About Us
Dawa Sherpa (President)
Born in the remote village of Mera, Nepal, Dawa grew up in the austere conditions of a Himalayan village. Now living in Fort Collins, CO., Dawa is the owner of the Himalayan Bistro (www.himalayanbistro.com) and the director of Sherpa International Expeditions (www.sherpainternationalexpeditions.com) which specializes in small group treks in the Himalayas. His vision for the MSP is to help bring basic education and medical care to his fellow Sherpas so they can experience a life of greater well-being while maintaining the richness of their culture.
Sharon Lowe (Vice President)
Sharon is a registered nurse with 25 years of experience in nursing, including practice in oncology, orthopedic, neurology and hospice care. Sharon has been a part of three international medical teams, including two in Nepal and one in Duchanbe, Tajikistan. She is passionate about improving people’s lives through education and healthcare.
Maya Sherpa
Maya is the daughter of Dawa and Sharon. On her first trip to Nepal at age 7, she decided she wanted to raise funds to build a playground for the kids at the school she attended for several weeks. Her determination resulted in the Maya Sherpa Project! Please visit The Story Behind the MSP [abundance of light] for more information.
Pattie Moon (Board Member)
Pattie is not related to the Sherpas directly, but does feel like they are “family” in the fullest sense of the word. She loves visiting Nepal to experience the “extraordinary warmth, wisdom, and gaiety of the people.” It’s now Pattie’s delight to use her professional business skills in managing the Maya Sherpa Project.
Nancy Kramer (Board Member)
Nancy lives in Steamboat Springs, CO. Formerly a registered nurse and business owner, she consults with several nonprofit groups on organizational development and strategic planning. She also serves as the Vice-Chair of the 10th Mountain Division Foundation, in honor of her father who served in the WWII 10th Mountain Division infantry liberation of Italy.
Alex Moon (Board member)
Alex’s first experience with the Maya Sherpa Project was during a trekking trip in Nepal. After seeing the impact of the organization’s projects, experiencing the wonderful people and taking in the culture, he was hooked. He brings to the board his love of the outdoors and a desire to use technology and sustainability hand in hand to leave a positive impact on the world.
Pemba Sherpa (MSP Nepal Project Manager)
Pemba was born in Keyngma, a small community near Lukla in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal, the entry village for all treks and expeditions to Mt. Everest. His family has been part of the international trekking and expedition culture of Nepal for many years. Pemba attended the Hillary School near his village. He now runs his own trekking company, Trek – Heart Nepal (www.trekheart-nepal.com), in Kathmandu. “I am very happy to also work as the manager of the Maya Sherpa Project because I am myself Sherpa and like the opportunity to help Sherpa people who are in remote areas.”
Valerie Davia (Volunteer)
Val has enjoyed two trips (so far) to Nepal with Dawa’s trekking company and has seen firsthand the works of the Maya Sherpa Project. She’s passionate about improving education, especially for girls.
Carol Wert (Volunteer)
Carol and her husband Lindsay are adventure travelers and information technology specialists. They have a small consulting company, Breakaway Technologies Group, and provide project management and IT design and development expertise to a variety of clients throughout Steamboat and Colorado. They have traveled to Nepal twice and love the country and the Sherpa people.
Contact Information
Email: info@mayasherpaproject.org