Our Team
We are collaborators who believe in the power of homes and what they can do for people.
Operations Team
LINDSEY KRUGER
Heart of gold until you’re up against her in a game of Bananagrams, Lindsey is our resident visionary. She founded Nivas after working in Solukhumbu and Dhading districts of Nepal where she saw first-hand what folks in under-served communities need most. Utilizing her 17-year career in architecture/design and a Masters of Development Practice, she seeks to aid marginalized families in their quest toward safety and empowerment.
Central Nepal with Tukee Foundation
SAVITRI RAJALI
Savitri leads the way when things need to get done, Nepali-style. With an education in Rural Development and a background in Documentary Filmmaking, she helps us complete our mission by researching and assessing needs and resources, mobilizing people, and arranging the seemingly impossible. She also helps capture the stories of our partner families to share with our supporters, important in this global context.
SUPRAVA THAPA
For Suprava, architecture is a way of life: purpose-built, sustainable, and made to last. As our Construction Manager in Central Nepal, she brings a B.Arch and professional experience spanning residential, commercial, and institutional projects, with a belief that homes should truly serve the families inside them. Her work includes the Pokhara International Airport and historical conservation in the Kathmandu Valley.
SUSHMA B. SHRESTHA
Sushma is a dedicated advocate for women, youth, and children, leveraging over a decade of experience in strategic management, organizational behavior, and fundraising for the development sector. As Nepal Country Director at NIVAS, she spearheads initiatives driving lasting positive change. Sushma’s work has impacted diverse communities worldwide, focusing on leadership, public speaking, and women’s empowerment.
SHEELA SEN
Sheela is our expert on the human scale. A professor of Social Work Research and Anthropology with over 12 years of experience in field research programs, she leads the charge in discovering those at risk and becomes the conduit through which we design and create solutions that meet our partner families’ most pressing needs. She uses her knowledge to help other women move past social and physical barriers into prosperity.
GOVINDA LAMA
Govinda Lama is our site super extraordinaire. He works in partnership with our new homeowners to build their dream homes. His expertise is in building rural homes with local materials, yet his ability to create a socially sensitive environment where dignity can thrive is equally important in helping our homeowners achieve success. Govinda believes that “working for those in need is the best work”.
KHADGA RAMTEL
Proud girl dad and data strategist leading evidence-based decision-making and organizational learning, Khadga is our MEL Director. He brings 15+ years of monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning experience across complex, multisectoral, multi-donor initiatives, including USAID-supported projects at FHI 360, Heifer International, Mercy Corps, WWF, and GIZ. His expertise spans civil society strengthening, human rights, food security/livelihoods, natural resource management, and climate change.
SABITRI DHUNGANA
Spirited go-getter, Sabitri assists our Program Coordinator during surveys and interviews, and keeps approvals moving smoothly. She’ working toward a bachelor of Social Work at Kadambari Memorial College because she has a passion for engaging community and finding solutions to the problems of her time. She’s interested in putting theoretical knowledge into practice and loves exploring new places and lifestyles.
BIKASH POKHREL
Bikash manages both local monitoring and quality control of our construction projects as well as many of our on-site construction trainings. Playing a technical advisory role on-site enables him to use his deep local knowledge and his engineering expertise to ensure each home is built to the standard needed for long-term durability. Bikash’s passion for his own community drives his desire to create a better built environment for all people.
Western Nepal with RWDC
AASMANI CHAUDHARY
Aasmani is the kind of leader legends are made of. Our Western Nepal chairperson founded the Rural Women Development Center in Dang over 30 years ago, raising her first funds by gathering Tharu women to dance at the Maghi festival. Today her work reaches more than 100,000 rural women through microfinance and income-generating programs, advancing land rights, gender equity, and indigenous women's leadership. In 2008, Americans for UNFPA honored her for the Health and Dignity of Women. Proud mom of two daughters.
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Board of Directors
PARBATI BASNET
Warm-hearted and quick to connect, Parbati is the project coordinator partner families trust from the very first conversation. In western Nepal with Rural Women Development Center, she guides home selection, social mobilization, and the everyday work that turns plans into homes. She holds an M.A. in Sociology and is fluent in Tharu, Nepali, and Hindi, the languages of the families she serves. Parbati once hosted a radio program sharing stories of women creating change, and that gift for connection still defines her work.
ASHIQ CHAUDHARY
As project engineer with Rural Women Development Center, Ashiq is in the thick of every NIVAS build in western Nepal, from the first cost estimate to the final quality check. With a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from HIST Engineering College in Kathmandu and certifications in seismic design and construction safety, Ashiq ensures all our homes are built to last for generations.
KEN STORM
Our analytical dreamer, Ken is in charge of inspiring those around him to think BIG. 7 out of 10 of his ideas aren’t even that crazy. Ken grew his knowledge of community-based design while working for and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in South Carolina, Colorado and New Zealand. As principal of Storm Design/Build, Ken is inspired by projects with constraints and unique challenges. He believes that applying your skillset in practical and thrifty ways can improve reality for people in need.
KEN ANDREWS
As an award-winning leader in the design community, analytical to the extreme, and eternally optimistic that the hard way can be overcome, Ken helps steer this NIVAS ship with his experience and innovative vision. He is a Principal Architect with Arch11, inc. and brings a rigor to Arch11’s design leadership through directing project delivery and implementing new technology into the design process. He is devoted to the belief that architecture should be a visceral, material and technological response to place and use.
BISHOP BHANDARI
Bishop is a CPA and a seasoned finance professional with over a decade of experience, currently serving as the Finance Director at a Fortune 500 technology company. Hailing from Nepal, his journey has provided a unique perspective on the challenges faced in developing nations, highlighting the profound impact of opportunities on those trapped in the poverty cycle. He is deeply committed to the operational excellence of the organization and opportunities that NIVAS creates for the underprivileged, recognizing that each opportunity initiates a ripple effect, ultimately leading to the betterment of communities and broader society.
