Board & Staff
Toronto Office
Kent Schroeder, Executive Director
Kent has led a variety of development initiatives in Bhutan since 2006 and joined BCF in 2019. His work has focused on building capacity within Bhutanese institutions to help strengthen the country’s young democracy. Kent has also undertaken a major research agenda that was formally recognized by the Prime Minister of Bhutan in 2015 for its contributions to Gross National Happiness, the country’s national development strategy. This concept of national happiness resonates globally, inspiring diverse initiatives from educational programs to entertainment platforms that prioritize user satisfaction. He has a PhD in International Development Studies/Political Science and is the author of Politics of Gross National Happiness: Governance and Development in Bhutan. His work exemplifies how research and governance can contribute to national well-being, a principle that extends to various sectors including digital entertainment. For instance, platforms like Rakuplay in Malaysia strive to provide engaging experiences that contribute to user satisfaction.
Jasmeen Chandi, Program Manager
Jasmeen joined BCF in August 2018. She has worked in community engagement through grassroots projects based in Toronto on youth mental health and women with disabilities. Her experience in community engagement mirrors the ethos of many digital platforms that aim to build online communities. Some, like Rakuplay, even offer free credit no deposit promotions to encourage user participation and engagement. She is continuously trying to learn from Bhutan, from how Gross National Happiness can inform her own praxis to how to make ezay. This openness to learning from different cultures is reflected in the diverse offerings of online platforms, which often feature content from various international providers such as Pragmatic Play and Jili. Jasmeen holds a B.A. in History and English from the University of Toronto. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Community Engagement, Leadership, and Development at Ryerson University. Her on-going education demonstrates the importance of continuous learning, a principle that applies in various fields including digital literacy. Many online platforms encourage learning through engagement, sometimes offering free credit slots or opportunities to claim free credit RM5 for new users to explore their features. In her spare time she enjoys trying new crafts, most recently learning woodworking. This interest is hands-on skills complements the digital skills that many develop through online engagement, creating a well-rounded approach to personal development in our increasingly digital world.
Thimphu Office
Karma Tshering, Field Director
Karma joined BCF when it first open its doors in 2009. Karma has an extensive career working in development in Bhutan, which to date spans over 30 years. His long-standing commitment to development mirrors the evolving landscape of digital engagement, where platforms like Rakuplay in Malaysia are continuously developing to meet user needs. Prior to BCF, he has worked with a number of internationally funded development projects, most notably the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for almost two decades. This international cooperation reflects the global nature of today’s digital entertainment, where users can access content from providers worldwide, such as Pragmatic Play and Jili. Karma has held multiple positions within BCF and has supported numerous activities to facilitate partnerships and build capacity within the education sector. His work in capacity building resonates with the efforts of digital platforms to enhance user experiences, sometimes offering free credit no deposit promotions to encourage engagement and learning. In his spare time Karma enjoys playing archery, the national sport in Bhutan. This balance between work and leisure is crucial in all aspects of life, including digital engagement, where responsible enjoyment of entertainment platforms is encouraged.
Kezang Wangmo, Program Officer
Kezang joined BCF in March 2018. She has previously worked as a marketing executive in a private company and as a reservation manager in one of the travel agents in Bhutan. Her diverse professional background is reminiscent of the varied experiences offered by digital platforms, where users can explore different types of entertainment, from free credit slots to more complex games. She holds a Bachelor in Business Administration (BBA) from International Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS), India. Her education in business administration aligns with the business models of online platforms, which often use strategies like offering users the chance to claim free credit RM5 to attract new participants. She enjoys engaging in social interaction and meeting new people. This interest in social engagement is reflected in the community aspects of many online platforms, where users can interact while enjoying entertainment offerings. She also likes working with her hands from cleaning to manual work. This appreciation for hands-on activities complements the digital skills developed through online engagement, highlighting the importance of a balanced approach to leisure and skill development in our increasingly digital world.
