Ms. Dago Beda, Executive Director, Etho Metho Tours and Treks
Dago Beda graduated from Punjab University Chandigarh with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 1979. She joined the Department of Tourism in 1980 as a Sales Manager. After the privatization of tourism in 1990, Dago, together with two colleagues from the tourism department, started the travel company Etho Metho Tours & Treks in 1991. The company today is one of Bhutan's leading tour companies. She is also the proprietor of two other successful ventures - a school and a cable company. Dago is considered one of the pioneers of her generation in Bhutan, especially among women. Many younger women look up to her as a symbol of a successful career woman. When she is not running her businesses, she spends most of her free time gardening. She has managed to successfully turn the paddy fields surrounding her home into a green oasis with a variety of trees, shrubs and flowers. She is the mother of two daughters and a son.
Ms. Kunzang Choden, Author/Writer
Kunzang Choden is the author of two novels, “The Circle of Karma” and “Dawa: The Story of a Stray Dog in Bhutan,” as well as several other fiction and nonfiction works. She is a longtime volunteer at the Thimphu Public Library and serves on several boards including the Council of the Royal University of Bhutan, the Bhutan Narcotics Control and Loden Foundation. Originally from Orgyen Choling in Bumthang, she began her career as an educator which ignited a sustained interest in literacy and creativity.
Dasho Meghraj Grung, Civil Servant, retired
Dasho Meghraj was awarded red scarf by the fourth King of Bhutan and earned the title of Dasho. While in civil service, he headed various government agencies and a corporation. He helped establish the Permanent Mission of Bhutan to UN and also assisted in the drafting of Bhutan’s constitution. Dasho also spearheaded the taskforce, as the Managing Director of the Bhutan Postal Corporation to set up a postal transportation network, which connects Samdrupjonkhar (Eastern Bhutan) with Gauhati, Assam, India and Phuentsholing. Dasho graduated from North Bengal University, India with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science.
Ms. Chencho Lhamu, Program Director, Teacher Education and Research, Royal Education Council (REC)
Ms. Lhamu received her bachelor's degree from Sherubtse College in Kanglung, Bhutan and her master's degree in educational psychology from University of New England in Australia. Before joining the Royal Education Council, she worked as an associate lecturer at the College of Education, Royal University of Bhutan in Paro. She also taught at Phuntsholing Middle Secondary School in Chukha. She was a visiting Scholar at the University of British Columbia in Canada in 2007.
Mr. Thinley Palden, CEO, RSAP Pvt. Ltd.
Mr. Palden is the CEO of RSA Pvt. Ltd., a mining and minerals company. Mr. Palden also serves as the Vice President of the Bhutan Chamber for Commerce and Industry. Previously, he worked for Bhutan National Bank for 8 years. Mr. Palden received his bachelor's in business administration from Germany.
Ms. Siok Sian Pek-Dorji, Journalist, Executive Director, Center for Media, Democracy and Civic Education
Siok Sian Pek Dorji has worked extensively with governments, NGOs, the UN system and development partners in media with special interests in women, children and culture. In a career spanning more than 20 years, Siok Sian is a journalist by training and a media specialist. She has been involved in media management and planning, production, research and training. Siok Sian has produced numerous publications and TV documentaries for local, regional and international publications and broadcasters. With Bhutan's transition to a democracy, she launched the Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy, a non-profit organization with a mandate to focus on developing the democratic culture in Bhutan through strengthening media literacy. Siok Sian is a founding member of the Friends of the Library in Bhutan and is a director of the Bhutan Broadcasting Service. She has a master’s degree in international communications from Macquarie University in Sydney.
Mr. Sonam Karma Tshering, Project Manager, Royal Education Council
Prior to joining Royal Education Council (REC), Mr. Sonam K. Tshering worked as a senior Planning Officer in the Policy and Planning Division, Ministry of Finance. He excelled in the Civil Service Examination in National Finance Cadre in 1996 and has strong research and management skills, as well as vast experience in tax policy and administration. He also possesses a sound knowledge of International and National tax laws and tax policy reforms. He was part of the team that drafted the Bhutan Tax Manual (1998), Income Tax Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan (2001), The Rules on the Income Tax of the Kingdom of Bhutan (2001) among many others. He also worked on a team to promote an enabling environment for private sector development. Mr. Tshering has an M.A in Public Finance from National Graduate Institute for Research and Policy Studies, Japan, an LL.B from the faculty of Law, University of Delhi, India.