Archives: Teams

Ron Rosano

Director

Ron Rosano has been involved with the Nepal Youth Foundation since 1995, beginning with a sponsorship of a child at K House, formerly one of NYF’s children’s homes. He is still regularly in touch with that child, who is now married, is a wonderful wife and mother, and has a successful career. Ron is very proud to serve on NYF’s Board of Directors and has continued to sponsor other NYF students. He has visited Nepal twice, spending time in Kathmandu, Nagarkot, Chitwan National Park, and Lukla and beyond, including an Everest Base Camp trek.

He brings to the board 35+ years of experience owning and operating a small business, and has proficiency across all business functions. Ron also brings much expertise as a youth leader, including long term service as a coach and leader of youth in multiple sports, and as a scout leader in Marin County, California. Ron is passionate about inspiring kids to reach their full potential, and is particularly passionate about public and community outreach related to space and astronomy. He has organized and led educational events around the world with thousands of students and adults in a variety of programs.

Ron Rosano

Director

Nick Prior (Director) was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. Educated at University College Dublin, Nick emigrated to the United States in 1989 with his wife, Jane. Based in San Francisco, Nick is an audit Partner with Ernst & Young and has over 26 years of audit and business advisory experience coordinating and serving global clients. Nick is a solutions-oriented decision maker with excellent communication skills and the ability to identify keys issues. Through his extensive international experience Nick understands many cultures and varying approaches to solving issues. Nick’s experience includes seven years working in Russia and China focused on advising clients regarding mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances and joint ventures. Nick currently works with large multi-national corporations and numerous start-up companies bringing solutions tailored to their divergent needs. Nick serves on a number of not-for-profit boards and enjoys golf, biking and skiing. He has been married for over 25 years and has one daughter, Alex.

Nick Prior

Director

Nick Prior was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland. Educated at University College Dublin, Nick emigrated to the United States in 1989 with his wife, Jane. Based in San Francisco, Nick is an audit Partner with Ernst & Young and has over 26 years of audit and business advisory experience coordinating and serving global clients. Nick is a solutions-oriented decision maker with excellent communication skills and the ability to identify keys issues. Through his extensive international experience Nick understands many cultures and varying approaches to solving issues. Nick’s experience includes seven years working in Russia and China focused on advising clients regarding mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances and joint ventures. Nick currently works with large multi-national corporations and numerous start-up companies bringing solutions tailored to their divergent needs. Nick serves on a number of not-for-profit boards and enjoys golf, biking and skiing. He has been married for over 25 years and has one daughter, Alex.

Gina Parker

Director

Gina Parker joined NYF’s Board of Directors in December 2016. A longtime NYF supporter, Gina has extensive knowledge of Nepal including a sabbatical year which she took in 2002 to work in NYF’s first ever center for malnourished children in Kathmandu. Gina and her husband, Simon Russell, co-founded NYF UK in 2013. Formerly, they worked closely with NYF through their non-profit charity, Children of the Himalayas.

Gina balances the demands of motherhood with being a Senior Partner of a wealth management organization in London. She also spends a lot of time working on NYF’s UK fundraising. Gina is particularly focused on creating a closer collaboration with global charities of the organization. She feels privileged to be able to work with the people of Nepal and to help them improve the health and wellbeing of their children.

Tanya Bodde

Secretary

Tanya Bodde joined NYF’s Board of Directors in February 2017. Retired from the Foreign Service, Tanya spent more than 15 years in South Asia, primarily Nepal, where she served as President of what was then American Women of Nepal from 1994 to 1997.

Born in Michigan, Tanya grew up in a military family and traveled the world. She married Peter Bodde, a career diplomat, more than 40 years ago. Peter served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy in Nepal from 1994 to 1997 and as US ambassador to Nepal from 2012 to 2015 (including the difficult period following the April 2015 earthquakes).

Tanya and her husband have two children, three grandchildren and a Nepali-born Labrador and reside in Baltimore, Maryland. Tanya feels a strong affinity for the people of Nepal since first moving there in 1982, and is pleased to be continuing her service through volunteering for the NYF Board.

Greg Rosston

Director

Greg Rosston has been involved with NYF since its beginning. His father, Jack, was one of the original board members who was traveling with Olga on the infamous trek when she broke her leg. Greg and his wife traveled to Nepal in 1991 to trek and to visit Olga and the kids she was helping. Greg is the Gordon Cain Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research and Director of the Public Policy program at Stanford University. As Deputy Chief Economist at the Federal Communications Commission, Greg worked on the implementation of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and helped design and implement the first ever spectrum auctions in the United States. He also serves as an advisory board member for Sustainable Conservation and Chair of the board of the Stanford Federal Credit Union.

Som Paneru

President

Som Paneru, President, joined Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF) in 1995 as a program assistant. In 2012, he was elected president, succeeding NYF founder Olga Murray. Som’s creative and imaginative leadership style, his thorough understanding of Nepal’s cultural, economic, and social issues, and his unruffled, positive nature have been instrumental in broadening the organization’s extraordinary impact on the lives of the children of Nepal. As president, Som oversees all NYF projects, ensures good governance, and manages fundraising worldwide, including the establishment and support of various NYF global chapters.

The son of a farmer from the legendary Ghorka District, Som is a product of NYF’s scholarship program. He studied math and science at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu. After graduation, he taught school in poor Nepali villages. Som later earned a master’s degree, with distinction, in International Child Welfare from the University of East Anglia in the U.K.

During his tenure at NYF, Som has initiated several innovative programs, including the immensely successful Indentured Daughters campaign to end the Kamlari system of indentured servitude. Som brings passion, energy, and intelligence to resolving complex social problems with low-cost solutions and in developing an exit strategy to ensure their sustainability. Som joined NYF because he had “a lot to payback” to the organization that helped him receive an education. Twenty years later, his “giving back” continues to play a pivotal role in the formation of one of the world’s most respected and successful humanitarian endeavors.

Test H. Harden

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Stuart H. Harden

Treasurer

Stuart H. Harden has over 50 years of accounting experience, including 30 years as a forensic accountant and expert witness.  He is currently a partner in the forensic accounting and financial consulting firm of Hemming Morse, LLP.  He has extensive experience as an auditor and consultant to nonprofit organizations, which he hopes will prove helpful to NYF.

Stu is a former member of the Emerging Issues Task force of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Auditing Standards Board and the Accounting Standards Executive Committee, as well as numerous other professional groups.  He is a Certified Public Accountant in California and New York, Certified in Financial Forensics by the American Institute of CPAs, and a Certified Fraud Examiner.

Stu and his wife Diana were raised in Kansas but have resided in California for 40 years.  He and Diana have two adult sons and three grandchildren.