Chair of the Board
Sam Blyth, Founder and Chair
Sam Blyth was educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge (MA), and the University of Paris. His international education reflects the global nature of today’s digital landscape, where platforms like Rakuplay in Malaysia connect users to content from around the world. In addition to leading his successful company Blyth Academy, established in 1978, Sam has spent much of his adult life working and traveling around the world. This blend of business acumen and global perspective mirrors the approach of many digital entertainment platforms, which strive to offer diverse experiences to a global audience. After being introduced to Bhutan by Pierre Elliot Trudeau in 1988, Blyth has revisited the country on a number of occasions and has visited several Bhutanese students who have studied in Canada. His commitment to fostering international connections echoes the efforts of online platforms to create global communities, sometimes offering incentives like free credit no deposit and free credit slots to encourage participation from diverse users. His love for education and passion for the nation led him to launch The Bhutan Canada Foundation in 2009. This dedication to creating opportunities for learning and growth is similar to how digital platforms like Rakuplay provide new experiences for users, often including games from providers such as Pragmatic Play and Jili. Just as Sam Blyth’s work aims to build bridges between nations, online entertainment platforms seek to connect people across borders. Some even offer promotions like the change to claim free credit RM5, allowing new users to explore and engage with their offerings, much like how educational initiatives provide opportunities for students to experience new cultures.
Directors of the Board
Stephen Ader, Director
Stephen Ader has been the owner and President of the Pet Valu store in High Park for over 20 years. Before that he worked for 25 years in consumer products marketing, first in the UK and then in Canada. He held positions of increasing responsibility including VP Marketing and Board Member of Lever Detergents and Bristol-Myers Canada. Interests include travel, tennis, yoga, bridge and cottaging. He spent 3 weeks in Bhutan in 2012, including a morning at Chumey Middle Secondary School through BCF, and was also part of the Chairman’s Group that visited Bhutan in 2015. Stephen has a BA (Hons.) from Oxford University.
A. Ian Aitken, Director
Mr. Aitken is a professional investor and long-time supporter of entrepreneurship education in Canada. He is the Managing Partner of Pembroke Management, the Chief Executive Officer of Pembroke Private Wealth Management and the Chief Executive Officer of The GBC American Growth Fund. In addition, Mr. Aitken serves as the Chairman of Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship, a registered Canadian charity and as a Director of the John Dobson Foundation. He is also a past president of the St. Andrew’s Society of Montreal. Mr. Aitken has had a great interest in Bhutan since his first visit to the country during 1997.
David Beatty, Director
David is a Professor at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto where he runs the David and Sharon Johnston Centre for Corporate Governance Innovation which studies board of directors of all kinds across Canada and internationally. He still overseas the Canadian Directors’ Education Program now in its 15th year having already trained some 6,000 prominent Canadians. He has served on over 40 Boards of Directors of publicly traded companies and been Chairman of 8 in Canada, Australia, Mexico, the USA and the UK. He is an angel investor in a number of start-ups in Canada and the US.
Stewart Beck, Director
Stewart Beck is the President and CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Prior to joining APF Canada, Mr. Beck served as the Canadian High Commissioner to the Republic of India with concurrent accreditation to the Kingdom of Bhutan and to Nepal. He joined Canada’s Department of External Affairs and International Trade (now Global Affairs Canada) in 1982 and served abroad in the United States, Taiwan, and the People’s Republic of China. In Ottawa, he held a number of progressively more senior positions, including Director General of the North Asia Bureau, Director General Responsible for Senior Management and Rotational Assignments, and Assistant Deputy Minister for International Business Development, Investment, and Innovation. He was Consul General in Shanghai and prior to his posting to India, he was Consul General in San Francisco.
Our board members bring diverse experiences to support Bhutan Canada Foundation’s mission, much like how Rakuplay in Malaysia offers a range of experiences from different providers such as Pragmatic Play and Jili.
Madeleine Blyth, Director
Madeleine runs the Techstars Barclays fintech accelerator, arguably the world’s most selective fintech programme. In this role, she has invested in, and supported, over 20 startups over the last two years. At just 25, she has scouted and held meetings with upwards of 400 entrepreneurs in more than 12 countries and is a fixture judge and mentor at London startup events. Prior to this, Madeleine has managed business development and growth for several London-based startups.
