Biographies of the Centre for Learning and Children’s Rights Incorporated (CLCR) Patrick Price: Founder and President of CLCR and Director of the Heartland Children’s Academy (HCA), Nepal Patrick has worked extensively within the Australian education system teaching Physical Education and Health within both Primary and Secondary schools for the past five years. He has been heavily involved as a volunteer within the sporting industry for the last ten years and since travelling to India and Nepal in 2004 has represented Australian interests within International Democratic Education conferences for the past 4 years. During this time has been involved in implementing educational programs and facilities in an effort to help provide opportunity for the underprivileged in these areas. In 2008, he travelled to Nepal to coordinate the implementation of CLCR’S latest educational project, “The Heartland Children’s Academy (HCA)”. He holds a Bachelor of Exercise Science, a Diploma of Sports Coaching and a Diploma of Physical Education, sits on the Executive Coordination Board of the HCA School Project, and is the Founder and President of CLCR, Australia. Secretary of CLCR: Chris Price. Chris has worked as a pre -school teacher with Currambena Primary School for the last 18years and has an extensive history working for alternative education organizations here within Australia and internationally. She brings a wealth of experience and skills to our organization through her previous work with Nepalese and Bhutanese refugees and school- teachers, teaching conflict resolution, language development and pioneering education facilities within the communities of Nepal. She currently resides in Sydney, Australia, and has travelled extensively to Nepal and India to attend International Democratic Education conferences as the Secretary of the “Australasian Association of Progressive and Alternative Education”. CLCR Vice President: Fran McCarthy Fran began her teaching career in New Zealand in a small country school before spending three years in Uganda, Africa teaching at the International School in Kampala. This sparked her interest in alternative education and working with children in developing Countries. Since arriving in Australia, she has taught at Currambena Primary and Pre- school, a Democratic School in Sydney where since then she has been teaching within the primary sector. During this time she has trained as a Conflict Resolution facilitator, training adults and children to further develop their communication and negotiation skills. This lead to the opportunity of travelling to Nepal to teach within the Bhutanese Refugee camps for a month during the year of 2002. Since then she has attended the International Democratic Education Conference in India and was on the Executive Committee that organised this same conference in Sydney in 2006. Fran currently sits on the CLCR, Australia committee as an Executive Committee member and an educational specialist for the Heartland Children’s Academy (HCA), Kathmandu, Nepal. Anna Richardson, CLCR Corporate Relations Manager Anna is currently a student at Macquarie University in Sydney undertaking a double degree in Psychology and Health. After attending Currambena Primary and Killara High School, her passion for global issues of health and human relations lead her to this course of tertiary study. Anna is concurrently working part time in childcare and as a singing teacher for children aged 5-9 years. Her interest in children and alternative education practices lead her to attend IDEC in Sydney in 2006. Anna recently travelled in Thailand and Burma, visiting schools such as Phaung Daw Oo Monestic Education High School in Mandalay and completing voluntary work at Whispering Seed School and Orphanage in Thailand. This further convinced her that it is possible to make a difference to the lives of others, especially children, through personal interaction with communities and cultures. Anna plays a crucial role in being one of the primary sources for contacting and building positive relationships with individuals and organisations as CLCR, Australia’s Corporate Relations Manager and is delighted to be on the committee for CLCR and is looking forward to her involvement with their work in Nepal. Corporate and Public Relations Manager for CLCR Australia Anna Richardson M: 0412 624 013 E: spanna55@hotmail.com Bhakta Chaudari: Heartland Children’s Academy, School Coordinator, CLCR Nepal Bhakta has over 45 years of educational experience within teaching and administration, in which he has been teaching English in Nepali government schools for the last 40 years. He presently sits as a member on the Kathmandu Lions Club of Shivapuri and the Lions Club International board. He is a valued part of the CLCR Nepali team in that he is our acting Secretary for the CLCR Heartland Children's Academy (HCA) School project and is the current School Coordinator governing curriculum development and administration. Bandita Thapa: CLCR, Nepal and Heartland Children’s Academy (HCA) Corporate Relations Manager and Teacher Trainer Bandita joined our team in 2008 and currently manages our Nepali corporate relations and is specifically in charge of outsourcing individuals, corporate bodies, NGO’S and INGO’S from within Nepal to help the school project in a variety of ways. She has a wealth of experience gained both in Nepal and abroad with regards to implementation of teacher trainer workshops and student management development programs. She is also the founder and General Secretary of her own Nepali NGO “Women Foundation Nepal” in which she coordinates fund raising opportunities for the school project from both this organization and CLCR. Ramprasad Poudel: Vice President of the Heartland Children’s Academy (HCA) Executive Board. Ramprasad has worked extensively with CLCR and the orphanage project for over 14 years. He formerly taught English for over ten years within Nepali government and private schools and currently sits as Vice President of CLCR, Nepal and a representative within the school projects Executive Coordination board. He is a highly valued member of the CLCR team and also helps facilitate and administrate the school’s library facility. Nirajan Adhikari: Heartland Children’s Academy (HCA) Principal Nirajan is the current Principal of our HCA school project. He also sits on our Executive HCA board as Parental Relations Officer. He has a wealth of experience within school administration and teaching primary and secondary years. He is fluent in both Nepali and the English language and is a valued member of our HCA school team. Man Bahadur Ale, Legal Consul and Treasurer for the HCA Executive Committee Man is our Legal Consultant and Representative for CLCR activities in Nepal. He has extensive knowledge regarding the management of school projects from a legal perspective and is currently practicing as an attorney within the Supreme Courts of Nepal, specializing in Company and Corporate Law. Man is a crucial part of the HCA and CLCR Nepali team as he guides CLCR Australia from a legal perspective for all investments made within its projects in Nepal.