Since 2018, international advisors have been appointed for their exceptional dedication and commitment to strengthening our work. These external advisors play a vital role in supporting Nepali NGOs by connecting them with donors, expanding funding opportunities, and guiding effective fundraising efforts. They also assist in developing and reviewing project proposals, reports, and strategic plans to ensure high-quality implementation.
By bringing extensive experience, global perspectives, and strong international networks, advisors enable NGOs to access new resources, navigate challenges, and create more meaningful and lasting impact in the communities they serve.
Brian J. Peniston
Washington DC, USA
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.
Dr. Leeanne E. Alonso
Washington DC, USA
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.
Peter Nichols
Colorado, USA
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).
