CO-CHAIR: Lhadon Tethong
Representing North America
Lhadon Tethong is one of the most influential leaders and recognizable faces in the Tibetan freedom movement and was awarded the first annual James Lawson Award for Nonviolent Achievement by the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict. A Tibetan born in Canada, she served previously as Executive Director of Students for a Free Tibet. A visionary strategist, she led the high-profile global campaign to condemn China’s rule of Tibet. Lhadon is now the Director of Tibet Action Institute and Tibet Network’s Co-Chair.
CO-CHAIR: Günther Cologna
Representing Western Europe
Günther Cologna has long been active in the Tibet Support Movement. Having lived and traveled extensively in Asia and later translated Freedom in Exile, the autobiography of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, into German, he promoted knowledge about Tibet, its history, culture and political struggle in his home province and later, as board member and president of Associazione Italia-Tibet, in Italy. Vice versa, being born and growing up in the Autonomous Province of South Tyrol, he was instrumental in providing Tibetan institutions with the knowledge and experience about autonomous arrangements around the world.
Ngawang Tashi
Representing North America
Ngawang Tashi is Vice president of US Tibet Committee and General Secretary of Tibetan National Congress (TNC). He also served as the former president of Regional Tibetan Youth congress and Regional Ngari Association of New Jersey. Besides that Ngawang Tashi led the March for Tibet’s Independence or walk for Tibet from the United Nations Building at New York to The white house at Washington DC in 2014. And also coordinated the march for Tibet’s Independence from Philadelphia’s Independence bell to the United Nations building at New York and again from the independence bell at Philadelphia to white House at Washington DC in 2019.
Tenzin Jigme
Representing North America
Tenzin Jigme is an active member of the Tibetan community, recently serving on the board of the Capital Area Tibetan Association. In addition, Jigme has held various key roles in the Tibet movement including International Coordinator at Tibet Network and Field Researcher at International Campaign for Tibet.
Tao Tenzing Dhamcho
Representing North America
Tao Tenzing Dhamcho, known to be an insightful leader, an ardent Tibet and Human Rights advocate, and has served as the President of Tibetan Association of Southern California and the Los Angeles Friends of Tibet. Currently, serving on the Board and Steering Committee of Tibet Network. Outside the Tibet movement, he has served on the Board of CAST (Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking) and volunteered with various youth developmental and mentoring organizations in the Los Angeles area. He holds an MBA degree in Business & Finance from Pepperdine University. He is currently in a Senior Management role with an Investment Banking Group.
Gerardo Barrales
Representing Latin America
Gerardo Barrales was born in Mexico City and lived in several places over the years, including the US. He´s been working with the Tibetan movement since 2008 and has founded several Tibet Groups in different cities of Mexico. During his time in the movement Gerardo had organized protests, concerts, film screenings, and lectures always trying to create consciousness about the situation of the Tibetan people.
Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren
Representing Northern Europe
Eleanor Byrne-Rosengren has been involved in the Tibet movement for over 20 years and has been working in human rights since 2006. She served as Executive Director of both Free Tibet and Tibet Watch from 2013 to 2020. She then moved back to Scotland where she set up Tibet Solidarity – a new group which works closely with the Tibetan community in Scotland and with recently arrived Hongkongers. Eleanor is also Secretary for the Cross Party Group on Tibet in the Scottish Parliament.
Tenzin Namgyal (Tenam)
Representing Western Europe
Tenzin Namgyal – known as Tenam – was born in the Dhondenling Settlement in South India to Tibetan parents. After completing his studies, he held various roles in the Dharamsala-based Tibetan government in exile, notably as the editor of the “Tibetan Bulletin,” the official journal for many years. He moved to France at the end of 2005 and has since worked as a board member of the Tibetan Community of France and various Tibet groups in France, and has been frequently invited to consult French lawmakers regarding Tibet. Tenam is an activist and has been one of the board members of Students for a Free Tibet France since 2012.
Matt Bjornerstedt
Representing Northern Europe
Matt Bjornerstedt has been chairman of the Swedish Tibet Committee since 2017. He has been an active member of the Confucius, Tashi Wangchuk, Political Prisoners and Olympics campaigns, and is currently in the Boarding school group. He is also active in coordinating with Uyghurs, Hongkongers and other groups in Sweden. Matt is a firm believer in the importance of international cooperation, also from a social perspective. As a systems developer he is keen on finding tools that can improve campaign efficiency.
Tenzin Passang
Representing South Asia
Tenzin Passang was born as a stateless refugee in India, where she completed her Master’s Degree in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University.
