Mountains of RelieF
MEET OUR TEAM
RAJ GHIMIRE
Co-Founder
Born in Betali, Nepal, Raj understands the challenge of not having access to many of the advantages that we in North America take for granted: quality education, electricity, health facilities, running water, etc. With love from his family and financial support from three foreigners, Raj was able to complete his schooling in Darjeeling, India. These three individuals are his hero's and instilled in him the value of social work. . Raj feels that all human beings on this planet are created equal. And ALL have a right to live a beautiful life and be happy. Co-founding the Mountains of Relief project is a dream come true for him and is his way of giving back.
SHERRILL MEROPOULIS
Co-Founder
Sherrill spent 30 years working for Parks Canada in Jasper National Park where she received a national CEO's Award of Excellence in her role as Aboriginal Liaison. She was the founder and Artistic Director of the Jasper Heritage Folk Festival (1985-2000) and has worked extensively with indigenous peoples, volunteers and the non-profit sector. Sherrill is happiest when serving others so helping to guide Mountains of Relief efforts suit her perfectly!
ARUN BOHARA
Field Manager
Arun was born in Kavre, Nepal. He was raised by his mother after his father left the family when Arun was a young child. His family's challenges during his early years motivated him to become involved in the social sector. Arun has worked as a social mobilizer in Surya- Udoya Sewa-Samuha and at Heart Nepal, a Nepalese NGO. Arun, is a Bachelor of Commerce graduate and is working as Mountains of Relief's Field Manager.
Suresh Sapkota
Accountant
Suresh was born in Kushadevi, Nepal. A business studies graduate of Tribhuvan University, Suresh is a small business owner as well as secretary of the Namuna Multi-Purpose Cooperative. This cooperative works with various levels of government to identify and implement programs to improve village life and local economic conditions. Suresh manages Mountains of Relief's finances in Nepal and liaises with municipal leaders, local communities and contractors.
CHANIKA BOHARA
Community Liaison
Chanika, was raised in the rural village of Kavre, Nepal. She trained as a tailor to help support her family before joining Sindu Surgical, where she worked in accounts. Chanika studied nursing in Fulchoki Nursing College until she was called home to care for ailing family members. Improving the lives of women and girls through education and social change is important to Chanika. She is a dedicated to helping Mountains of Relief to understand the diverse and complex issues that face females in Nepal.
AJ Callan
Website Designer
AJ is a Graphic Designer from New Zealand and currently resides in Jasper, Alberta. She redesigned our website.
CoNNOR Speer
Engineer
Connor is a mechanical engineer from Edmonton, Alberta. He recently joined Mountains of Relief to support the improved cook stove project. Connor brings experience in heat transfer systems to help with stove selection, evaluation, and, if necessary, design.
Michael Nicol-Seto
Engineer
Michael is a MSc student at the University of Alberta studying renewable energy engines in the department of Mechanical Engineering. His studies focus on improving the thermodynamic performance of Low Temperature engines aimed at distributed energy generation from waste heat sources. He graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical engineering from the University of Alberta and has worked in numerous industries. He recently joined the Mountains of Relief Team this year to lend his thermodynamic expertise to the Nepal Stove project. In his spare time he practices woodworking and numerous outdoor pursuits including recent forays into mountaineering.
Freya Hik
Engineer
Freya is an MASc student at the University of British Columbia in Biomedical Materials Engineering. She is currently based in Vancouver BC, but grew up in Edmonton AB and has spent a lot of time exploring the mountains in Jasper. Freya became involved with Mountains of Relief in the spring of 2020 to work on the Improved Cook Stove Project. She has also helped with keeping the website up-to-date and writing an article for the ACC Gazette. Freya is passionate about exploring mountains through climbing, skiing, hiking, and running. She is motivated by the opportunity to help mountain communities on the opposite side of the globe through Mountains of Relief.
David Hik
Professor in Mountain Ecology
David is a mountain ecologist based at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, BC. His research into species interactions, herbivory, climate change, conservation and sustainability has taken him around the world from the Yukon in northern Canada, to the Rocky Mountains, Iceland, Costa Rica, Australia, and Central Asia. He teaches courses in Interdisciplinary Mountain Studies, and co-developed the awarding winning Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), Mountains 101. David joined Mountains of Relief in spring 2020 to work on the Improved Cook Stove Project.
Kyle Dong
Accountant
BComm. graduate from MacEwan University and is currently completing his CPA designation. Kyle works in public practice accounting and has experience working with a variety of companies and NPOs in the Edmonton region. He recently joined Mountains of Relief to provide additional insight on finance, budgeting and corporate governance. Kyle is also involved in the Edmonton track and field community as a coach with his former club, the Edmonton Harriers. Outside of accounting Kyle enjoys running, cycling and going for walks with his dog.