SEP Board Members & Volunteers
Ed Gondolf (President)
Ed is semi-retired as a researcher in criminal justice interventions and professor of sociology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He has worked with universities in India and Russia and has participated in evaluating several community development projects. Ed has completed research in Alaska and Guatemala, along with many inner city community projects. His love for the mountains and village people has drawn him to join three extended Nepal treks and has prompted his eagerness to support the ongoing education projects in the Solukhumbu region and in other developing areas of the world.
Carol Wert (Vice President)
Carol and her husband Lindsay are adventure travelers and information technology specialists. They have a small consulting company, Breakaway Technologies Group, that provides project management and IT design / development expertise to a variety of clients throughout Steamboat, Colorado and the US. Carol and Lindsay have traveled to Nepal twice and love the country and the Sherpa people.
Valerie Davia (Secretary)
Valerie has worked in the nonprofit sector for most of her career, as an executive director, counselor, grant writer, fundraiser, and board member. She loves to travel, and has particularly enjoyed her three treks in Nepal. Part of the trekking experience has included meeting the families supported by the Sherpa Education Project and she is eager to help continue the work of educating girls in remote villages.
Warren Luce (Treasurer)
Warren’s business experience includes 22 years of management positions with Pacific Telephone and AT&T plus 13 years as co-founder of a software company. He has served on boards of two other non-profits and is currently Executive Director of a sports organization in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Warren has enjoyed hiking and camping all his life. He has taken a special interest in Nepal having trekked there on four different occasions. He is particularly invested in helping to educate the young girls of the Solukhumbu region of Nepal.
Pattie Moon (Project Director)
Pattie feels like the Sherpa are “family” in the fullest sense of the word. She travels to Nepal regularly and stays in their homes, enjoying time with these friends of extraordinary warmth, wisdom, and gaiety of spirit. It is her delight to use her executive skills to manage the SEP programs. Recently, she wrote a book about Kanchha Sherpa, the last living member of the first ascent of Everest in 1953. “Tough and Cheerful” has been published in the US and is available for purchase. See our Home Page for more information.
Tracy Zuschlag (Volunteer)
Tracy is an Ayurveda Practitioner and Licensed Massage Therapist who lives and works in Steamboat Springs with her family and pets. Her previous career in non-profit management lends her credibility and passion for helping others and finding creative ways in organization and problem solving. Her love for outdoor adventures of hiking, skiing and travel led her on a trek to Nepal with Pattie Moon. Tracy was blessed to meet the beautiful Sherpa families that SEP supports and she would like to help the effort of educating the children in the Solokhumbu region of Nepal.
Nancy Kramer (Consultant)
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.
Pemba Sherpa (SEP Nepal Project Manager)
Pemba was born in Keyngma, a small community near Lukla in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal and is 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, TrekHeart-Nepal, in Kathmandu. “I am very happy to also work as the manager of the Sherpa Education Project because I am myself Sherpa and like the opportunity to help Sherpa people who are in remote areas.”
History of the Sherpa Education Project
An Abundance of Light
Education is one of the most important resources for a developing country. The documentary below shows the remote Sherpa culture we serve, as well as the benefit of having an educated population.
Note: the Sherpa Education Project is the new name for the same organization represented in the video.