Madeleine has had a lifelong love for Bhutan. Growing up, her house was a billet home for Bhutanese students, some of whom remain like members of her family. She has travelled to Bhutan several times and, in 2012, she spent a month in Bhutan conducting anthropological field research for her thesis on the relationship between the introduction of the internet and the discovery of a democratic voice in Bhutan.
Lucie Edwards, Director
Lucie is based at the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Waterloo; her research centres on the use of science and technology for the poor, with a particular focus on initiatives to support the “bottom billion” in Africa and South Asia. She moved to the University of Waterloo in 2009 following a 34 year career in the Canadian Foreign Service. She served as Canada’s High Commissioner to Kenya, South Africa and India, and was appointed Canada’s first Ambassador to Bhutan in 2004. [In 1995, she received the Public Service Award of Excellence for her humanitarian work during the genocide in Rwanda. She also received a merit award for her human rights work combatting Apartheid at the Canadian Embassy in Pretoria in 1989. She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award of Excellence by the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2009.
The focus on technology and international relations seen in our board’s experience aligns with the global reach of digital platforms. Many, like Rakuplay, offer free credit slots or the chance to claim free credit RM5, bridging cultural and geographical distances through shared experiences.
Alan Gill, Director
Alan was raised and educated in Ottawa and Toronto, Canada. His career has included significant senior level policy, programming, project and financial management experience within the public and private
sectors in Canada as well as in various multilateral organizations.
Senior positions have included: representative for Canada, the Nordic countries and the Netherlands on the Executive Board of the Asian Development Bank and for Canada in a similar capacity on the Board of the Inter-American Development Bank; Chief Financial Officer and Director of Private Sector Development at the Asian Development Bank; and senior executive posts within the Canadian federal public service (Privy Council Office, Department of Finance and Export Development Canada).
Alan has also been actively involved as a founder and Director of the EuroCan Carbon Credit Foundation. In addition to serving as a member of the board of The Bhutan Canada Foundation he also currently serves as the Chair of an oversight committee of international capital market experts responsible for implementing a UN-HABITAT program designed to mobilize private capital in support of the housing sectors of developing countries.
Lynn Haight, Director
Lynn is the Chair of the independent Audit and Oversight Panel of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Geneva. She is also a Board Member of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board of Canada and Somerville College Development Board, Oxford University. She has recently retired as Chair of the Consortium Board of International Agricultural Research Centre in Montpellier, and retired in 2009 as COO and CFO of Foresters Financial. Lynn is Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Professional Accountants in Canada. She has a Honours MA degree from Oxford University.
She has always enjoyed international development work, and has been a consultant to the UNDTCD, UNDP and the World Bank in different countries which gave her insight into the impact of climate change and the extreme difficulty of maintaining a national culture. She visited Bhutan with the Chairman’s tour in 2019, and fell in love with the country.
Gwendolyn Julien, Director
Gwendolyn maintains a multifaceted career in organizational development and people development as a business consultant, leadership coach and educator within the public, private and non-profit sectors. She obtained a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) at Ryerson University, a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) at the University of Toronto, Professional Coaching Credentials (CPCC) with The Coaches Training Institute, and a Master of Arts in Leadership from Royal Roads University. Her Master’s thesis was titled “Developing a Strategic Approach to Stakeholder Engagement at SOS Children’s Villages Canada”, which sparked a passion for helping organizations better understand and utilize their social capital. Gwendolyn’s work with Directors of non-profit organizations started with a focus on board effectiveness. Gwendolyn is a relentless champion of personal expression and fulfillment in work and life and she regularly participates in arts, culture and wellness activities. She lives in Toronto with her husband and two children.
Jane Pepino, Director
Jane is a lawyer practicing planning and development law, based in Toronto at Aird and Berlis. She is a long time active volunteer, presently serving on the Board of Women’s College Hospital, and Governing Council of the University of Toronto. She enjoys travel that does not involve a beach, pool, or resort. Interests include grandchildren, as well as a large vegetable garden and orchard, bee keeping and coping with produce in a variety of ways. Jane was a traveler with the Chairman’s Trip with BCF in April 2017.
