The Partners Nepal proudly profiles international advisers. Since its founding in 2012, advisors have been selected for their excellent support and interest. Since 2018, The Partners Nepal advisors have been nominated. International Advisors can assist Nepali NGOs in a variety of ways. As in many other countries, local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) address social, economic, and environmental issues in Nepal. The adviser connects with foreign funders, NGOs, and others through consultants, diversifying their resources, discovering international donors, getting money, and running effective fundraising campaigns. The adviser can also assist in developing project proposals, reports, and strategic plans, which can then be evaluated and advised for quality assurance. International Advisors expand the scope and effectiveness of non-governmental organizations. Their knowledge, global viewpoint, and network assist organizations in acquiring resources, overcoming obstacles, and building communities.
Dr. Leeanne E. Alonso
Leeanne was born in Canada but raised in the United States, where she resides near Washington, D.C. In 1987 she earned a B.A. in Plan II (Liberal Arts Honours Programme) and a B.S. in Zoology from the University of Texas at Austin. In 1994, Leeanne received her Ph.D. in Biology from Harvard University, where she studied under the renowned biodiversity expert Dr. E.O. Wilson. Leeanne’s doctoral dissertation centered on the ecological interactions between ants and vegetation, and she is an expert in conservation biology, myrmecology (ants!), and biodiversity assessment. Leeanne applied her biological knowledge by joining Conservation International in 1998, where she served as Director of the Rapid Assessment Programme (RAP) for thirteen years. Leeanne organized and led over 45 expeditions to document biodiversity in remote regions of the globe, including Nepal, as part of the RAP. In 2011, Leeanne became an independent biodiversity consultant and Conservation Associate with the non-profit organization Rewild. She has primarily served as a consultant for the World Bank Group, advising private sector companies on reducing their environmental impact. She has written extensively on Nepal’s hydropower and environment.Leeanne is one of the founding members of the Women in Nature Network (WiNN) and assisted in organizing the 2022 annual conference in Nepal. Leeanne is devoted to connecting women to increase women’s leadership in nature conservation. Leeanne has supported conservation initiatives in Nepal, Bhutan, India, Guyana, Kenya, Mexico, and Argentina through WiNN.
Brian J. Peniston
Brian Peniston has been actively engaged in international development, natural resource management, and conservation programs for almost four decades, commencing in 1975. He has worked in Nepal for more than 21 years, in Indonesia for 5.5 years, in Malaysia for 2.5 years, on the Thai-Cambodian Border for one year, and in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). He has also carried out conservation projects in Bhutan, Vietnam, Sikkim, and Assam in India, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Mr. Peniston was Director of Himalayan Programmes at The Mountain Institute from 1996 until 2014. Additionally, he fulfilled the co-manager role for Makalu Barun National Park and its Buffer Zone. Since around mid-2014, Mr. Peniston has been actively engaged in the conservation efforts to protect snow leopards in East and mid-Nepal regions in collaboration with the Snow Leopard Conservancy. Since 1996, he has been acquainted with and collaborated with the founders of The Partners Nepal.
Peter Nichols
Peter served as special assistant attorney general for nearly two decades to Colorado and New Mexico in national litigation involving the Clean Water Act, e.g., Miccosukee Tribe of Indians v. So. Florida Water Mgmt. Dist., 541 US 95 (2004). Additionally, he represented the National Water Resources Association, the Western Urban Water Coalition, Denver Water, Aurora Water, Colorado Springs Utilities, the City of Boulder, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the East Bay Municipal Water District, Salt Lake & Sandy Metropolitan Water District, the Central Utah Water Conservancy District, and the Southern Nevada Water Authority in these cases. In addition to being an international mountaineering guide in the past and present, Peter is an ardent climber, skier, mountain biker, and cyclist. His long-standing ties to the Himalayan people have led him to volunteer work as general counsel for the United Sherpas of Colorado and the dZi Foundation and on the advisory board of The Partners Nepal (Ktm).
Dr. Les Omotani
Dr. Les Omotani is a successful retired educator and community leader in the United States and Canada. He has served on national and international advisory boards for-profit and non-profit organizations, including IBM, Xerox Canada, The Grammy Foundation, National Superintendents Roundtable, AASA, and others. Les and his wife, Barbara, are trustees of OmotaniCaringFoundation.com, a 501 c 3 charity.
Les completed his Master’s degree in ecological and social systems at the University of Calgary [Alberta, Canada]. He was a member of the leadership team for Alberta Education’s Native People’s Education Project and programs for almost a decade. He has been a member [now retired] of the Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance for 40 years. Les holds a Ph.D. in educational leadership from Iowa State University and previously served as President of the ISU Alumni Association. For several decades Les collaborated with Dr. Peter Senge, [ MIT Sloan School of Management, and the Society for Organisational Learning] developing systems thinking and learning communities.
Ang Rita Sherpa [and Peter Hillary] first met Les on a National Geographic Expedition to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctica. Les and Barbara travel worldwide with National Geographic Expeditions, Lindblad Expeditions, and Natural Habitat Adventures, promoting and supporting education for all children, economic and health independence for local families, wildlife and marine conservation through responsible travel and tourism, and ecological sustainability. They enjoy trail riding on horses, scuba diving, snorkeling, and hiking.
In 2023, Les successfully collaborated with The Partners Nepal, the Omotani Caring Foundation, and Sahaya International [Dr. Koen Van Rompay of UC Davis, CA to provide USA citizens with a trusted and efficient way to donate financial support to The Partners Nepal through a 501 c 3 charity.
Val Pitkethly
Val Pitkethly has been climbing and guiding in the mountains of Nepal for over 40 years since she first visited as an independent trekker in the 1980s. Over many years Val has established strong and trusted relationships with communities in the mountainous regions of Nepal including Ang Rita Sherpa’s family in Kunde.
Through 1993 and 1994 Val completed a twelve month Himalayan Traverse raising significant funds for projects in Nepal. It was during this expedition that the need for solar lights first became so apparent and in 2008 Val founded British charity Light Education Development (LED) which focuses on providing low-tech solutions to 3 basic needs: affordable and sustainable solar lighting, basic education and essential healthcare to the remote communities of Nepal and Peru.
Val and LED are active supporters of The Partners Nepal, with our One Day One Tree project, Bung Old People’s Home and supplying and delivering solar lights for TPN projects. Since 2025, Val Pitkethly has been apointed as an advisor of TPN from UK.