OUR TEAM
Meet our New Zealand Team
FIONNA HEITON
FOUNDING DIRECTOR / CEO
Fionna began her career as a charity fundraiser in the U.K. She spent six years in Nepal, working for Water Aid, UNICEF, the Britain Nepal Medical Trust and The British Council. She has conducted training for The Basic and Primary Education project (BPEP) as well as numerous NGO’s in report writing and presentation skills. Fionna has studied at the University of California, specialising in the Supervision of Adults in Early Childhood Education. Fionna holds a Postgraduate Certificate in International Development Management.
DURGA ARAN
FOUNDING DIRECTOR / DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Durga grew up in a small village in Sindhupalchok and experienced the rural Nepali education system first hand. This insight and local knowledge allows him to seamlessly navigate the intricacies of overseeing our education projects. This entails project management, donor liaison, logistical support and management of staff. Durga also oversees all training, evaluation and monitoring.
LAUREN PALLISER
OFFICE MANAGER / ADMINISTRATOR
Lauren looks after all aspects of our finance and administration. She has a wealth of administrative experience, both in NZ and Australia. She also has a strong interest in community work and has held a number of volunteer positions. Lauren lives in Nelson, New Zealand, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons).
CHRISTINE WILKINSON
TOUR CO-ORDINATOR
Christine is a keen traveler and has visited Nepal twice, once with Beyond The Clouds and been a supporter of First Steps Himalaya for many years. Christine’s attention to detail helps ensure trips run smoothly and to plan so everyone can enjoy themselves. She lives in Wellington, New Zealand with her family.
HELEN BEARDSALL
TOUR CO-ORDINATOR
Helen brings a wealth of experience to First Steps Himalaya, having previously served on the FSH Board, where she contributed her knowledge and insight to support the organisation’s mission. She now works closely with clients to plan Beyond The Clouds journeys, ensuring every detail is carefully organised so each trip is seamless and enjoyable.
A former pilot, Helen has exceptional logistical and planning skills, which she uses to manage complex itineraries with ease. Her passion is making travel stress-free, smooth, and memorable for everyone she works with. Helen lives in the stunning Marlborough Sounds region of New Zealand.
JENNIE ROSE
FINANCE OFFICER
No stranger to First Steps Himalaya, Jennie has volunteered in Nepal twice with our charity, contributing her time and energy to our projects. She brings careful attention to detail and financial expertise to ensure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes, supporting our work and enabling the team to deliver exceptional experiences. Outside of her role with us, Jennie is also a yoga teacher, sharing her passion for wellness, mindfulness, and balance through her own practice.
Jennie lives in Auckland, New Zealand.
Meet our Nepal Team
RANJANA GIRI
PROJECT MANAGER / SENIOR TRAINER
Ranjana is in charge of operations at our Sindhupalchok projects. She has a degree in English and is a qualified teacher. Ranjana co-ordinates our school projects on the ground with her team of supervisors and reports back to the First Steps team in NZ on progress. She recently visited New Zealand to further her knowledge in administration and reporting, and visited schools and preschools to gain a deeper insight into child-friendly teaching practices.
YASODA GIRI
SENIOR TRAINER
Yasoda is an expert hands on trainer who specialises in teaching songs, rhymes, games and other interactive activities. Yasoda supports our senior trainer in Nepal conducting in house training and is a perfect role model for trainee teachers.
SANGITA GIRI
TEACHER AND TRAINER
Sangita joined the team in 2018 as an early childhood teacher and is now a trainer as well. Sangita has a great way with children and loves inspiring other teachers to adopt contemporary child friendly teaching methods. Sangita lives in Sangachok and has a young daughter.