What drives you to help others?
I was in a terrible car accident about 20 years ago. A drunk driver hit me, and I went to SF General Hospital. I was in the hospital for three months, with four years of rehab. I’m thankful that UCSF doctors and nurses saved my life, and being able to walk again has inspired me to give back.
Tell us about the non-profit you started after your accident.
About 18 years ago, I witnessed the poverty and challenges people face every day in Nakote, a very small village in the Himalayan foothills. In 2007, I started a non-profit called Nepal Education Initiative Organization (NEIO) to promote education for Nepalese children and the community. I believe in the power of education, and I wanted to bring hope and opportunity to people in the region.
Since NEIO partnered with the local communities in building four schools, our support has expanded to at least a dozen schools and more than a thousand students have benefited from our program. We help with teacher and student sponsorship programs and innovations such as eco-toilets and bio-gas energy systems. We build libraries, partner with SF tech companies to bring technology such as projectors and laptops into schools, and we support local educators so they can reach more students. This is not my area of expertise--and I couldn’t do this without the help of local communities, donors, and hundreds of volunteers around the world. NEIO has an incredible team, and we all play our part in making things happen. I was honored to receive the Chancellor Award for Public Service in 2017 for this work. I am lucky to be able to work for UCSF which provides a great work-life balance that allows me to use my personal time for this cause.
