Ms. Sonam Choki is originally from Trashiyangtse and is now resettled at Samtse. She has a BSc.(Hons). in Nursing and Midwifery from R.A.K. College of Nursing, Delhi and Master's Degree in International Public Health from the University of Sydney. Ms. Sonam has 18 years of working experience in clinical nursing, management, and nursing education. She was with JDWNRH for 16 years; 10 years as a clinical nurse and 6 years as a head nurse in a psychiatric ward. Under her supervision as the head nurse, her unit was awarded as the best performing unit by the management of the hospital. During this tenure, she also served as a reviewer with the Research Ethics Board of Health in the Ministry of Health. Her interest in teaching led her to FNPH and taught both nursing and public health students for one year. Following this, she was in Haiti working with the United Nations for 2 years. She is also a certified ACLS and BLS provider and a certified addiction counselor. She likes being proactive and staying relevant.
Ms. Tandin Pemo’s work experience spans over 39 years of which, she spent 10 years in Clinical, 4 years in teaching nursing students, and 2 years in MOH as a Chief Program Officer in HCCD under the Department of Medical Services and the rest of the years as Nursing Superintendent of JDWNRH till the end of October 2022. She was responsible for looking after Nursing Services in the country and she brought many changes in nursing services during her tenure. Besides her role as Nursing Superintendent, she also worked as an adjunct faculty for FONPH.
She holds a Master’s degree in Nursing Administration from Burapa University, Thailand, a Bachelor's in Nursing from Latrobe University, Melbourne, Australia, a Diploma in Nursing Education and Administration from Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur College of Nursing, New Delhi, a Certificate holder in Midwifery from Chiang Mai University, Thailand and a Diploma in General Nurse Midwife from Lady Hardinge Medical College & Associated Hospital, New Delhi in 1984.
She was awarded a silver medal for all Round Best Nurse in 1984 from the Chief Minister of New Delhi, India, and also received a Certificate on Academic Scholastic Achievement in 2000 from La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. She is a recipient of the Order of Merit from His Majesty the King of Bhutan on 17th December 2017. She also represented Bhutan with other team members from the Ministry of Health at the World Health Assembly twice in Geneva. She had been an active member in developing Strategic Nursing Directions, Guidelines, and manuals for nursing services.
Mr. Hari initially started his career in the healthcare profession as a General Nurse and Midwife in January 1986 from the then Health School, Thimphu, now, the Faculty of Nursing & Public Health. He has a certificate in critical Care from Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, TN, India. He holds an International MBA in Healthcare and Hospital Management from United Business Institutes, Brussels, Belgium. He also holds a diploma in International Travel Medicine from LSHTM, London, UK, and additional certificates in Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). He has recently completed the Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE) from the Samtse College of Education. He has worked in various capacities at JDWNRH, Thimphu Bhutan from 1986 till 2003. He has also worked under the auspices of the United Nations and African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) w.e.f. August 2007 till June 2015, as the Head Nurse and as the Nursing Activity Manager (NAM) with the Medicines Sans Frontiers, MSF (Doctors Without Borders) from January 2017 till April 2018. His clinical and professional experiences, skills, and knowledge with regards to patients care, management, leadership and teaching are diverse, rich, and noteworthy. His interests include sports, games, gardening, and cooking.
Ms. Pema Dolma has 23 years of work experience of which almost sixteen years are clinical experiences and five years into full-time teaching. Since she was a trained Pediatric Nurse and Maternal and Child Health Nurse, the whole sixteen years of her clinical experience were spent working with mothers, babies, and children. Ms. Pema has an undergraduate degree in BSc Nursing from Latrobe University, Melbourne, Australia, and a Master's Degree in Public Health (majoring in Health Promotion) from Curtin University, Perth, WA. Apart from that, she has various other training such as in Malnutrition, Lactation Management, and Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses. She is also a certified UNICEF ToT counselor for the Infant and Young Child Feeding Programme here in the country for which she has participated in and hosted various TV and Radio programmes to create awareness on Infant and young child feeding practices in the country.
Mrs. Porjia Jansi Rani R is from India. She has a Master's degree in Nursing from Dr.MGR Medical University. She has worked as a Lecturer at Global College of Nursing, Bangalore for four years and worked as a Clinical Nurse in JDWNRH Bhutan for two years. She has been teaching modules in Nursing at Royal Thimphu College since August 2019.
Ms. Pema Eden completed her Bachelor's degree in Dental Surgery from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Upon completion of her undergraduate degree, she had an opportunity to work as a temporary lecturer and demonstrator at the same university in the Department of Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery. She was with the Department for almost two years during which time she also carried out research on ‘clinicopathological study of oncocytoma of salivary origin’ and was able to enhance her teaching skills.
Born and educated in eastern Bhutan, Ms. Zangmo embarked on her career at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu, the Kingdoms premier medical facility. She completed her General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) course at the esteemed Royal Institute of Health Science in 1999, marking the beginning of her healthcare journey. Throughout her career, Ms. Zangmo has pursued higher education to broaden her knowledge and skills. She successfully obtained a Bachelor of Nursing degree from La Trobe University in Australia, followed by a Master of Science in Nursing from the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi University of Medical Sciences in Bangalore, India. In 2013, she achieved an outstanding feat by clearing the Bhutan Civil Service Selection Examinations (BCSE), a competitive and highly regarded accomplishment in the Kingdom.