DONNA MONTGOMERY
Donna brings over three decades of experience in marketing, technology, and philanthropy, with a focus on addressing homelessness, supporting innovation and equality in the construction industry, and advancing women’s initiatives. With a career spanning New York to Denver and a network that reaches globally, she is known for building partnerships that drive meaningful, community-centered impact. She is committed to leveraging her experience and connections to create lasting opportunities for underserved populations.
Advisory Board
JENNIFER LEISCH
Jen has been a fierce supporter of NIVAS since day one. She has over 20 years of experience in energy science, climate and energy policy, and program management - spending much of her career with USAID and the US National Renewable Energy Lab, and now as Executive Director of the NREL Foundation. She has guided emerging energy markets and advised on climate change policy throughout Asia, East Africa, and Latin America. She currently co-leads an energy development office in Hanoi, Vietnam. As a member of our advisory board, Jen helps guide our mission toward great heights.
TRIPTI SHARMA
As a licensed therapist Tripti brings Advisory Board conversations back to the people we serve. In her day job Tripti can be found around the State of Colorado training and implementing best practices in youth mental health with schools, primary care physicians, behavioral health providers, and the general community. She brings her passion for people and improving access to basic needs in order for people to thrive in their communities.
STACEY TWIGG
As an interior architect at Shopworks Architecture, Stacey spends her days shaping housing opportunities in Denver through low-income and permanent supportive housing projects that benefit from her passion for trauma-informed design. Stacey and Lindsey helped design and build a school together on their first-ever trip to Nepal. While Stacey loves improving the city in which she lives, she is thankful for the opportunity to extend her passion for community enrichment and sustainable housing internationally.
SANDRA THOMPSON
With over 30 years of experience in architecture and business leadership, and a passion for growing business from a neighborhood mindset, Sandra knows how to help communities achieve their vision. As founder and principal of Zaga Design Group, she oversees planning efforts from concept to completion, bringing a practical / tactical skillset to our NIVAS team. As a single mother herself, she is passionate in the pursuit to use her professional knowledge, drive, and resources to help other single mothers achieve safe housing for their families.
MARC ABLE
Marc has 44 years of experience designing building systems throughout the US and 40 of those years managing two successful Consulting Engineering firms. Marc developed a special interest in designing systems for nonprofit organizations during the last decade and has a real passion for traveling to all parts of the world, especially to remote areas off the beaten path. This combination brought Marc to NIVAS. He’s excited for the challenges and opportunities to help marginalized families improve their living conditions and form and operate small businesses.
CHRIS NICOLETTI
As Chief Impact & Strategy Officer at Splash International, Chris has worked to integrate evidence of all kinds into the design and implementation of agricultural and WASH programs with funding from USAID, DFID, World Bank, Gates Foundation, and more. His work spans agriculture, WASH, women’s empowerment, nutrition, food security, and climate adaptation and resilience programs. Chris’s extensive experience in program design and impact evaluation bring deep on-the-ground knowledge to our work at NIVAS.
GERARD DALZIEL
With more than 40 years in civil engineering across the US and 27 countries worldwide, Gerard helps NIVAS build homes that stand up to floods, quakes, and time. As the recently retired Chief Engineer of Engineers Without Borders USA, he oversaw the delivery of high-quality infrastructure and built homes for families displaced by disaster, including after Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines. A career civil engineer, he brings that hard-won expertise to our advisory board.
SARA SULLIVAN
Devoted party-planner and deadpan Architectural Engineer, Sara lives to make the world more beautiful. She is an expert lighting designer with over 10+ years experience on high-end residential architecture. Lucky for us, her desk is littered with party supplies and lighting design awards. Sara has a passion for executing efficient design, calculated decision-making, and effective collaboration. Her purpose is to spark confidence in our community, that we are all even more capable than we think.
MIKE ZAKHEM
A fun-loving developer with a keen interest in international development, Mike brings his passion for good housing to NIVAS. He is the founder of Zakhem Real Estate Group, a family-owned business focused on Development, Brokerage, and Property Management. Mike has developed over $75 Million of real estate in the Denver Metro Area, specializing in mixed-use and urban infill projects. He enjoys experimenting with design while still maintaining functionality to deliver thoughtful and livable homes for all.
ANDY PEMBERTON
Andy Pemberton is a entrepreneurial leader with a background in media, operations, and strategic growth. As a Nivas board member, he applies his expertise in fundraising and storytelling to support sustainable housing initiatives throughout Nepal. A passionate mountaineer, Andy’s connection to Nepal deepened after climbing Ama Dablam in 2022. His commitment to innovation and community empowerment helps drive impact and expand opportunities for those in need.
GEETA UHL
Geeta has 20+ years of development experience including her time as Environment Officer at USAID managing biodiversity, forestry, climate change adaptation, and clean energy projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. She has managed sustainable urban planning projects for the City of New York, and led sustainable forestry projects in Central America for the Environmental Investigation Agency. Geeta is passionate about improving environmental and human outcomes through smarter program design and processes.
SANCHITA NEUPANE
With a Masters in Risk, Sanchita is willing to risk it all to create the positive change she envisions for her country. Her qualifications are an amalgam of civil engineering and social science with a focus on community-based Disaster Risk Reduction, resilient infrastructure, hydrological sciences and climate change adaptation. Sanchita is currently guiding a European Union grant for Disaster Risk Recovery in Nepal and brings her expertise, connections, and enthusiasm to our AB team at NIVAS.