KEYNOTE
GESANG YANGLA Art Curator & PhD Candidate at Tibet University Born in Shigatse and raised in Lhasa, Gesang Yangla is the founder of Lhasa Art Box, Melong Art and AMS Radio. She completed her BA at Peking University, majoring in Public Administration, and has a master's degree from Columbia University in Arts Administration. Yangla is currently a PhD candidate at Tibet University. She is the first Tibetan woman art curator and in 2021, she curated the first solo art exhibit in Lhasa featuring a Tibetan woman artist, Tsering Wangmo. Again in 2021, she curated and convened the first Sweet Tea House Art Festival in Lhasa featuring a broad range of the creative arts including: art exhibits, traditional music, modern dance, theatre, documentary films, photography, literature and more. The Festival took place across many venues in Lhasa. |
SPEAKERS
DEON BEN Navajo Land Steward & Conservationist Deon Ben is originally from the community of Tohatchi, New Mexico, and rejoined the Trust’s Native America Program in 2016. Prior to joining the Trust, Deon worked for the Grand Canyon National Park’s Vegetation Program. He earned his B.S. in environmental studies at Northern Arizona University and is currently completing his M.S. in environmental science and policy at NAU. Growing up on Navajo land, Deon experienced the perfect mesh of traditional knowledge and environmental education, which led him to his graduate work focusing on incorporating traditional ecological knowledge to address animal husbandry and grazing within tribal communities that are facing climate challenges. Deon enjoys the isolation and natural beauty of his traditional homeland and looks forward to positive environmental change. |
DAVE BYARS Filmmaker David Garrett Byars is a filmmaker who made his directorial debut at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival with NO MAN'S LAND, a documentary about the 2016 occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge that sparked international headlines. Byars is also working with Reel Thing's Suzan Beraza as a producer and director of photography on her upcoming film MASSACRE RIVER. He joined Reel Thing Productions in 2009, working as an editor, cameraman, and sound technician on URANIUM DRIVE-IN. Byars additional work includes directing two short films, SELF STORAGE, a narrative short about existential dread and redemption, and RECAPTURE, a short documentary chronicling the attempt of right-wing activists to reclaim the federally-managed Recapture Canyon in southern Utah. In 2020 he premiered his award-winning film Public Trust about threats to and issues surrounding public lands in the USA. |
JORDAN CAMPBELL Documentary Filmmaker & Founder of Ramro Global Jordan Campbell is a journalist, photographer and documentary filmmaker. He is the founder at Ramro Global, a socially driven film production company and emerging media space, spotlighting global health, aid and disaster response, climate change, water and food scarcity, women’s empowerment, children and education, war and conflict, the refugee crisis and other global challenges. Jordan is also an accomplished international mountaineer, having participated in expeditions to Nepal, India and the Nyenchen Tanglha region of Eastern Tibet. He is the former director of communications for Marmot Mountain LLC and former expeditions manager for The North Face. His film work, which draws attention to global cataract blindness and child heart disease, along with other media assignments, has taken him to Nepal, Kosovo, Lebanon, Cameroon, South Sudan and conflict-affected countries like Ukraine, Libya and Iraq. His bylines include National Geographic, Outside, Climbing and Men's Journal. He is the director of the award-winning documentary: Duk County | Peace is sight in the New South Sudan, which screened twice at the United Nations. Jordan is also a board member of Telluride Mountainfilm and PridePads Africa which produces biodegradable and affordable sanitary pads for women in rural Cameroon. |
TENZIN CHOKKI Community Organizer & Creative Enthusiast Born and raised in India, Tenzin Chokki immigrated to the United States with her family in 2009. While in Boston, she completed her undergraduate studies at Tufts majoring in Child Development & Community Health, and also spent a semester studying in Greece. After graduation, Chokki worked at Machik for three years, honing her skills in program management, design, communications and operations. A strong advocate and believer in grassroots community change, she is all ears about civic engagement, intergenerational connections and collective change. In the past, she has helped co-produce an oral history book titled Tibetan Resettlement Stories: Voices of Boston and is excited to work on other such creative projects. At the moment, she looks forward to volunteering her time with Welcome.US, a national effort to welcome and support Afghan families as they build new lives in communities across America. In her spare time, she also enjoys reading, cooking, music, photography and spending time outdoors with loved ones. |
KALSANG CHOMPHEL Potter & Ceramicist at Kalsang Pottery Kalsang is a Tibetan Potter/Ceramicist based in Woodside, New York City. Having worked for many years as a jewelry maker for high-end jewelry brands in New York City, he found his calling in making and designing pottery. Kalsang Pottery products are all hand-thrown at the potter's wheel and crafted in New York City in his small Woodside home studio. He makes high quality functional art pieces that can be used for everyday gastronomic pleasures and decorative home decor items that are visually pleasing and artfully therapeutic. He believes in the singular art, beauty, and endless possibilities of handmade artisan crafts in this modern age overwhelmed with mass corporate reproduction. Each product is one-of-a-kind, handmade with the user in mind, with each perfection (and imperfection) solely thrown for the purpose of giving a character to the product that is unique and un-reproducible. It is Kalsang's sincere hope that his products are loved as much as he loves making them. |
TSERING DEKYI Graduate Student at University of New Haven Tsering Dekyi was born and raised in India. She is currently studying at the University of New Haven in Connecticut for her MSc. degree in Emergency Management. Prior to arriving in the United States, she also completed her Master of Social Work at Christ University in Bengaluru, India, and her BA degree in Geography at Miranda House, University of Delhi. |
TSERING DHARGYAL IT Specialist & Project MERI Volunteer Tsering Dhargyal is currently an IT officer in Gang-Jong Development Finance in India. He was born in Nangchen, Tibet and raised in India. He holds a Master in Technology in Information Technology from GGS Indraprastha University, Delhi. He has also worked as a software developer with Webware OU, an IT company based in Estonia. Since 2016, Dhargyal has been actively engaged in different Machik programs such as Machik Khabda, Machik Fest and Machik Weekend. Dhargyal is the founder of Digitibetlab.com which provides digital marketing and web development services. |
TENZIN DICKIE Communications Coordinator at Buddhist Digital Resource Center Tenzin Dickie is a writer, translator, and communications coordinator at the Buddhist Digital Resource Center. She’s editor of Old Demons, New Deities: 21 Short Stories from Tibet. A former Fulbright fellow, she was educated at the Tibetan Children’s Village school, and Harvard and Columbia universities. |
TSERING DOLDEN Founder of Nomad Tent School Tsering Dolden was born in Jangthang Samad. He completed his Bachelor's degree from Delhi University and earned a Master's in Sociology from LPU, Jalander. In between his college years, he took a gap year and initiated a teaching program for nomad kids between 3 to 6 years old in Jangthang Samad. This place is one of the remotest nomad places in Ladakh. Despite challenges of faces with limited facilities, scatters of nomadic families, need to migrate to different locations under circumstances of seasons, weather, and distance. His dedication and persistence successfully create kids in such remote areas gather to learn in "the tent school" and prepare them to attend mainstream school later on. |
TENZIN DOLMA Co-Chair of Machik Fest 2021 Tenzin Dolma was born in Tibet and left for education in India around eight years old. After completing her schooling at TCV Schools, she earned degrees in BBA Travel and Tourism Management from Christ University, Master of Commerce from St Joseph's College of Commerce, and MSc. International Business from IESEG School of Management. During her college days, she served as a member of the student council, student groups and volunteered as a local host for a few Machik events. She enjoys reading, traveling, photography, hiking, and painting. |
DR. DAWA DOLKER Animal Rights Advocate & Dentist Dr. Dawa Dolker is a dentist serving the community in Dharamsala and is also a passionate advocate for the welfare of animals. She was born and raised in Kollegal in southern India. Dr Dolker joined JSS Dental College and Hospital in Mysore to pursue a career in Dental Surgery. Throughout her life, Dr Dolker has been caring for animals by rescuing, fostering, feeding and adopting street animals while allying with local animal welfare organizations to create safe havens. This experience led her to co-found the “Dharamsala Vegan Movement” in 2016, advocating for veganism and animal rights by reaching out into the Tibetan community. Among many initiatives, Dr Dolker has offered vegan tea on the street with plant-based milk and screened the film “Earthlings” for Tibetan students in Mundgod, India, to encourage young people to be aware of the environmental consequences of their choices and actions. In 2017, Dr Dolker received the Lisa Shapiro Awards for her contributions to animal welfare. |
TSEDUP DORJEE Member of Yamuna Khimtsang Delhi Tsedup Dorjee was born in Tibet and completed his formal education from Tibetan Children’s Village Selakui. He holds an Engineering degree in mechanical science from National Institute of Technology, Bilaspur. He is fond of art, technology and animals. He is one of the core member of Yamuna Khimtsang family and is sheltering 8 street dogs along with two adopted Labradors called treps and zema. Yamuna Khimtsang is a go to place for transitioning friends to connect each other and local animal lovers to seek helping hand. |
ALEX FOOTE National Association for Black Engagement with Asia Alex Foote graduated in 2015 from Harvard College with a bachelor’s in East Asian Studies, and from London School of Economics and Political Science in 2016 with an MSc in Environment and Development. The past 10 years she’s focused on social and environmental issues in China through research and volunteer work. In 2013, she volunteered with Machik's SEP in Tibet. She worked in New York for a China-based recycled paper and pulp manufacturer, managing post-merger integration projects, and recently joined the sustainability department at PepsiCo. She works on blog curation and mentorship programming within NABEA. |
DR. DAVID GRUBER Marine Biologist Dr. David Gruber is the Presidential Professor of biology and environmental sciences at Baruch College and the Graduate Center, CUNY. He is also a research associate in invertebrate zoology at the American Museum of Natural History. His research pertains to marine biology, photosynthesis genomics, and biofluorescence/bioluminescence on coral reefs. Gruber completed a PhD in biological oceanography from Rutgers University. He also holds a master’s of environment management from Duke University and an MS in journalism from Columbia University. In 2014, he was named a National Geographic Society Emerging Explorer. He and his collaborators have discovered novel fluorescent compounds from marine animals, several of which have been deployed to study cancer drugs and to understand the brain. In 2015, Gruber and the Harvard roboticist Robert J. Wood were awarded a National Geographic Innovation Challenge Grant to develop soft robotics for deep-sea sampling, a project now funded by the National Science Foundation. He was also a 2017-18 Radcliffe Fellow at Harvard University and is now Lead for Project CETI with the TED Audacious Project. Gruber is committed to communicating science to the general public, and his writings have appeared in Nature Medicine, the New Yorker, the New York Times, and the anthology The Best American Science Writing 2007 (Harper Perennial, 2007). |
DR. CLARE HARRIS Professor of Visual Anthropology & Curator at the Pitt Rivers Museum Dr Clare Harris is an anthropologist, art historian and curator with particular interest and expertise in the following: visual and material culture in India, Tibet/China and the Tibetan diaspora, past and present; the anthropology of art and aesthetics; histories of museums, displays and collections; the politics of representation in museums and other public spaces; photography in South Asia and Tibet in colonial and post-colonial contexts; contemporary art and artists; the impact of digital technology on research in visual and museum anthropology. |
DEB JARRETT Founder of Dharamsala Animal Rescue Around age 40, Deb Jarrett decided to truly expand her horizons. Her life was good but was missing deeper sense of making a true contribution on this planet. The need to fill that void led her to Dharamsala, India to spend several weeks volunteering at a preschool. While working with children was a challenge, what truly moved her was an injured and abandoned dog lying in the temple. She was concerned for its suffering and the lack of response for its condition. While feeling helpless at first, Deb miraculously met a man who aided in her efforts which led to a new initiative. Today, that same dog is healthy and cared for by the same village. Upon returning home to the USA, she knew she needed to do everything in her power to improve the lives of the street animals. Deb created Dharamsala Animal Rescue to raise awareness about the animals of Dharamsala and to fund local projects. www.darescue.org |
TENZIN KALSANG Senior Children's Librarian at Brooklyn Public Library Tenzin Kalsang is a Senior Children’s Librarian at Brooklyn Public Library. She enjoys helping people from all walks of life from doing a traditional Storytime at the library to conducting programs at shelters. She initiated bilingual Tibetan and English Storytime in the Spring of 2020 to make library programs more accessible and connect children to Tibetan language. Her works have appeared on NPR, Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, American Library Association’s Magazine, NY1, and other news outlets. She collaborates with publishers like Star Bright Books and others in publishing bilingual children’s books. She also teaches Tibetan language at Danang/Himalayan Library. A graduate of Smith College, she got her MLIS from the University of Wisconsin Madison. |
THUPTEN KELSANG DPhil Student at University of Oxford Thupten Kalsang Dakpa is a DPhil student at the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford. His research and practice focus on creating sustainable and equitable relationships between the Tibetan community and museums; seeking to counter the acute absence of Tibetan voices in the field. Thupten’s doctoral research is supported by the Clarendon Fellowship, and he was also the recipient of the Inlaks Fellowship (India). He has extensive experience in multiple roles within museums: curator and consultant, doctoral researcher, museum activist, and community organiser. He has been consulted by major cultural institutions such the British Museum, the Pitt Rivers Museum, and the National Trust. His other qualifications include MSc in Visual, Material & Museum Anthropology (University of Oxford), MA in History of Art (SOAS), and Postgraduate Diploma in Asian Art (SOAS). Prior to pursuing his studies, Thupten worked towards developing his initiative Tibetan Art Collective: speaking and consulting on Tibetan heritage at platforms such as the Kochi-Muziris Biennale and the Prince Claus Fund. |
TASHI DOLMA KUYEE Intensive Care Unit Nurse Tashi Dolma Kuyee is a Registered Nurse serving patients at an Intensive Care unit in Toronto, Canada. She has served as a board member of Tibetan Women Association of Ontario and is deeply committed to community service. Tashi Dolma also serves as a member of Machik’s Advisory Board. |
BUDDHA KYAB Executive Director of Manjushri Educational Services Buddha Kyab holds a BA from Delhi University and a BA in Tibetan Literature & Buddhist Philosophy from the College of Higher Tibetan Studies in Sarah, India. He co-founded and is now the executive director of Manjushri Educational Services (MES). He has experience with editing social studies books and has previously authored four Tibetan language children's books, including Tsering's Dream (2016), My Home (2018), Norbu, Let's Sleep (2019), all published by MES. He has also translated 17 english language children's books into Tibetan - titles include A Bowl of Water (2016), City of Stories (2016) and The Ghost of the Mountains (2019). For MES, he has edited and reviewed over 200 children's books that have been published by groups such as Pratham Books, Children's Book Trust, National Book Trust, Eklavya and more. |
DR. NAMGYAL LHAMO Tibetan Physician at Kunphen Rehabilitation Centre Dr Namgyal Lhamo was born in Ladakh. She completed up to high school from TCV and later joined the Men-Tsee-Khang where she earned a Doctorate in Tibetan Medical Science, which included five years of studying Tibetan medical texts and one year of practical internship under senior doctors. From 2019, she is fully qualified to practice as a Tibetan physician. Now, she is serving at Kunphen Rehabilitation Center as a resident doctor for a collaborative project between Men-Tsee-Khang and Kunphen Centre. This project is a unique platform to find addiction treatments through Tibetan Medical Science and treatment therapy. She enjoys reading, writing, and being in nature is her stable cup of coffee. |
PAUL LONDON Filmmaker Paul London grew up in the rolling hills of Derbyshire, England and has been making films since the age of twelve when he first picked up his father’s 8mm film camera. He has spent the past 35 years working professionally as a Videographer and TV video editor/designer both in the, UK and in Washington DC, USA. Outside of his paid video work, Paul makes short independent art films without using dialogue but incorporating music and sound design to create truly international film stories. His latest film titled “Lockdown Love” has been screened at sixteen international film festivals winning Best Experimental Film at: World Film Carnival in Singapore; the Royal Soc. Of Television & Motion Picture in India; LA Independent Film Channel; and a Gold Award at Hollywood Gold Awards festival. |
REBECCA MARTIN President of Exploration Connections & Machik Board Member Rebecca Martin—Founder and President, Exploration Connections—has spearheaded pivotal programs at National Geographic and has cultivated extensive networks of explorers. She is widely recognized as a leader in empowering explorers around the world. Rebecca served as Senior Director of Explorer Programs at National Geographic, where she oversaw high-profile explorers—including Sylvia Earle, Robert Ballard, and Mike Fay—among many others. In addition, she significantly expanded National Geographic’s prestigious Awards Program, supported many cutting-edge exploration projects and developed a new mentorship program tailored for explorers. While she was director, the Expeditions Council awarded nearly 800 grants totalling $24 million for exploration around the world. Rebecca created the Young Explorers Program at National Geographic or exceptional fieldwork in exploration, conservation and storytelling. In 11 years nearly 800 Young Explorers received grants. She was recognized by Outside magazine on “The Power List” of the 25 most influential people in the outdoor world—alongside Yvon Chouinard, Melinda Gates and Conrad Anker. Rebecca serves on the Board of Machik and Telluride Mountainfilm. She has traveled widely, including two trips to Tibet. |
ELLIE MCCUTCHEON Drone Cinematographer Ellie is a Part 107 FAA-certified remote pilot specializing in aerial storytelling techniques for filmmakers and journalists. Past clients have included Netflix, The Washington Post, NPR, and a former White House Calligrapher. Ellie also teaches Drone Videography at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism and serves as a teacher and brand ambassador with Women Who Drone. Beyond film, she flies drones for infrastructure inspections on electrical transmission lines. Her newest frontier, though, involves using drone mapping to aid land stewards in planning and monitoring the ecosystems they manage. |
KUNGA NAMGYAL Counselor at Kunphen Rehabilitation Centre Mr. Kunga Namgyal was born and raised in India. After completing high school, he joined the Indian Army and later dropped out of his career and became addicted to alcohol and marijuana. In 2019, he joined Kunphen Rehabilitation Centre and during the recovery phase relapsed and started again with counseling through 12 Steps in the Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotic Anonymous programs. Currently, he has 13 months of sobriety and has undergone 17 months in counseling of AA and NA programs. With his experiences and training received, he is serving as a counselor for the AA and NA programs at the center. He is passionate about creating videos and aspires to become a good counselor in hope of being able to help society from his experiences of counseling. |
TENZIN CHOYANG NAMGYAL Co-founder of Rokpa Mentorship Tenzin Choyang Namgyal is one of the co-founders at Rokpa Mentorship. She is a sophomore at Stanford University majoring in Public Policy and Economics with a minor in Anthropology. She is from Queens, New York and enjoys reading, listening to music, and spending time with her friends and family in her spare time. |
NAJIA NASIM Executive Director at Women for Afghan Women (WAW) Ms Najia Nasim has over 17 years of experience with non-profits focusing on civil rights, women’s empowerment, and international development, including five years managing WAW’s day-to-day operations in Afghanistan, for which she received numerous accolades. In her former capacity as WAW’s Afghanistan Country Director, Ms Nasim built strong relations with government officials, international donors, the public sector, civil society, and influential local elders and religious leaders. Under her leadership today, WAW has grown from 750 to 1,000 staff members operating centers, programs, and services in all 32 of Afghanistan’s provinces. She was nominated for the “10 Bravest Women of the World” award in 2014 by Amnesty International and the 2015 Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize, and in 2018, she won the Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice on behalf of Women for Afghan Women. Ms. Nasim has an impressive track record working to protect Afghan women and children in the face of adversity. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. Ms. Nasim is fluent in English, Dari, and Pashtu. |
TENZIN CHOSANG NGABTAK Co-founder of Rokpa Mentorship Tenzin Chosang Ngabtak is a co-founder of Rokpa Mentorship and a sophomore at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, concentrating in Finance and Business Analytics. He currently serves on the executive board for Penn International Impact Consulting, the oldest student-run consultancy at the Wharton School committed to empowering NGOs and social entrepreneurs in developing regions across the world. He’s currently interning as a private equity analyst at Team Ventures. Tenzin is from Chicago, Illinois, and enjoys playing chess, listening to podcasts, and spending time with his family. |
NORDRON Co-Chair of Machik Fest 2021 Nordron was born and raised in Tibet and graduated from the University of Virginia. She received her master’s degree in religious studies with a focus on Tibetan Buddhism in 2017. Her interests also include Himalayan Art and Tibet studies. She currently works as a Machik fellow and is co-chair of Machik Fest 2021. |
DR. YONTEN NYIMA Visiting Research Scholar at NYU Wagner School of Public Service Dr. Yonten Nyima, originally from Nagchu in central Tibet, is a human geographer specializing in Tibetan pastoralism. He is currently a visiting Research Scholar at the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University. His main research interests are development and environmental policies, pastoralism, rangeland and natural resource management and access, indigenous knowledge and climate change, and cultural politics and resistance. Having earned degrees in human geography (Ph.D., University of Colorado-Boulder, U.S.A., 2012) and international affairs with a concentration in economic and political development (M.A., Columbia University, U.S.A., 2006), in meteorology (B.S., Nanjing Institute of Meteorology, Nanjing, China, 1994), Dr. Yonten Nyima draws from political ecology and political economy in examining rationales for, implementation of, and socioeconomic, cultural, political and ecological effects of China’s ongoing development and environmental policies in Tibet. He has published peer-reviewed articles on Tibetan pastoralism in journals including Conservation and Society, Society and Natural Resources, Journal of Contemporary China (upcoming), Human Ecology, and Area. |
ISEDUA ORIBAHOR Attorney at Access Now Isedua Oribahor is an attorney at Access Now. She received her J.D. from Fordham Law School in New York City, as well as an LL.M. in International Business Law from Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid. At Fordham Law School, Isedua was a Stein scholar for the public interest and a Crowley Scholar. Isedua’s work with the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice at Fordham Law School sparked her interest in Business and Human Rights, leading her to pursue the topic as it relates to the technology sector. Isedua was previously a Legal and Policy Fellow working with Access Now’s policy team in Latin America, but has since defected to New York. Besides social justice, Isedua’s other deep passion in life is Van Gogh.Isedua Oribahor is an attorney at Access Now. She received her J.D. from Fordham Law School in New York City, as well as an LL.M. in International Business Law from Universidad Pontificia Comillas in Madrid. At Fordham Law School, Isedua was a Stein scholar for the public interest and a Crowley Scholar. Isedua’s work with the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice at Fordham Law School sparked her interest in Business and Human Rights, leading her to pursue the topic as it relates to the technology sector. Isedua was previously a Legal and Policy Fellow working with Access Now’s policy team in Latin America, but has since defected to New York. Besides social justice, Isedua’s other deep passion in life is Van Gogh. |
DR. ARTI PANDEY Executive Director of Barakat, Inc Dr. Arti Pandey has done her doctorate in Education from Boston University looking at the relationship between child labor and the carpet industry in India. She has worked in the areas of education and women's empowerment with NGOs in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan as well as working actively as a teacher-trainer in Bhutan. Having worked previously with Barakat as a Program Director, she returned to the organization in 2019 as Executive Director and has since been steering Barakat's work towards greater sustainability with more emphasis on female education and empowerment. |
TENZIN PANTEN Co-founder of Shatsa Panten’s childhood days not being able to access Children's book motivated her to form SHATSA. Building a community of readers for life is what she envisions. She loves to be with kids and engage them with different activities in Shatsa's library (space). She likes to dance and read. |
DR. TENZIN RABGA Physicist & Podcaster at Driwa Tenzin Rabga is a Physics Postdoctoral Researcher at the Institute of Basic Science Center for Correlated Electron Systems (ibs-CCES) at the Seoul National University, in Seoul, South Korea. His research focuses on the interaction between atoms and light, and how it can help unravel new quantum states and phases of matter with novel dynamical properties that are potentially ubiquitous in nature. He completed his PhD in Physics from Michigan State University where his research concerned the study of fundamental symmetries of nature using precision measurements. Apart from physics, he spends a significant amount of his time studying texts on Buddhist philosophy. He is particularly interested in the philosophical implications of modern physics and their convergences and divergences with the Buddhist view of the world. He is also the co-host of a Tibetan language podcast, Driwa, where he and his co-host discuss a range of topics and books of shared interest. |
DR. LOSANG RABGEY Machik Cofounder & Executive Director Born a Tibetan refugee in India and raised in Canada, Dr Rabgey is the first Tibetan with a PhD in Gender Anthropology. She is the first Tibetan Commonwealth Scholar and National Geographic Explorer. In 1998, she and her sister Dr Tashi Rabgey co-founded Machik with their parents as a nonprofit whose mission is to grow a global community committed to a stronger future for Tibet. In 20+ years, Machik has mentored and supported education for thousands of people in Tibet and in diaspora, mostly girls and women. Machik’s work currently centers on civic engagement, gender equity and social innovation. Programs include Machik Fest, a global platform for bridging global divides, Machik Gender Summit, Machik Khabda, and more. Machik also works with social innovators inside Tibet focused on education, film, conservation, health, etc. Dr Rabgey and her sister were recognized by Harvard University as Women Inspiring Change, along with others including Stacey Abrams, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and Vice President Kamala Harris. Dr Rabgey and her family received the Meritorious Service Cross by the Governor-General of Canada. She recently became member of the Explorers Club 50 and is a member of the Review Committee of the Explorers Club Discovery Expedition Grants. She is a frequent public speaker, including at Yale, Harvard, UC Santa Cruz, and the Nobel Peace Forum. |
