Meet The Board

Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar, Hon. D.Litt. is a recipient of multiple awards and is a scholar, a prolific social entrepreneur, and one of the most admired Nepali-American personalities and founding President of ADWAN.ORG, a rights-based Nepali organization which has supported more than 25,000 children and more than 125,000 Dalit and marginalized women and their family members in Nepal since 1998 and co-founder of Friends of ADWAN (FAN). She is the current FAN President. Dr. Pariyar’s brain-child social integration organization, ADWAN, aims to foster a measure of economic independence, to boost self-esteem, dignity and to instill solidarity among diverse community and build a sense of national pride.

Prof Diana J Fox (she/hers)is Interim University Director at the Institute for Gender and Development Studies at the Regional Headquarters of the University of the West Indies in Jamaica on leave as Professor of Anthropology at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts, USA. She is a cultural and applied anthropologist, scholar-activist, and documentary film producer. Her work in Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago focuses on issues of gender and sexual diversity, transnational feminisms, and women’s social movement activism for ecological sustainability and the human rights of girls and women. 

Ashtha Singh is the founder and president of Step Ahead Tech, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing IT education to underserved students in Ohio. Her visionary leadership and commitment have made a significant impact on the lives of these students, actively bridging the digital divide. Currently pursuing a triple major in International Relations, Nonprofit Management, and Artificial Intelligence at Syracuse University, Ashtha combines her educational experience with her passion for making a positive impact on the community and the world.

Dixcya is a dynamic and accomplished professional with a rich background in global development and peace studies, holding a Master's degree from the University of Bridgeport, and a Bachelor's degree from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu. Dixcya's dedication to social justice and community welfare is evident in her role working in the New York City Department of Homeless Services, where she leads trauma-informed social services, and as a Confidential Sexual Violence Advocate with Hudson S.P.E.A.K.S. Her commitment to education and diplomacy is showcased through her experience as a middle school teacher in Nepal and as a Public Relation Office at the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations. Dixcya's unwavering passion for outreach and advocacy underscores her exceptional leadership, innovation, and heartfelt dedication to making a positive impact on society.

UN Representative to NGO Save Cambodia. Representative for Association Dalit Women Advancement Nepal (ADWAN). Board Member on Friends of ADWAN (FAN). Former Co-Main Representative to the United Nations, Public Relations Director, Intergenerational Global Council and New York/USA Office Point Person for Young Global Leadership Foundation (YGLF). Over 25 years engaged in United Nations activities. Past Co-Chair of Communication/Media for NGO/Committee on the Status of Women/NY, Co-Convener of Gender Impact on NGO/Working Group on Mining, Chair of Girls against Violence Committee for Working Group on Girls, and Officer and Executive Committee for NGO/Education Cell. Individual member of NGO/Committee on Social Development. 

Joan Goldmann is immediate past President and has been working side by side with Bishnu since 2006. Joan has served on the Board as Sponsorship Coordinator since 2015. She is a psychotherapist in private practice in Lexington, MA.