special projects director and chief of staff to the CEO; regional coordinator for Asia/special projects. Since 2020, he has served as the director of operations. Among his many, demanding duties and responsibilities, he has spearheaded the day-to-day operations of the organization’s solar division; he developed, implemented, and reviewed operational policies, strategies, and procedures; he has overseen budgets, reporting, planning, and auditing; and he has assured compliance with regulatory mandates. Harsh holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering and a Master’s degree in Business Administration.

Nancy has been involved with WLTW almost since its inception. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and has spent more than 25 years in leadership roles in the corporate and nonprofit worlds, working in fundraising and marketing communications. Through her consultancy, the Young Collaborative, she has worked extensively with nonprofit organizations and has raised nearly $60 million on behalf of her national and international clients. She is highly regarded for her ability to build solid, sustainable donor pipelines. Her wise counsel and expertise are particularly invaluable for WLTW, as she is a believer in empowering women and has travelled with Mary to both Guatemala and Nepal, to learn first-hand just how her talents and skills could be best harnessed for WLTW so that partnership alliances are intelligently integrated and results-driven.

Anil Kumar Bellary brings over 35 years of expertise to WLTW, with a solid background in policy analysis, project development, program management, training, capacity building, and outreach management. His extensive knowledge encompasses a variety of environmental areas, including energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies, climate change, and sustainable housing. He also has a comprehensive understanding of the institutional frameworks within the various Indian Ministries connected to energy and climate, at both the central government and state levels. He has a proven record of accomplishment, successfully networking and relationship-building with policymakers and decision-makers. He is skilled in information and data analysis, project implementation, negotiation, and problem-solving. He has worked at highly esteemed organizations, including GIZ, KFW Development Bank, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Winrock International India, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC), to name a few.

Raveena Desraj Shrestha was the Chief Executive Officer of Mega Bank Nepal. She was elected as the vice-chairman of the Women Entrepreneurs Development Committee. She joined Mega Bank Nepal Limited as the chief business officer and corporate affairs in 20210 and was also the bank’s DCEO.

Raveena is a Nepal Chamber of Commerce member in the Bank, Finance & Insurance Committee. She is also the vice-chairman of the Women Entrepreneur Development Committee. Raveena was responsible for the merger between Mega Bank and Nepal Investment Bank in 2023.

Raveena has won two 21st Century Golden Phoenix Awards from the Malaysia–based Asia Excellence Entrepreneur Federation, one in 2014 and the other in 2015. She also won the Lady of Excellence Award in 2014. She holds a master’s degree in Rural Development, and she has solid experience working with dozens of community organizations, educational facilities, nonprofits, business development consortia, and civic institutions, always striving to develop meaningful and beneficial programs for the community and to push the boundaries of grassroots outreach past preconceived limits. She presented a TED Talk on the essence of networking.

She has garnered countless awards and citations from international organizations for excellence, service, and commitment, among them, an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Hawaii, the Global Honorary Ambassador of the Asian Medical Aesthetics Exchange Association, and the National Award of the Highest Degree from the Honorable President of Nepal (2021).

Based in Nepal, Amir Raj Thapa brings expertise in community outreach and environmental science. For over five years, he worked in development at the Chaudhary Foundation. Prior to that, he spent 10 years in both the corporate and the nonprofit sectors. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and a master’s degree in Conflict, Peace, and Development Studies.

The CEO of the renowned beauty mecca Ling New York, a destination skin care salon/spa, Patrick is an acknowledged leader in the fields of innovative product development and package design within the cosmetology sphere. Ever committed to service, Patrick truly understands the value of selfless volunteerism; following these strong beliefs, he has worked for Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village programs in both India and Vietnam and with Habitat for Humanity’s Post-Hurricane Katrina Recovery teams. Additionally, he has volunteered for God’s Love We Deliver, a New York City-based nonprofit that prepares and delivers over 10,000 meals a day to those in need. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Affairs from Boston. University, and he has added to his CV countless, targeted courses at both the University of California Los Angeles and The New School for Social Research.

Based in Kathmandu, international marketing and product development consultant Lisa Choegyal has a solid background in regenerative, pro-poor, sustainable, and responsible tourism. She is armed with a substantial resume in the private sector, as well, having served as the marketing director with Tiger Tops and the Tiger Mountain Group, specializing in wildlife, culture, trekking adventure, and village tourism in South Asia. For over 30 years, she has also consulted on tourism throughout the Asia/Pacific region, serving clients in diverse arenas, including government agencies, tourism boards, development programs, NGOs, and private sector corporations. A prolific writer/editor, she regularly publishes books and articles on tourism and conservation. Since 2010, she has been the New Zealand Honorary Consul to Nepal. In addition, she is the owner of the award-winning Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge.