MACHIK TEAM
|
DR. LOSANG RABGEY
Co-founder & Executive Director of Machik Dr. Losang Rabgey and her sister Dr. Tashi Rabgey co-founded Machik.org, a nonprofit whose mission is to grow a global community committed to a stronger future for Tibet. Dr. Rabgey holds a Ph.D. in gender and anthropology from the University of London School and is the first Tibetan to become a Commonwealth Scholar. In 2006, Dr. Rabgey was recognized by the National Geographic Society as an Emerging Explorer for her innovative work in gender equity and for bridging cultural divides. She is a certified Mentorship Trainer and a frequent public speaker, including at Yale University, Harvard University, and UC Santa Cruz, at the Nobel Peace Forum, and so on. In 2018, Dr. Rabgey and her sister were recognized by Harvard University as Women Inspiring Change, an honor also awarded to Stacey Abrams, Sonia Sotomayor, and Kimberle Crenshaw. Along with her family, she recently was awarded the Meritorious Service Cross by the Governor-General of Canada, representing the Queen. Dr. Rabgey’s current research interests include gender and Tibet, social innovation, conservation and social justice. She now also serves on the board of directors for Mountainfilm. Born in India and raised in Canada, she first returned to Tibet with her family in 1987. |
|
DR. TASHI RABGEY Research Professor, George Washington University Strategic Director & Co-founder, Machik Tashi Rabgey is a Research Professor of International Affairs at the Elliott School, specializing in contemporary Tibet and Sino-Tibetan affairs. 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 China's policymaking in Tibet. Before joining the Elliott School, Professor Rabgey was a faculty member of the University of Virginia East Asia Center where she was co-director of the University of Virginia Tibet Center. She holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University specializing in political and legal anthropology, as well as law degrees from Oxford and Cambridge where she studied as a Rhodes scholar. |
|
TENZIN CHOKKI Machik Weekend Co-Chair Born in India, Tenzin Chokki spent her formative years studying in various TCV boarding schools before immigrating to the 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 Athens, Greece. During college, Chokki worked with various research and community-based organizations, such as the Disparities Research Unit and Tibetan Resettlement Stories: Voices of Boston. These experiences pushed her to seriously consider and develop her passion for conducting community-based participatory research work in the fields of migration, belonging, psychosocial health, identity development, traditional knowledge, and growing community resilience & well-being. Currently, Chokki is a Program Associate at Machik where she is harnessing her skills in program development, design, and communications. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, music, photography, and the outdoors with loved ones. |
|
SHAOKYI AMDO Machik Weekend Community Co-Chair Shaokyi Amdo graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2018 with a major in Creative Writing and a double minor in Economics and Corporate Strategy. While in college, she served on the executive board of Vanderbilt’s nationally-recognized Alternative Spring Break program. She also co-founded Project YETI in 2017 with Tenda Thargay, which uses virtual mentorship to connect Tibetan-Americans pursuing higher education. She currently works for the video game industry in Washington, D.C. |
|
KATIE JARRETT
Student at George Washington University & Program Intern at Machik Katie Jarrett is originally from Connecticut but is in DC finishing up her undergraduate degree in 2020 at the George Washington University, double majoring in International Affairs and Chinese language and literature. She studied abroad at Minzu University of China 中央民族大学 for two semesters her junior year. Katie Jarrett is extremely active in campus life and an avid marathoner. Since her freshman year she has been active in the JKA Karate Club of GWU, the GWU Triathlon Team, a literary organization, and working with humanitarian street mapping. Through her personal experiences, she believes quite strongly in the power of sport to enrich people’s lives, build connections, and especially the power sport has to provide opportunities for young women. Outside of school and marathon training she enjoys knitting and crocheting items for donation. She hopes to expand her knowledge of international education, development, cross-cultural exchange, and use her passions to make a positive change in the world. |
|
KYLER PHILLIPS
Student at Cornell University & Program Intern at Machik Kyler Phillips is currently a junior at Cornell University doing a double major in Political Science and China & Asia-Pacific Studies. He has spent two summers living in China - one studying in Beijing and another under an internship program with the United States Department of State. Kyler is interested in international development and, since his mom is from the Philippines, is currently working on a research paper analyzing policy solutions to address Manila's growing slum population. When he isn't working or at school, Kyler likes to play video games, watch movies, edit videos, and read science fiction novels. |
2019 VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE
|
TENZIN CHOEYANG Green Team Coordinator Tenzin Choeyang is a Karsh International scholar at Duke University, double majoring in Neuroscience and Global Health with a certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Tenzin is a Tibetan born and brought up in Dharamsala, India. She was recognized as a Horizon scholar upon attending UWC Atlantic College. And, she was the only Tibetan among over 90 different nationalities in the school, where, after graduating, she was also recognized as a Davis-Mahindra Scholar -- given to only four students who display high character and leadership. She is also the first Tibetan woman to be interviewed live on BBC World News after her work as a Youth Ambassador in the World Literacy Foundation. The past summer, Tenzin worked as a Student Researcher in Ghana on adverse health effects of gold mining with Duke Bass Connections. At Duke, Tenzin is the President of the Duke Machik Chapter, which creates a dialogue on campus about various social and environmental issues surrounding Tibet. |
