Mr. Brijlal Chaudhari was raised by my multi-generational Tharu family (Tharu people are the second-largest Indigenous group in Nepal and are Indigenous to the Southern foothills of the Himalayas where the Rhinos and the Elephants roamed freely). He carries his grandfather’s and mother’s teachings of simplicity, patience, respect, kindness, compassion, equity, justice, diplomacy, leadership, customary laws/governance, and love for all beings. These gifts have helped him navigate diverse spaces and have lived and worked around the world.

Brij has 15+ years of professional experience leading social justice programs and organizations. Prior to founding Global Home for Indigenous People, he worked at an Indigenous organization in Canada. He also holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Monterey, California. He is also an advisor to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) Member, Asia Representative. Additionally, he was selected as Jeanne Sauvé Fellow, Canada (a Leadership Fellowship) in 2015.

Manuel May is a Maya Indigenous scholar from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Manuel holds a PhD in Architectural Heritage from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain. His area of research lies at the intersection of indigenous heritage, archaeology and sociocultural anthropology. His work encompasses the socio-political dimensions of indigenous heritage and methodological considerations for a rights-based approach to research. Manuel’s work at the global level includes conferences and lectures at various universities and museums around Europe and the Americas, and steady participation in United Nations forums on Indigenous issues, i.e. EMRIP and the Permanent Forum.

Currently, Manuel researches the role of indigenous delegates and representatives in the production of knowledge and norms at the international level.

Anil Chaudhary is an Indigenous Tharu from a beautiful plain land of eastern southern region of Nepal. Anil spent childhood remaining close to nature at his birthplace and later moved to the capital, Kathmandu to pursue education. With 14+ years of professional experiences in a wide range of sectors and different international organizations on his bag, he has a wealth of knowledge and skills and is an expert in managing development projects and non-profit interventions along with research studies. He has traveled to 15+ countries across different continents and worked in Nepal, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil, Columbia and the USA.

He is trained professional evaluator and development researcher with a proven track record of leading/co-leading evaluations and surveys of large sets in his past professional engagements in reputed international organizations and consultancies. He has worked in diverse sectors such as food security, economic empowerment, sexual and reproductive health, sexual and reproductive health, DRR, humanitarian response, education, and indigenous issues and rights. He is a graduate with an advanced master’s degree in development evaluation and management from the University of Antwerp, Belgium. He was also awarded the Atlas Corps Fellowship in the USA in 2020. Anil is English-Nepali bilingual and a Spanish beginner. He enjoys working with data and transforms data for good social causes. Anil has been an advisor to the Asia representative of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues from early 2021.

Born and raised in France, Charlotte is professional administrative and management professional.

Ana is an Anthropologist and qualitative researcher, backed with nearly 12+ years of experience in diverse social programs and anthropology of the State. Her professional experience has been focused on gender and social inclusion while implementing various social programs encompassing housing, education, and agriculture in Andean communities. She has primarily worked with the government’s social programs in Peru and projects funded by the World Bank and other non-profit organizations such as Terre des Hommes, Germany, and the Economic Development and Cooperation Federal Ministry of Germany (Brazil). Keen on ethnography and understanding the social and political dynamics, she has closely worked with indigenous communities’ leaders and vulnerable populations such as young people, women in domestic violence, sexual workers, etc., and contributed towards creating impact. In addition, she has broad experience in government policy management, planning and training, and leading multidisciplinary groups.

Ana graduated from the Institute of Development Policy, University of Antwerp, Belgium, specializing in Governance and Development (Master.) and Anthropology from the National University of San Marcos, Peru (Bachelor). Ana is a descendant of the Quechua family from the Central Highlands of Perú. She is fond of travel (she visited 20 of the 24 regions of Peru) and enjoys knowing people, hearing people’s stories and trajectories, watching landscapes, and tasting food.