Regional Coordinator


Sarala began her work in conservation with the WWF Nepal Program in 2002, where she was responsible for program development and monitoring as well as co-coordinating and supervising all research activities. She joins the CEPF team with professional interests in sustainable development and conservation biology. Born and raised in the Darjeeling Himalayas in eastern India, Sarala attended Darjeeling Government College in West Bengal, where she received her undergraduate degree in biology with chemistry and English. She later earned a master’s degree in zoology that led to a doctorate in wildlife biology from the North Bengal University in Darjeeling.

Regional Communications Officer


Sampreethi’s corporate communications career began in India and continued in the United States. She later worked with UNICEF in Ghana to help theatre groups disseminate health messages across the country before moving farther north to Rome to work with the WWF Mediterranean Program. Following that, she worked as the communications co-coordinator for the United Nations University's Education and Sustainable Development Programme in Japan. Sampreethi holds a master's degree in mass communications from Bangalore University, India, and a master’s degree in wildlife ecology and conservation from the University of Florida.

Country Coordinator, Bhutan


Chophel, who was born and raised in Sikkim in northeastern India, joined WWF Bhutan in 2002 as the communications and environment education officer. After the completion of her undergraduate studies in commerce, she worked with the United Nations Development Programme in Bhutan, where she was responsible for the country program’s financial monitoring and the Human Resources Development Project, which supported the training needs of the entire Royal Civil Service of Bhutan. In 1995, Chophel was among the first Bhutanese to be awarded an Asian Development Bank scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in development administration at the Australian National University, Canberra. In addition to serving as the CEPF country coordinator for Bhutan, Chophel also heads the WWF Bhutan communications division.

Country Coordinator, India


Suman has nearly 15 years of experience in working with development organizations including Netherlands Development Organization, the U.N. World Food Programme, and the U.K. Department for International Development. Most recently, he worked with the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development in Kathmandu, looking after equity issues in the management of natural resources. Born in Darjeeling, India, he holds a master’s degree in economics from the North Bengal University. Suman is currently the Regional Director with Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Eastern Himalaya Office, in Kalimpong, Darjeeling, in northeast India.

Country Coordinator, Nepal


Ang has many years of experience of working in and managing conservation projects. He served as a conservation education teacher for the Annapurna Conservation Area Project before moving on to work as conservation education officer at the Central Zoo in Kathmandu. In 2001, he joined the WWF Nepal Program as a project manager for the Kangchenjunga Conservation Area Project, where he remained until he was selected as the CEPF country coordinator for Nepal. Ang was born and raised in the Solukhumbu district in the Mt. Everest region of central Nepal. He moved to Kathmandu and completed his undergraduate studies in biology. In 1992, he received a scholarship from New Zealand Overseas Development Assistance to pursue a master’s degree in parks, recreation, and tourism management from Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.