DR. TASHI RABGEY Research Professor at GWU Elliott School of International Affairs & Machik Cofounder Dr Tashi Rabgey is a Research Professor of International Affairs at the Elliott School, specializing in Tibet, China and the politics of statehood and governance. Through interdisciplinary research initiatives she has led on public policy and governance in Tibet, Professor Rabgey's work has enabled the development of new inquiries into the institutional structure and process of the People's Republic of China's policymaking in Tibet. She currently directs the Tibet Governance Lab and the Research Initiative on Multination States (RIMS) at George Washington University through which she has been developing comparative regional studies of the Basque Country, Kurdistan and other case studies of regional autonomy. Before joining the Elliott School, Tashi Rabgey was a lecturer in contemporary Tibetan studies at the University of Virginia where she was also co-director of the UVa Tibet Center. Committed life-long to community empowerment, she has traveled extensively to remote regions across Tibet over the past three decades. She holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University in political and legal anthropology, as well as law degrees from Oxford and Cambridge where she studied as the first Tibetan Rhodes scholar. She was a Fellow in the Public Intellectuals Program of the National Committee on US-China Relations from 2011-2013. Rabgey is currently Visiting Professor at the University of Kurdistan in the KRG (Kurdistan Region of Iraq). |
DR. COSTANZA RAMPINI Assistant Professor at San Jose State University Costanza Rampini is the Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at San Jose State University. Her work focuses on climate change impacts and solutions while addressing some of the following questions: Who is most vulnerable to climate change impacts? Who pays the price of climate change solutions, and who benefits from them? How can we help foster and promote resilience within a community? What are desirable and just ways to 'do' sustainable development that do not reproduce the same injustices as conventional development strategies? She is currently working on a new research project in Northeast India to examine the impacts of the National Register of Citizens on the vulnerability of flood-affected communities in Assam. This project is part of her broader research agenda to examine the interaction between climate change, floods, development efforts and state policies on the region of Northeast India and its people. Additionally, she is working with the City of Santa Cruz on their Resilient Coast Santa Cruz Initiative, a collaborative project to develop a coastal management plan, in light of climate change impacts. Dr Rampini has a PhD in Environmental Studies from University of California, Santa Cruz. |
NGAWANG SANGPO President of Jangsem Youth Club Ngawang Sangpo was born and brought up in India. He is from Dekyiling Tibetan settlement Dehradun. He did schooling from C.S.T Mussoorie and then completed his B.sc in Hotel management degree. His passion for helping others led him to serving as the president of Jangsem Youth Club. |
AZIZ ABU SARAH CEO of Mejdi Tours Aziz Abu Sarah is a peace building entrepreneur, author and international speaker. A Palestinian raised in Jerusalem, his work has earned him the titles of National Geographic Explorer and TED Fellow. This Palestinian’s own journey from combatant seeking revenge to peacemaker seeking tolerance led to an innovative business method of peacemaking in conflict zones. The MEJDI Method Dual Narrative™ brings those from both sides of a conflict together as travel guides each presenting their viewpoints. This multi-narrative approach to travel was originated by Abu Sara in Israel and reaps remarkable results throughout the world. In 2014, he gave a TED Talk about his vision for redefining tourism and his stories of facilitating reconciliation journeys between warring factions are truly engaging and inspiring. The fundamentals of this same method of peacemaking and reconciliation can be taught and applied to corporate, community, and religious groups and organizations. In 2018, Aziz received international media coverage when he announced his decision to seek the office of Mayor of Jerusalem. In addition in 2018, Strangers, Neighbors, Friends: Muslim-Christian-Jewish Reflections on Compassion and Peace, a book co-written by Aziz was published. |
DR. HAMID SARDAR Documentary Filmmaker & Photographer Hamid Sardar-Afkhami is a documentary film maker and photographer with a Ph.D. from Harvard University in the field of Inner Asian languages and cultures. He began his career in film-making as a graduate student while exploring the Himalayas as an associate of the Harvard Film Study Center and as a National Geographic Society explorer. Inspired by the pioneers of exploration photography, Sardar-Afkhami devotes his cameras to telling the story of endangered cultures who maintain a spiritual dialogue with the natural world. Spanning over a decade and across the world, Sardar-Afkhami has directed and produced several prize-winning feature documentaries and industrial films for corporate clients. His editorials have been featured in prestigious publications such as National Geographic, Geo, Le Figaro Magazine and Paris Match. |
TECHUNG Singer & Songwriter Techung is a prominent Tibetan singer/songwriter living in New York. He is best known for his performances of traditional Tibetan music and dance, as well as opera. His dedication and love for performing arts and years of training has come to fruition with his becoming a master musician and composer in his own right. He is a recipient of the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Folk and Traditional Arts and was recently nominated for the National Heritage Award by the National Endowment for the Arts. Whether performing traditional or contemporary songs, Techung's dual purpose has always been to revive Tibetan music in the Tibetan community and to promote the rich performing tradition of his homeland to a wider audience around the world. Techung has collaborated with world-renowned musicians such as Phillip Glass and blues master Keb Mo. Along with musicians such as Patti Smith, Iggy Pop and others, Techung has performed at the renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City. |