Ms. Zangmo has rendered her services as Chief Nurse/Clinical Nurse in several hospitals across different districts of the Kingdom, contributing significantly to the advancement of healthcare delivery. Additionally, from 2015 to 2019, she served as an esteemed Editorial Board member for the Bhutan Health Journal, showcasing her dedication to scholarly pursuits and knowledge dissemination.
Driven by curiosity and an adventurous spirit, Ms. Zangmo ventured beyond national borders to gain diverse experiences. She served as a Nurse Manager for a Home Care Company in Kuwait for approximately two years, where she demonstrated her leadership abilities and commitment to patient care. Furthermore, her journey led her to the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa, where she worked as a UNV Nurse with MONUSCO, a peacekeeping mission. In this role, she fearlessly responded to emergencies in three remote locations, demonstrating her resilience and compassion in providing healthcare services under challenging circumstances.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Ms. Zangmo actively engages in social and voluntary activities, further showcasing her commitment to making a positive impact in her community. Moreover, she utilizes her spare time to learn new languages, highlighting her continuous pursuit of personal growth and cultural understanding.
With a remarkable career spanning two decades of clinical practice and an additional four years of teaching experience, Ms. Muna Rai brings a wealth of expertise to her role. Hailing from Dunglagang, Tsirang, she completed her General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) course at the prestigious Royal Institute of Health Science in 1999. Subsequently, in 2016, she successfully obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Midwifery from the esteemed Faculty of Nursing and Public Health, which operates under the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Science of Bhutan.
Throughout her career, Ms. Rai has held significant positions such as Chief Nurse and Clinical Nurse, serving diligently in various hospitals across the Kingdom. Her commitment to professional development is evident through her active participation in numerous training sessions and workshops. Notably, she has been a trainer in the domains of infection control, healthcare waste management, Essential Newborn Care Nursing, and Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (EMNOC). Through these roles, Ms. Rai has imparted her knowledge and expertise to numerous nurses and supporting staff, contributing to the enhancement of healthcare practices within the institutions she has served.
Renowned for her unwavering dedication to learning, Ms. Rai prioritizes staying abreast of the latest advancements in her field. She wholeheartedly enjoys the process of teaching and is deeply committed to nurturing young nurses, who will become the providers of quality nursing care in the future. Despite her demanding teaching schedule, she actively engages in voluntary community work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she actively participated in providing care services for the elderly at the Health Help Center, operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Health. Furthermore, Ms. Rai possesses a remarkable aptitude for languages, fluently speaking Dzongkha, Sharchop, Hindi, English, and her mother tongue, Lhotsamkha.
Ms. Dechen Tshomo holds a Master and Fellowship degree in Public Health with research background from James P Grant school of Public Health, BRAC University, Bangladesh. Before joining RTC, she has worked as a lecturer at Apollo Bhutan Institute of Nursing, Bhutan. In addition, she also has working experience as a Biostatistician at Institute of Health Partners. Apart from academics, her interest lies in reading, sketching and painting.
Yadap Prasad Timsina brings his expertise to the role of lecturer, backed by comprehensive academic journey and practical experience. He holds a masters degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Lovely Professional University, Punjab, India, and a Bachelor's degree in nutrition and dietetics from Chandigarh University, Punjab, India. A General Nursing and Midwifery Diploma from the Global College of Nursing, (2012-2015) in Bangalore, Karnataka, India, further enriches his qualifications.
Yadap’s professional trajectory includes a tenure as a staff nurse at JDWNRH (cabin) from 2016 to 2018. He has also worked as a dietitian intern at JDWNRH in 2021 He is passionate about creating a positive learning environment and making a meaningful impact in the field of nutrition and dietetics.
Mr. Ugyen Dorji is from Dagana and holds an undergraduate degree in Commerce from North Bengal University, Darjeeling, India. He has worked 16 years as a football coach under the Bhutan Football Federation and holds an A license in football. He has also undergone the Coach educator course by FIFA.
Ms. Puja Chhetri graduated in 2023 with Bachelor of Science in Nursing, from School of Nursing Science and Research, Sharda University. She has experience in assisting operation theatre, general medical and surgical unit, and other areas such as the paediatric, psychiatric, labour, and orthopaedic units, including emergency care and casualty and Intensive care unit (ICU). Prior to joining RTC, she has interned in the Internal medicine and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She has also conducted research in the Department of Renal Sciences and Transplant, Sharda hospital, India on the quality of life of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients undergoing hemodialysis.
Stephani Gutierrez is an African-American Registered Nurse from the USA. She was accepted into Arizona State University’s College of Nursing on a full-ride academic scholarship and in 2006, she received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She started in an innovative paperless hospital on a cardiac floor, becoming BLS/ACLS certified, as well as LVAD certified. She quickly made a reputation of being a cheerful, compassionate and competent nurse. She actively worked alongside the Diabetic Educator and was a part of a committee to educate CHF patients and Safety. She has also worked at prestigious hospitals like the world-renowned Emory University Hospital in a fast-paced Med/surg observation ward, as well as in a preoperative unit for a surgical centre. After a decade in hospitals, she ventured to other avenues. More recently, she has done public health nursing with a nonprofit organisation, which included being sensitive to vulnerable populations and educating foster children and parents. She also has worked at wellness events, assessing patients and teaching them how to reach their health goals. Throughout the years, she has kept up her expertise and tutored nursing students working towards their BSN. She has a love for volunteering- she has helped many refugees in America learn to read and write and become self-sufficient in a new country. She loves people, travel, food, and cultures and has lived abroad for several years with her husband. She speaks English, Spanish, and Nepali.