|
TENZING DORJE Photography Coordinator Tenzing Dorjé spent his early years between Boudhanath, Nepal, and Mussoorie, India, where he attended a boarding school until the age of 15. Currently living in Toronto, his photography centres around documenting the life and changes around Boudhanath Stupa and the streets and people of Toronto. His photographic projects also include documenting the honey hunters among the Gurung people in the Himalayas and the Kalachakra teachings in Bodhgaya, India. Dorjé is currently working on his MFA in Documentary Media (Photography) at Ryerson University. |
|
RINCHEN DOLMA Saturday Program Emcee Rinchen was born into a semi-farming family in Amdo, Tibet, and is one of the first children in her family/region to attend school, let alone university. She obtained her B.A from Duke University in International Comparative Studies. Currently, she is pursuing a M.A in International Comparative Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is also the vice-president of YindaYin Coaching based in Queens, New York City. She believes that education should not be taken for granted and through her passion for youth empowerment, she hopes to impart that appreciation for knowledge to her students. |
|
CHELSEA HALL Merchandise & Book Sales Coordinator Chelsea is a PhD candidate at Harvard focusing on religion and gender, specifically on transnational Tibetan feminism. She has been volunteering with Machik since 2006 for a variety of programs including SEP and Machik Weekend, and this will be her 9th Machik Weekend! |
|
TENZIN JIGME Registration Coordinator Tenzin Jigme is a pre-med student finishing his Bachelors in Chemistry with concentration in Biochemistry from CUNY, Hunter College. He was born and raised in Pokhara, Nepal before moving to New York City in 2011. He grew his interest in serving the community during his high school years which led him to starting Himalayan Club at Hunter College to create a space for Tibetan and Nepali students to prosper together and excel. Recently, Tsering Wangdue and Jigme started a podcast called Behind The Peaks which aims to celebrate underrepresented Himalayan professionals in the mainstream American discourse. And one of the main impetus for this initiative was Machik Weekend 2018 and the whole Machik community. In his pre-med journey, Jigme volunteered at Mt.Sinai Hospital and NY-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, and also did a clinical research at Weill Cornell Medical Center. He aspires to continue his journey to medical school. |
|
TENZIN KHEDUP AV Coordinator Like most Tibetans in diaspora, Khedup was born in India and spent his childhood at the Tibetan boarding school, TCV, in Dharamshala. He immigrated to the US in his early teens and later graduated from University of Wisconsin Madison with dual degree in Computer Science and Economics. Khedup is an avid traveler and a global citizen; he has studied in South Korea, backpacked in Tibet and has traveled to over a dozen countries. He currently resides in New York City working as a Solutions Consultant at Xandr, an advertising technology firm. On his weekends he volunteers as a math instructor at YindaYin Coaching helping the next generation of students strengthen their math skills and provide guidance on navigating the higher education landscape. |
|
GREGORY SONAM MULLENS Saturday Program Emcee Gregory Sonam Mullens is a Tibetan of mixed heritage. He was born and raised in Canada, but his athletic talents brought him to New York where he played NCAA Division I Baseball for Columbia University. In 2005, at age 20, Greg signed a contract with the New York Mets, becoming the first professional baseball player of Tibetan ancestry. After earning Pitcher of the Year honors in his first year, he advanced within the Mets organization and pitched for the Brooklyn Cyclones and Savannah Sand Gnats. Greg's baseball career ended after an arm injury in 2008, leading him to later attend the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. After graduation, Greg first clerked for a judge in Hudson County, New Jersey before becoming a prosecutor for Hudson County. In just a few years, Greg tried over 20 cases, including those involving domestic violence, assault, weapons and narcotics trafficking, and homicide. Currently, Greg is starting a new chapter in his legal career as an associate for a boutique litigation firm in New Jersey that focuses on criminal defense and internal investigations. Greg's practice also includes the representation of professional athletes, artists, and entertainers in need of crisis representation. |
|
ANGELA NAWANG Outreach Coordinator Angela Nawang was born in Kathmandu, Nepal and spent her early years studying in Darjeeling, India. After graduating from Boston University, she received training in community organizing from the Center for Neighborhood Leadership and worked with Nail Salon Worker organizing at Adhikaar, a worker and community center for the Nepali-speaking population in New York. Her primary interests stem from her time with Adhikaar, to always build for and work with community. As a co-outreach coordinator with the 2019 Machik Weekend, Angela is excited to bring in members of community organizations whose investments in their own communities continue to make New York the beautiful force that it is today. In her free time, Angela enjoys everything folk related, studies of online culture, and reading and watching science fiction. |
|
SONAM SHERPA Friday Program Emcee Born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sonam Sherpa has been educated in Nepal before coming to the United States in 2014. He is currently an economics student at Hunter College. He is actively involved in his community, being the President of Hunter Himalayan Club, a platform for Tibetan and Nepali students to celebrate their culture and to stay connected to their roots. After attending the 2019 Men’s Gender Workshop hosted by Machik in NYC, he has cultivated his passion for gender equity and remains vocal in the subject. He is also the Outreach Manager of Behind The Peaks Podcast which strives to spotlight underrepresented Himalayan professionals in the mainstream American discourse. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and exploring nature. |
