About the Founders

The founders of CGCT have over 70 combined years of experience living in Nepal and working throughout the Himalaya in the fields of conservation, ecotourism, adventure travel, community forestry, and sustainable livelihoods. They each developed a close friendship with Chandra over shared projects, values, and dinners. Their involvement as Board members of CGCT is a labor of love and respect for Chandra, and for the people and the natural environment of the Himalaya for which he gave his life.

Maureen DeCoursey (mo@chandragurungtrust.org) has a global consulting business based in Fort Collins, Colorado, specializing in environmental conservation and sustainable enterprise.

Wendy King (wking@chandragurungtrust.org) worked in biodiversity conservation and community agriculture in Nepal for over 20 years starting with the Peace Corps in 1977 and later with the World Wildlife Fund and CARE. She currently lives in Santa Cruz, California.

 Wendy Brewer Lama (wendylama@chandragurungtrust.org) has worked throughout the Himalaya as an ecotourism planner with various international organizations. She lived in Nepal from 1984 to 1999 during which time she joined Chandra on a number of conservation projects. She now lives in Half Moon Bay, California and runs KarmaQuest’s educational, eco-, adventure and cultural tours to Asia.

Steve Powers (steve@chandragurungtrust.org) lived in Nepal from 1978 – 1996 where he operated treks and expeditions in the Himalaya as well as represented various western news services. He currently lives in Long Beach, NY where his company organizes tours worldwide specializing in Asia, Africa, and Cuba.

Meet the CGCT Advisors

We currently have seven exceptional individuals serving as advisors to the CGCT

Broughton Coburn, best-selling author/editor of numerous books on Nepal and a specialist in environmental conservation and sustainable development in the Himalaya.

Barbara Crossette, former South Asia correspondent for the NY Times, travel essayist and freelance writer on international affairs and foreign policy.

Adhish Gurung (Chandra’s son), founding partner at PreconTec Pvt. Ltd., Nepal, focusing on PREfabricated CONstruction TEChnology

Amanda Gurung (Chandra’s daughter), studied the effects of climate on the socioeconomics and livelihoods of mountain peoples in Nepal; and is now the Executive Director of the Chandra Gurung Conservation Foundation in Nepal.

Ashok Gurung, Senior Director of the India-China Institute at The New School in NYC.

Sara Parker, Senior Geography Lecturer, Liverpool John Moores University (UK) and key facilitator of the Sikles in Canvas community photography project.

Erica Piedade (Chandra’s sister-in-law), a specialist in public health and international education based in Massachusetts.