Team | Nepal Leadership Academy

Dr.Pukar Malla Executive Coach	Dr. Pukar Malla has been leading parallel careers as a leadership coach, community organizer, and innovation specialist. As Founder and Executive Director of a leadership non-profit, Daayitwa, he has been organizing youth to lead innovative solutions in the government, business and civil society sectors. As a Former Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School, he investigated and piloted frameworks for communities of innovators to lead change. As a Senior Innovation Policy Specialist at the World Bank, he supported the Indian, Chinese and Ghanaian governments to promote innovation and inclusive growth. Prior to that, he led technology designs at Intel, AMD, Silicon Graphics, and a Silicon Valley start-up, and secured 2 US patents. He received his Bachelors from Swarthmore College, with a focus on engineering and economics. He spent 3 years at Cornell, attaining a MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering with a Minor in Business Management. He earned his MPA from Harvard Kennedy School. While at Harvard, he also led the university-wide Harvard Graduate Student Government as its elected President.
Susit Dhakal Program Director
Apurba K.C. Leadership Research Analyst	Apurba K.C. is an advocate at Nepal Bar Council. She’s a Dean’s List law and liberal arts graduate of Tribhuvan University. She has built foundational experience in leadership, youth engagement and advocacy through her leadership in YUWA as an executive board member (2016-2018). Her internship at the International Legal Foundation counselling indigent clients, and work with The Carter Center as an LTO Assistant during Nepal’s legislative elections of 2017, fuelled her interest in working with the grassroots communities. Building on this passion, she has been working at Nepal Leadership Academy since January 2018, conducting research, design, and evaluation of NLA’s leadership courses. She has worked as Coaching Advisor in 20 leadership courses including cohorts belonging to Daayitwa Public Service Fellowship 2018 and Yuwa Aaja Campaigners 2018. She is deeply interested in interventions synergizing leadership, law and governance.
Juni Shrestha Leadership Research Officer	Juni has a master’s in Politics and International Relations from Japan, with a deep understanding of global dynamics and socio-political structures. With a keen interest in women’s development and leadership in Nepal. Having spent time teaching English to children, she holds a profound appreciation for cross-cultural exchange and recognizes the transformative power of education. In her role, she is dedicated to understanding and addressing challenges in socio-economic development in Nepal. She is actively engaged in interdisciplinary initiatives to enhance effective leadership and drive positive change in these sectors.
Dilasha K.C. Communications and Outreach Officer	Dilasha is the Communications and Outreach Officer at NLA. With expertise in strategic communication, she drives engagement, manages public relations, and cultivates connections with stakeholders. Dilasha plays a pivotal role in enhancing the organization’s public image and amplifying its impact through effective outreach initiatives. She also provides relevant support to other entities of Daayitwa Abhiyaan.
Gaurav D. Bhatt Communications Assistant	Gaurav D. Bhatt is a graduate from the University of Delhi. He has had experience working across foreign organizations and institutions like Ernst & Young, Aam Aadmi Party, and Bira (B9 Beverages Ltd.).
Srijana Shrestha Finance and Administrative Coordinator	At NLA, she is involved as the Finance and Administrative Coordinator. At present, Srijana heads the finance team and is responsible for all matters related to Finance. She is passionate about numbers.