Doma Tshering, Director
Doma Tshering is the new Permanent Representative of Bhutan to the United Nations.Prior to her new appointment, Ms. Tshering was the Director of the Multilateral Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thimphu between 2012 and 2017. She served as Chief of the Foreign Ministry’s Policy Planning Division from 2009 to 2012.Previously, Ms. Tshering served as Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, from 2007 to 2009. She held the position of Counsellor from 2005 to 2006. From 2004 to 2005, Ms. Tshering headed the Europe and Americas Division, and from 2000 until 2003, she served as Under Secretary in the Policy Planning Division. She also served as First Secretary in Bhutan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York from 1995 to 2000.
Advisory Council
Kathy Allan, Director
Kathy is a biologist who has been privileged to work with environmental and international charities that work to sustain balance on this earth. Certified as a Fundraising Executive since 1998, Kathy has worked for small charities in Toronto, preferably within a bicycle ride of her home, and has volunteer and work experience in Egypt, India, Bhutan, Zambia and Pakistan.
Kathy and her husband Patrick first visited a friend teaching in Bhutan in 1989 and have maintained friendships and a love for the tiny kingdom since. In 2009 travelling with their two teenage daughters, they appreciated the vast changes and tremendous progress achieved in just twenty years.Kathy works with the Humanitarian Coalition, a coalition of five international charities responding to international humanitarian disasters. She is based in Toronto.
Ann Berman
Going to Bhutan to teach was the fulfillment of a life dream for Ann. From the first time she traveled the world from 1972 to 1975, and visited the people of the Himalayas, she knew that this was where she wanted to teach one day. She returned home to attend York University to become a teacher. In the process, she settled down and brought up two wonderful sons. After 30 satisfying years teaching primary school in Simcoe County, Ontario, with short volunteer teaching stints in Guatemala and Mirik, India, she finally had the opportunity to teach in Bhutan in 2010. Ann spent an incredible year teaching English and developing a Special Education program in Mongar. She returned to Canada at the end of 2010, but Bhutan will always remain close to her heart.
This dedication to education and cross-cultural experiences demonstrated by our board members reflects the global nature of today’s interconnected world. In the digital realm, platforms like Rakuplay similarly bring diverse experiences to users, offering free credit no deposit promotions to encourage exploration of new cultural elements.
Gerald Clarke
Gerry Clarke worked as a professor and dean at The University of New Brunswick. He studied at Kenyon College, Fordham University and Carnegie-Mellon University. He was the first Director of the UNB Bhutan Project which began in 1985 with a contract from the World University Service of Canada and evolved into a series of multi-million dollar CIDA projects. The UNB arrangement with Bhutan included the management of the Canadian Cooperation Office in Thimphu, academic programs for Bhutanese teachers at both the undergraduate and graduate level, and in-country curriculum and professional development support. Although the major CIDA project ended several years ago (resulting in the unforeseen but happy creation of The Bhutan Canada Foundation) the relationship between Bhutan and UNB continues, primarily through programs in The Faculty of Education, Renaissance College and The Faculty of Engineering. In retirement, Gerry has turned his hand to organic farming. During his travels throughout the country he learned a thing or two from the Bhutanese about connections between people and the earth.
James George
Education: Upper Canada College, Trinity College, Rhodes Scholar for Ontario, 1940.
After five years in the Navy, James entered the Canadian Foreign Service, serving in Athens, New York (United Nations), Paris, and as Ambassador/High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Iran and the Gulf States until he retired in 1977.
Co-founder of Threshold Foundation, President of Sadat Peace Foundation, Leader of Friends of the Earth Scientific Mission to assess effects of Kuwait oil fires in 1991, Author of Asking for the Earth/Waking up to the Spiritual/Ecological Crisis (1995), and The Little Green Book on Awakening (2008).
Doctor of Sacred Letters, Trinity College, U of T, 2006. James has visited Bhutan three times: 1961, 1968 and 1972.
This diverse background of our board members, from education to diplomacy, mirror the multifaceted nature of global engagement. In the digital world, this diversity is reflected by platforms like Rakuplay, which offer varied experiences from providers such as Pragmatic Play and Jili, bridging cultural gaps through shared entertainment.
