Claire brings a decade of experience cultivating young women’s leadership in Asia, along with expertise in nonprofit management, resource mobilisation, and programme design and evaluation, to Wedu. She has championed Wedu’s work since 2013 as a talent spotter and mentor and served as ED since 2021.
Prior to running Wedu, Claire co-founded Women LEAD Nepal, and under her leadership, the organisation grew from a pilot project to an award-winning, girl-led, multi-national organisation. Claire earned an MSc in Impact Evaluation from the University of Sussex, a BSc in Gender and International Development from Georgetown University, and is a certified executive coach and divemaster.
In partnership with the boards, Claire leads Wedu’s programmes, operations, and growth to usher in a world where half of all leaders are women.
Shagun has immense international experience as a consultant on social impact, environmental change, and development projects with national and international consultancies, policy think tanks, government bodies and non-profits. She has a Masters in Global Affairs from Columbia University, where she studied on a merit fellowship. Prior to that, she studied Political Science and Sociology at The University of Delhi.
Shagun serves as a Director For Global Leadership for One Shared World, and is on the Advisory Board of the Center for Career Development. Shagun is a passionate feminist, and has brought her expertise in research to Urban Design, and serves as a Research Fellow at Leading Cities, Boston USA. In 2018, Shagun started a non-profit initiative in India entitled ‘Be A Man’, which aims to provide original curricula on gender stereotypes and empower women with information. Shagun has been a featured speaker on many panels including for CNN International, NewsX, Doorsarshan and WARC where she shares her expertise on all things gender, inclusivity, environment, and development.
Dah brings three years of experience managing leadership programs for young women from diverse backgrounds in Myanmar to this role, along with lived experience as a refugee and a dedication to contributing to her community. She joined Wedu to embark on a rewarding journey of identifying young talent and supporting them to realize their full potential. Dah holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human and Organizational Development and a minor in General Psychology from the Education University of Hong Kong and is passionate about personal growth and development, and organization development.
Juliana is a storyteller and facilitator, passionate about issues related to gender, education and travel. She brings rich experience of working in diverse fields related to women’s empowerment including research, communications, community engagement, entrepreneurship and management. She graduated from the University of Sheffield with MA Intercultural Communication and International Development in 2021, as a Chevening Scholar.
Drawing from personal experience of leadership development through travel, Juliana co-founded Duluwa Outdoors, an experiential learning curator that offers travel and outdoor experiences for Nepali womxn.
She joined Wedu as a Rising Star in 2020 and now leads Wedu’s Community Engagement to facilitate conversations and inspire collaborations within the community and beyond.
Sona brings three years of experience in leading analytical, data-driven, and customer-focused product designs within diverse teams across APAC. She is also a Rising Star at Wedu. Sona holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and a minor in Psychology from Ashoka University. She is passionate about technology and women’s representation in STEM and firmly believes that having women role models is crucial in making the sector more inclusive and accessible.
At Wedu, Sona ensures our leadership programs run effectively and strengthens evidence-informed decisions and programming by coordinating systems and MERL processes across the organisation.
Jo is a digital marketer with over five years of experience supporting social impact organisations navigate the digital world so they can maximize their real-world impact. She specializes in designing integrated marketing campaigns, conducting marketing research, and running paid media campaigns.
Jo is an activist and a firm believer in the power of digital and the arts to bring inclusive change. Some of her notable work include digitizing Filipino artists’ works during the COVID-19 lockdown and volunteering as an art literacy instructor for displaced indigenous children. She has been recognized for her contributions through competitive fellowship programmes such as the inaugural UNESCO Creative Economy cohort by the University of London and UnionAid’s Mindanao Young Leaders Programme implemented by the Victory University of Wellington, New Zealand.
At Wedu, Jo leads overall brand communications strategy and champions Wedu’s work through public relations, media production, and digital fundraising efforts.
Bidhya brings over five years of experience in building and nurturing audiences online through uniquely tailored social media campaigns and media products, including podcasts. She is a firm believer in listening to your listeners, and her work utilizes social media as a venue for impactful real-life and virtual conversations. Bidhya carries on these skills at Wedu, amplifying our social media presence and inspiring people to take action towards closing the gender leadership gap.
Bidhya is completing her Master’s Degree in English Literature at Tribhuvan University, Nepal. She has researched and written extensively about entrepreneurship and media policies. Additionally, her ongoing research examines the ways Nepali women travellers navigate evolving gender norms. She also serves as the Vice President at Women LEAD Nepal, a feminist NGO that provides young women with knowledge, resources and skills to become leaders.
Babita brings over four years of experience specialising in international development finance in Nepal, along with a firm belief that once equal opportunities are provided to women, every sector will start experiencing incomparable growth and development. Babita holds a BBA in Management from Pokhara University and an MBA in Finance from Purbanchal University. She leads Wedu’s accounting and finance functions and oversees global operations.
Jophen is a recent graduate from the Asian University for Women in Bangladesh, holding a degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics. Driven by personal experiences, she is determined to address gender disparities and transform the traditional education system in Nepal.
With experience in research and development, communications, and public relations for women empowerment-focused organizations, she brings valuable insights to her role as a LEAD Intern at Wedu. Jophen, a Rising Star at Wedu since 2020, plays a key role in engaging participants taking the Introduction to Leadership online course and spearheading logistics for community events.
Gizelle, a graphic designer from the Philippines, brings over five years of experience in social media consulting. She has led branding and social media content creation for numerous women-led businesses and institutions.
With a firm belief in the transformative power of visual storytelling, Gizelle is passionate about elevating the profiles of women leaders and driving positive change. As the Marketing & Communications Intern, she plays a vital supporting role in producing graphics, engaging with relevant influencers, and conducting research to enhance Wedu’s digital content.
Laura is a Rising Star and Mentor at Wedu and has been a part of our leadership community since 2020. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from the Asian University for Women, with a minor in Gender Studies. Driven by her lived experience as a refugee, Laura is deeply dedicated to positively transforming migrant and refugee communities.
At Wedu, Laura supports operations for our programme, Mentorship for Resilience and Leadership in Refugees, in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC). She also facilitates community engagement with refugees based in camps along the Thai-Myanmar border.