KUNSANG TSEPHEL Project MERI Coordinator at Machik Kunsang Tsephel was born in Chamdo, Tibet, and left his hometown when he was four years old. He completed his formal education in Tibetan Children's Village School and did his undergraduate studies at Delhi University. Kunsang has a Masters in Environmental Studies, with his research focused on air pollution and respiratory health in Delhi. Throughout college, he was active in the student council group at Tibetan Youth Hostel. He believes in the power of individual effort to create a cleaner environment; such as segregating waste at home, reducing and reusing plastics. Currently, Kunsang is a team member of Yamuna Khimtsang, a group of young Tibetan students living together in Delhi where he enriches himself with team work skill, social innovation, self sustaining projects and animal care. He is currently coordinating the MERI program at Machik. He likes dogs, adventures, trekking and gardening. |
MIGMAR TSERING Volunteer Staff at Kunphen Rehabilitation Centre Mr. Migmar Tsering was born in Tibet and came to India at a very young age to pursue better education. However, he dropped his studies in 9th grade and joined the Indian army. He later faced addiction issues to drugs such as pills, marijuana, and others. Due to this, he couldn't continue his career in the army and for a short period pursued seasonal business. After almost 11 years of addiction to drugs and struggles of uncertainty, he joined Kunphen Rehabilitation Centre and slowly recovered from his addiction problems. Now, he is serving as a volunteer staff at the centre and is five years free from addiction. He enjoys walking with his pet. His pet is the best companion in thick and thin of his life journey. |
DEKYI TSOTSONG Co-founder of Rokpa Mentorship Dekyi Tsotsong is a co-founder of Rokpa Mentorship and a sophomore at Harvard University concentrating in History with a secondary in Energy & Environment and a citation in French. She immigrated to the U.S. at the age of seven and grew up in New Jersey. Dekyi has two sisters and dog named Legolaz. Outside of class, she is a reporter for The Harvard Crimson and works multiple jobs on campus. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, playing volleyball, driving around with friends and listening to music. |
TYRELL WALKER Founder of National Association for Black Engagement with Asia Tyrell Walker is the CEO and Founder of NABEA. He has worked on Chinese and Mongolian issues in Washington DC and acted as the chief of staff at a national civil rights nonprofit. Tyrell Walker also ran workshops on diversity, inclusion, and political activism throughout Japan and interviewed, farmed, and lived with minority and indigenous communities throughout East Asia. He holds an MA in Asian Studies from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, as well as a dual BA in government and East Asian studies from Harvard University. |
CHRIS WALTER President & Founder of Yayla Tribal Rugs Chris Walter is President and Founder of Yayla Tribal Rugs, a socially-conscious business which has been directing a percentage of its profits back into the welfare of carpet-weaving communities in South Asia for decades. He is co-founder of Barakat, Inc. as well as Machik, a DC-based non-profit working to grow a global community for Tibet. He serves on the Board of Directors for Barakat, Inc. and Cultural Survival, and is Chairman of the Advisory Board for Machik. He has Bachelors in Anthropology from University of Massachusetts, Boston, and he has used his formal education to hone his natural skills and passion which lie towards the field that is now being recognized as 'social entrepreneurship'. |
SONAM WANGCHEN Graduate Student at SOAS University of London Sonam Wangchen was born in Lhasa and received his bachelor's degree in history from Renmin University of China. Since 2020, he is studying for a master's degree in history at the SOAS University of London. His main research focuses on the cultural and social history of the Eurasian region, especially the study of related documents. |
KARMA TAMDRIN WANGYAL Online Tibetan Teacher & Freelance Writer Karma Tamrin Wangyal is an online Tibetan teacher and freelance writer with a bachelor's degree from Zhejiang University in the field of contemporary Chinese minority-themed novels. He comes from a multi-ethnic family and has lived between mainland China and Tibet. Growing up, he was confused by his Tibetan-Chinese identity and learning Tibetan helped him to embrace his Himalayan roots. During his second year of undergraduate study, he participated in the Tibetan Buddhist scripture translation work of The Buddhist Resources and Research Center of Zhejiang University and began to learn Tibetan. After graduation, he chose to work with an education company in Lhasa to produce online Tibetan language courses during the pandemic. His students now come from all parts of China and he is committed to helping more people learn about the splendid culture of the Himalayan region through language. |
JOSH WHITON Eco-tech Entrepreneur & Founder of MakeSoil.org Josh Whiton is an eco-tech entrepreneur and social innovator helping to repair the Earth. At the age of 23, he founded a tech-startup that got people out of cars and onto public transit, creating jobs while reducing fossil fuel emissions and the carbon footprint of millions. For his positive impact on people and planet Josh was named a Champion of Change by then president Obama. Josh’s company was also named one of the most innovative companies in transportation by Fast Company before being acquired by the Ford Motor Company to form Ford Smart Mobility. Josh also co-founded one of the first urban farms in the southeastern United States. Still in operation today, the urban farm helps thousands of people each year to participate in a more beautiful food system. His latest planetary innovation is orchestrating a global, people-powered movement to regenerate the Earth — MakeSoil.org. |
DR. DICKY YANGZOM Cultural Sociologist & Lecturer at New York University Dr. Dicky Yangzom is a cultural sociologist with a PhD from Yale University. Currently she is working on a book on thrifting and fashion. She is also a lecturer at New York University where she has taught courses on fashion for two years. Prior to that, Dicky was teaching courses on culture, society, and fashion in business schools, including The Fashion Institute of Technology. Before becoming a researcher, Dicky worked in haute couture fashion as a craftsman/designer. Dicky is passionate about the world of things, how we think about them, how we create them, and in turn, how they shape us. She is driven by the belief that education is the key to innovation, creativity, and a more emotionally intelligent society. In her pedagogical process, Dicky brings together a diverse global curriculum with imaginative methods using visual and textual forms to give students the tools to think though contemporary social and cultural challenges. Dicky is also an artist in different mediums and is working on her startup business that incorporates models of social justice and sustainability in fashion. Dicky has also volunteered for Doctors Without Borders and Save The Children. In her free time, she likes to play hide and seek with her Wire Fox Terrier puppy, Arrow who is named after the song, “Me and My Arrow.” |