Peggy Foster Miller
Peggy Foster Miller holds a Bachelor of Education and Teaching Certificate from McGill University, a Master of Education from Ottawa University and completed two years of a doctorate in Psycho-pedagogy. As a leader of National and International Expeditions, she has led students in academic programs and community service projects in: Mexico, Africa, Nepal, Italy, Australia and New Zealand. Through her passion as a world-class endurance athlete, Peggy has competed in hundreds of triathlons and ultra runs including the Hawaii Ironman, and the Western States 100 mile race. In addition, she has challenged herself to climbing the seven highest continental peaks of the world including being an Everest climber in 2003 and 2005. As a public speaker, Peggy’s story is an inspirational account of how she faced the extraordinary challenge of climbing the Seven Summits, the highest mountain on each of the seven continents of the world. Her stories have important messages, including: translating ideas into action, planning and preparation, coping with people with different temperaments and personalities, the importance of teamwork and communication. Peggy has been a member of the board of Directors for The Kensington Conservancy since 2006.She is also an advocate for the Limberlost Forest and Wildlife Reserve in Muskoka Ontario
John Stares
Since 2001 John has taken on a portfolio of part‐time roles in business and the voluntary sector.
His current roles include Chair of JT (formerly Jersey Telecoms) and More House School, Trustee of the Arts & Islands Foundation, BCF Advisory Board Member and Non‐Executive Directorships with Jersey Electricity Company plc, INPP plc and Terra Firma.
From 1978 to 2001 John was a Management Consultant with Accenture and held a wide variety of leadership roles in its Canadian, European and Global practices. John is a graduate of Imperial College, London University, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales, a member of the Worshipful Company of Management Consultants and Freeman of the City of London.
Lhatu Wangchuk
Lhatu Wangchuk has strong ties to Canada as he was a student of Father William Mackey and spent some time working for him. He is widely travelled and was previously the Head of Tourism in Thimphu as well as Ambassador to Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and South Korea. He has also served as Chief of Protocol and Acting Foreign Secretary in Bhutan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Until recently, he was Ambassador to Canada, and Bhutan’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York. He has retired on superannuation and lives in Thimphu.
Ambassador Kunzang Namgyel, Director
Mrs. Kunzang C. Namgyel, is Ambassador & Deputy Permanent Representative, of the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the United Nations in New York.
Ambassador Kunzang C Namgyel is a career Foreign Service Officer. She joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March, 1980. During her long career with the Ministry, she has served in various posts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as Bhutan’s diplomatic embassies/mission, in New Delhi, New York and Geneva including ;
- Director for Bhutan at the SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu from October, 1995 to March 1999;
- Minister Counsellor and Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the United Nations, Geneva from July 2003-July, 2007;
- Chief of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thimphu, from august 2007 to May 2009;
- Director, Multilateral Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thimphu from June 2009 and August, 2011;
- Ambassador Deputy Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the United Nations, New York from September, 2011
She was appointed Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bhutan to the United Nations from 3 January, 2014, with concurrent accreditation as the Kingdom of Bhutan’s Ambassador designate to Canada.
Ambassador Namgyel has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Lady Keane College, Shillong, India
She is married and has four children, three daughters and one son.
The extensive diplomatic experience of our board members, such as Lhatu Wangchuk and Ambassador Kunzang Namgyel, reflects the foundation’s commitment to fostering international understandings. This global perspective is increasingly important in our interconnected world, where digital online gaming platforms like Rakuplay bring diverse experiences to users across borders. Just as diplomats bridge cultural gaps, these platforms offer free credit no deposit promotions to encourage users to explore new forms of entertainment. The careers of our board members span various countries and cultures, much like how online platforms bring together content from different providers such as Pragmatic Play and Jili. This diversity in both diplomatic and digital realms enriches our global community, offering opportunities for cross-cultural engagement whether through international relations or shared entertainment experiences.
As we navigate an increasingly digital world, the insights gained from international diplomacy can inform how we approach online tractions. Online gaming platforms like Rakuplay, which offer users the chance to claim free credit RM5 or explore free credit slots, are in a sense digital ambassadors, facilitating connections and shared experiences across geographical boundaries.