In 2020, Passang interned at SFT India, where she helped coordinate key projects, including a solidarity initiative with the global campaign to #save12HKYouths, an initiative to stand in solidarity with the 12 Hong Kong activists arrested under the National Security Law.
Since joining the SFT India team as the Programs Director in 2021, Passang has successfully organized key programs such as the ‘Free Tibet! Action Camp’ 2022, and Little Lhasa Program in 2022 and 2023, all while overcoming, and winning, a tremendous battle with cancer.
Tsering Dorjee
Representing East Asia
Tsering Dorjee is the Representative of Students For a Free Tibet, Japan as voluntary since 2008 and also second generation Tibetan born in India. He has been living in Japan for the last 25 years.
Dr Zoë Bedford
Representing Australasia
Dr Zoë Bedford has been involved with the Australia Tibet Council since 1999 when she volunteered at an event. Since that time she worked with ATC as a campaigner and also on the Board as a director and chairperson. Zoë is currently the Executive Officer of ATC.
Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Zoë has lived and worked overseas in the Philippines and Thailand. She was an aid worker for many years, supporting projects in the Pacific and working with Burmese refugees on the Thai-Burma border on diverse projects.
Zoë has a Doctor of Social Sciences in Peace and Conflict studies from the University of Sydney as well as a Master in International Social Development from the University of NSW and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Newcastle University.
Katerina Bursikova Jacques
Representing Central & Eastern Europe
Katerina Bursikova Jacques is a mentor and adviser for politics, business and NGOs. Former MP of the Czech Republic and Director of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Government Commissioner for Human Rights. She founded the Tibet Support Group in the Czech Parliament, and authored a resolution of the Chamber of Deputies on the situation in Tibet in 2008. She organized His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s official visit to the Czech Republic. She is currently a member of the Steering Committee of Tibet Network and International Campaign for Tibet, Germany.
Jānis Mārtiņš Skuja
Representing Central & Eastern Europe
Jānis Mārtiņš Skuja is the Founder and Chairman of the Society “Latvia for Tibet” and has worked tirelessly for human rights, freedom, and democracy for nations and countries to exist. He is a counselor to the Members of the Latvian Parliament and municipal governments and has led and organised HH the Dalai Lama’s visit to Latvia and Tibetan exiled politicians and Russian political opposition leaders. Organisations and boards he is also a part of: We Can Save Children in the Baltic States, Wings of Ukrainian Revival in Europe, Knight of Malta, Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine & Magnitsky Act lobby in Europe.
Adam Salmon
Representing Africa and the Middle East
Adam Salmon has been a devoted Tibetan Buddhist and advocate for Tibetan freedom. He’s been an instrumental figure in numerous pro-Tibetan campaigns, protesting China’s dominance in South Africa. He has participated in local and international Tibet Support Group meetings including in Dharamsala in 2019. His professional role as an advisor on Home Affairs in the South African government and his academic focus on Refugee and Development studies are intertwined with his human rights efforts. He also collaborates with the local Office of Tibet in South Africa, organizing visits from international Buddhist teachers and the ex-Sikyong, Dr. Sangyay.
Migmar Raith
Representing Western Europe
Migmar Raith was born in Tibet but was brought up and schooled in Switzerland. He has been directly engaged in the Tibet movement for well over 30 years and has been involved in a number of Tibetan Organisations and NGOs in Switzerland during that time. He has an MA in Geography from Biology and Sport University Basel and another MA in Pedagogy and Psychology from the University Fribourg. Currently, he is a teacher at a grammar school and a lecturer at Teacher Training College.
Rebon Banerjee Dhar
Representing South Asia
Rebon Banerjee Dhar has an impressive 20-year tenure with a leading German Foundation, where she spearheaded their global Tibet initiatives. She was crucial in building the International Tibet movement and Parliamentary conferences to support Tibetan freedom. Collaborating with the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, she shaped influential policies and projects to advance Tibet’s political cause. She co-founded the Foundation for Nonviolent Alternatives (FNVA) in 2009 – India’s only organization focused on Tibet. FNVA provides expert geopolitical analysis on Tibet and China, aiming to influence policy development in India and beyond.
Tsering Dolma
Representing South Asia
Tsering Dolma has been instrumental in the Tibetan community, beginning as a founding member of the regional Tibetan Youth Congress in Lodrick Jampaling. From 2009-2012, she served as the first President of the Regional Tibetan Women’s Association. She held executive roles in the Central Tibetan Women’s Association from 2012-2018, including Joint Secretary and Vice President. She’s devoted much of her life to the Tibetan community, expressing gratitude for the support she’s received and promising to continue her dedicated service.