|
PHUNTSOK TASHI Food Coordinator Phuntsok Tashi is the co-founder of Drokpo Nepal, a non-profit organization based in Kathmandu, Nepal. He is also the co-founder of Tibetan Volunteers for Animals NY Chapter, an organization that promotes vegetarianism, veganism and animal rights. He grew up in Nepal and India and holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from CUNY. He has helped organize five Machik Weekends in New York. |
|
TENDA THARGAY Machik Weekend Mentorship Program Coordinator Tenzin Dawa (Tenda) Thargay is a first-generation Tibetan American from Boston, MA. He is currently pursuing his Master of International Affairs at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs concentrating in Energy and Environment. Tenda is also a 2019 U.S. Department of State Charles B. Rangel Fellow and will enter the U.S. Foreign Service in 2021 serving as a Foreign Service Officer. Before Columbia, Tenda graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, earning dual degrees in political science and Chinese and served as the graduation student commencement speaker. After graduating, Tenda was a Fulbright Scholar in Seoul, South Korea researching energy policy. |
|
MAYA CHIME WALTER Registration Coordinator Maya Chime Walter is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College. Currently she teaches in the Cambridge Public School system and also works at Yayla Tribal Rugs. Maya's involvement with Machik began at the earliest stages with the early support and collaboration for Machik’s work for Tibet. Maya has traveled to the Chungba Primary School in Tibet several times and helped in the vital early years of establishing the innovative Summer Enrichment Program at which she taught English to many rural Tibetan students. |
|
TENZIN TSUNDU Usher Coordinator Tenzin Tsundu is a sophomore at Marist College majoring in Philosophy and Finance. Tenzin was born in Meghalaya, India and was raised in Kathmandu, Nepal. He believes in pushing boundaries which led him to initiate and participate in varying activities. Before college, he took two gap years to help various grassroots NGOs across the Himalayas and finally settled down as an educator in Karkhana facilitating hands-on interactive sessions for middle school children to foster creativity and critical thinking. At Marist, he served as the President of Resident Hall Council, Vice-President of a multicultural club, and currently serves as a Resident Assistant. He is an avid learner with an insatiable thirst for knowledge and meaningful conversations. He adores adventures and cherishes helping others. |
|
TENZIN WODEN Registration Coordinator Tenzin Woden, born and raised in Nepal, moved to CT in 2005 where she completed her secondary studies. She pursued her undergraduate degree in Environmental Engineering at Syracuse University. Since graduating in 2015, she has been working with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) within the Bureau of Water Resources. She recently began her graduate studies in Engineering and Public Policy at Northeastern University while continuing to work. Through her work experience as an environmental regulator, she has developed an interest in Water policy both nationally and internationally. During her time outside of work she is active within the Boston Tibetan community as one of the founding members of the Tibetan Youth of Boston (TYB). She along with her sister and mother also a part of the Online Tibetan Education’s (OTE). They recently hosted their 6th Annual Mindfulness Retreat that takes place every summer for young Tibetan adults. |
|
TENZIN YANGDON Merchandise & Book Sales Coordinator Tenzin Yangdon is currently a Registered Nurse in Family Medicine at a community health center in Boston. She was born in Patiala, India and raised in Boston, MA. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Simmons University. After volunteering for Machik Weekend in 2018, she grew a strong sense passion for community service and community enrichment in her Tibetan community. Yangdon is an active member of Tibetan Youth of Boston (TYB), which is a youth-led initiative that strives to empower and engage Tibetan youths in the Boston area. She is part of TYB’s Identity and Culture pillar where she co-host Machik Khabda in Boston. She hopes she can continue her contribution and her service to her Tibetan community. |
|
TENZIN YANGKEY Sunday Program Emcee Tenzin Yangkey is a senior at Duke University studying Environmental Engineering and Innovation & Entrepreneurship certificate. She grew up in India and attended TCV schools there. Before Duke, she studied A-Levels in UK for two years under Pestalozzi Scholarship. Yangkey’s primary interest lies in understanding environmental challenges in the Hindukush Himalaya region. This past summer, she worked in Kathmandu on a project of increasing earthquake resiliency in Nepal. At Duke, she is part of Duke Machik Chapter that creates dialogue on campus about various social environmental issues in Tibet. |
|
TENZIN YOUDON Usher Coordinator Tenzin Youdon was born in India, raised in Nepal and moved to US in 2010 to pursue further studies. She recently graduated from Baruch College with BBA in Finance in concentration with Computer Information Systems, Economics and Communications. She is currently attending Hunter College in preparation for Certification of Public Accountant (CPA). She always had keen interest in IT Auditing field and eventually wants to work in agency where similar services are exercised. Alongside, she searches for opportunities to understand and learn her culture from organization like MACHIK. Also, a strong believer in getting out of her comfort zone to outgrow her skills especially in leadership and professionally. At the moment, she is serving as an advisor of student run organization called BARUCH HIMALAYAN CLUB. She is very looking forward to connect with all the attendees this year. |