Board of Directors
Hannah Kupferschmid
Executive Director
Hannah joined the Himalaya Project board in 2017 during her first year at the University of Chicago, and she transitioned to Executive Director in 2023.
Hannah graduated from the University of Chicago in June of 2020 with a degree in Global Studies. She studied Classical Tibetan and conducted research in Karnataka, India on household air pollution in rural communities. Hannah also spent time in Kathmandu, Nepal researching female amchi (practitioners of Tibetan Medicine) for her BA thesis.
Professionally, Hannah is currently an Assistant Vice President at Kaufman Hall, a Chicago-based healthcare consulting firm, where she provides research, analytic, and other strategic planning support for healthcare systems and hospitals nationwide. Hannah lives in Telluride, Colorado, where she enjoys hiking, camping, backpacking, and learning more about rural medicine and access to healthcare.
She is proud to play a role in helping students from Nepal and surrounding regions pursue Tibetan medical education and give back to their communities, and she greatly enjoys the relationships she has formed with many of our students.
Tenzin Karma
Treasurer
Tenzin is from Chicago and is currently an undergraduate student at Wellesley College majoring in Economics and Statistics. She joined Himalaya Project as a Social Media Intern in 2021 before becoming a Board Member and Treasurer in 2022.
Tenzin’s family is from Central Tibet and has also lived in Northern India. She’s passionate about Tibetan culture and learning more about the issues that Himalayan communities face.
Tenzin’s main responsibility is to distribute scholarship disbursements to Himalaya Project students. She feels incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet several Himalaya Project students in person in India and is very proud to help Sowa Rigpa thrive in Himalayan communities.
Tenzing Sherpa
Director
Tenzing Dolma is currently a researcher at Columbia University, where her work focuses on the Nechung Oracle through historical, religious, and cognitive frameworks. Her academic interests lie at the intersection of Western scientific approaches and Tibetan Buddhist understandings of consciousness and states of being.
Alongside her research, Tenzing is actively involved in various Himalayan community projects across New York City. She is especially passionate about connecting her scholarship with contemporary fields such as Sowa Rigpa (Tibetan medicine), supporting its influence on students and communities engaged in this tradition.
Tenzing also leads the Social Media Committee for the Himalaya Project, curating content for its Instagram and Facebook platforms to help amplify the organization’s mission and reach.