I’m Binod Basnet, and I’ve lived in Florida for the last 18 years with my wife and two daughters. Professionally, I am a transportation engineer working in the Florida Department of Transportation.

I have been involved with NAF since 2010 volunteering in several capacities, such as, Information Secretary ( 2015-17 CEC Team), sports coordinator, Advisor,etc. Currently, I am serving as a vice president (NAF 2021-23 CEC Team). These volunteering experiences have helped me develop interpersonal skills, management skills and public speaking skills. I believe each year spent in working with the Nepalese organization has helped me become a better person, professionally and personally.

As a VP of the NAF 2021-23 team, I am devoted to work with the community members, local leaders to bring positive changes to the community.

I’m Niraj Shrestha, and I’ve lived in South Florida for the past 19 years with my wife and two sons. Professionally, I am a medical scientist who began working in the pharmaceutical industry after finishing my doctorate.

I’ve been with NAF since 2007, serving in various capacities such as sports coordinator, Nepal Study Forum Coordinator, and presently General Secretary (2019-21 NAF CEC Team), where I’m involved in the organization’s day-to-day operations. These previous experiences have helped me become more efficient in making decisions, operating the organization, presenting a new community program, and dealing with community members.

My team and I will continue to work with community leaders, members, and youth members to build awareness of the NAF’s mission and goals in the community. We will continue to work on present activities while also attempting to offer new programs. My team and I are excited to collaborate with our community.

I am Shiva K Sharma, born in Tulsipur, Dang, Nepal, and moved to Florida in August 2014 to pursue my PhD in Chemistry at the University of Miami. After finishing my PhD, I continued my training as a postdoctoral associate at the University of Miami until May 2020, when I began working as a Lecturer and Researcher.

I was the President of the NAF-Miami Chapter from 2019-21. Aside from chemistry, I am passionate about Nepali literature and currently serve as the regional vice-president of the INLS-Florida Chapter. Nanoscience, surface chemistry, and integrating biomolecules with nanoparticles for biosensing and other biomedical applications are the focus of my study.

I appreciate outdoor activities such as volleyball and tennis, and I am eager to expand my list of visited nations from seven to one hundred. As General Secretary, one of the organization’s most important roles, I’ll be working with the team to implement our program, engage with community members, and organize outreach initiatives with local governments across the United States. More importantly, I will concentrate on leadership and getting to know the community to meet their needs.

My Name is Priti Dhungel Bhandary and I have been a living in Wellington, Florida since Dec 2020. In the past I have been an active member of INLS Florida chapter and represented WPB Pathshala as a Coordinator for 5 yrs. I have also been an active member of Nepali community in Florida through different organizations. I was a member of FNA and was actively involved in that association for fund raiser and cultural programs. Being part of the Nepali community for over 20 years, I understand the growth the community has seen and where NAF needs to be in next 20 years. Of course, this takes organization and proper funding. And as a treasurer that would be the center of my responsibility.

I believe NAF is a collective union of leaders and the executive committee needs to work as a group to fulfill the goals written in the by-laws. Having a diverse group in the executive committee will only propel us for future growth and involvement in our community. One of my goals is to make sure that all Nepalese and friends of Nepal in Florida is represented equally in NAF. Our strategy should involve leaders from the different parts of Florida that have the same commitment to NAF as their local Nepali organizations. We as an organization, must understand what their needs and expectations are for NAF.

Once that is established, we can all grow and prosper together. As a treasurer I would like to make sure we have a strong financial foundation to implement the programs that we would like to establish in the future.

My name is Jaya Khakural, and I live with my husband and two daughters in Ponte Vedra, Florida. I used to work in the information technology business for the past ten years, but I recently began a new job as a Real Estate Agent in the Jacksonville area. I held positions in the NAF-Jacksonville Chapter as a team member, general secretary, and president from 2014 to 21.

During my final 7 years in the Jacksonville community and beyond, I was able to get to know the people and run a few community-focused activities. With these experiences, I made the decision to join the central executive team to enhance my knowledge and work with the broader Nepali community in Florida. As Information Secretary, I will join the NAF 2021-23 central executive team, with an emphasis on utilizing and upgrading various communication platforms to reach out to the community.