SONAM YESHI Artist Sonam Yeshi was raised in a Tibetan community in India, in the Himalayan foothills, surrounded by Tibetan traditional craftsmen. These included monks who lived in her house and made carefully researched Tibetan costumed dolls. Having their workshop become her playroom, she began painting and drawing at an early age. Later, she majored in fashion design and was drawn to working with color and prints. She realizes how much her surroundings, both in terms of culture and environment, have influenced her work. Along with creating art, she has been working on the interiors and designs sold at the Norbulingka shop since 2007. |
DR. TSERING YOUGYAL Team leader for Himalayan Covid-19 Taskforce Dr. Tsering Yougyal was born and raised in Ladakh, India. His medical speciality is anaesthesia and critical care. He has worked at Tibetan Delek Hospital from 2010 to 2011 and from November 2020 to April 2021, he was senior resident at Radha Krishna Medical College in Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh. Dr Yougyal established the first Dedicated Covid Care Centre with the bed strength of 70 patients at Revenue Training Institute in Joginder Nagar. Since May 2021, he has been a Senior resident at the Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care at Sikkim Manipal institute. In recognition of his work, he is the recipient of the Covid Warrior Award in Himachal Pradesh. He also serves on the Himalayan Covid 19 Task Force as the team leader of the North-East Region of India. |
MODERATORS
SHAOKYI AMDO Co-founder of Project YETI Shaokyi Amdo graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2018 with a Creative Writing major and a double minor in Economics and Corporate Strategy. There, she served on the executive board of Vanderbilt's nationally recognized Alternative Spring Break program. After graduating, she helped advocate for the video game industry at the Entertainment Software Association and served on the planning committee of Machik Weekend 2019 as Community Co-Chair. She currently works on the communications team at Twitter (@TwitterComms). |
DR. TENZIN CHOEPHEL Senior Aerospace Engineer at Pratt & Whitney Dr. Tenzin Choephel is a Senior Aerospace Engineer at Pratt and Whitney, a major jet engine manufacturer based in Connecticut. Tenzin is part of Missions and Vehicle Analysis Division where he conducts aircraft performance and flight mechanics studies for commercial airplanes and helicopters. Currently, as a flight vehicle performance lead, Tenzin supports the development of Pratt and Whitney’s game-changing geared turbofan (GTF) engines for the Japanese-built Mitsubishi regional jets and the Brazilian-built Embraer regional jets. Apart from his daytime job, Tenzin serves as a board member of Tibetan Scientific Society, a non-profitable organization in India that promotes STEM education among Tibetans in exile. The society has organized national-level conferences, science workshops, Buddhism and science dialogues, essay contests etc. Tenzin earned a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University. |
TENZIN NORDON Co-founder of Lamton Minnesota Tenzin Nordon was born and raised in Chandigarh, India until she immigrated to the United States with her family in 1998. Since then, she has been living and working in Minnesota. Her previous work in the Tibetan community led her to serve as a co-founder and board member for Lamton. She is currently serving as a board member for the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota. Nordon has worked in a variety of roles related to education since 2008. She obtained her B.A. in Biology from Carleton College in 2011. She obtained her M.A. in Organizational Leadership from St. Catherine University in 2020. |
DR. KUNGA NORZOM Founder of Tibetan Mental Health Dr. Kunga earned her master’s degree in Clinical Social Work and a Doctor of Psychology degree from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. Dr. Kunga provides individual therapy to teens and adults struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, relational and cultural issues, and life transitions. Dr. Kunga is the founder of Tibetan Mental Health, a social media initiative focused on increasing mental health awareness in Tibetan communities around the world. |
TENZIN DAWA SAMPHEL Animator & Contemporary Musician Tenzin Dawa Samphel has been an animator for over 10 years from network television to corporate events around the US. He has participated in many forms of production from graphics for 2 presidential elections, multiple breaking news packages, and live corporate activations around the world. His music group Indiginis with brother Ngawang Samphel has been a progressive force in contemporary Tibetan music fusing Electronic R&B and Hip-Hop that has accumulated over 10 million streams. Dawa currently works at Yes& Agency in Alexandria VA where he has been remotely working for the past 9 months as the Motion and Interactive Designer. |
TENZIN YANGKEY Graduate Student at University of Arizona Tenzin Yangkey is a MA Geography student at University of Arizona, Tucson. Her broad research interests include climate change in the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau, human-environment research and remote sensing. She is also a Duke University graduate where she earned her environmental engineering degree. While at Duke, she co-founded Duke Machik Chapter with her friends to discuss social and environmental issues of Tibet. Born and raised in India, she attended Tibetan schools there and studied A-Levels in the UK. |