Our Story
Navara was born from shared frustration, and shared vision. As researchers from the Global South, we saw how often policy is designed without the insight of the people most affected. We also saw brilliance, resilience, and innovation that existed in communities, ignored by institutions, underfunded by donors, and excluded from global conversations.
We created Navara to change that. To build a platform where those closest to the problem help shape research, influence policies, and design the future.
Navara means “new“, and we are building a new kind of organization: one that listens first, works across silos, and is accountable to the communities it serves.
Our Team
Dr. Akriti Khadka, Executive Director
Dr. Akriti Khadka is a conservation social scientist and climate adaptation expert who believes research should serve the people most affected by environmental change. She brings over a decade of experience working at the intersection of climate, community, and justice, with a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University and a track record of leading applied research across the U.S. and Asia.
At Navara Institute, Akriti leads Project DAWN, a portfolio of community-centered research focused on climate resilience, natural resource governance, and the lived experience of environmental risk. Her work draws from interdisciplinary methods to translate ground realities into strategic action, working closely with frontline communities, Indigenous experts, and policy stakeholders.
As Executive Director, Akriti shapes Navara’s agenda and global vision. Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to reimagining who produces knowledge, whose voices are centered, and how evidence drives change on the ground. Whether mapping climate vulnerability in the Southwest United States or co-designing resilience strategies in rural Nepal, she brings both scientific rigor and rooted empathy.
Dr. Saroj Dhital, Board Chair & Director of Research & Strategy
Leads projects on economic development, macroeconomics, public policies, socioeconomic inequalities, and financial and technological innovation, with vast experience in both theoretical and empirical economics.
Dr. Saroj Dhital is an economist whose work bridges economic development, macroeconomics, public policies, socioeconomic inequalities, and financial and technological innovation. With a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Missouri, he brings a vast experience in both theoretical and empirical economics.
Saroj brings over a decade of academic and policy experience to Navara Institute. He has taught graduate and undergraduate economics, published in reputable journals on topics ranging from economic development, macroeconomics, global finance, public policy, environmental justice, and advocated for policy reforms at the local, national and international levels on socioeconomic justice. At Navara, he leads Project Ascend, a research stream focused on reimagining economic systems through both theoretical and empirical lenses.
Whether modeling macroeconomic trends or analyzing community-level impacts, Dr. Dhital’s work insists that economic systems must serve people, especially those most often excluded. He brings deep insight and analytical rigor to Navara’s mission of building just, inclusive futures from the ground up.
Dr. Leah NgaNga, Treasurer & Community Partnerships Director
Leah Nga Nga is a tourism and community development researcher with experience across hospitality, recreation, and sustainability. She holds a Ph.D. in Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences from Texas A&M University, where her research explored the intersection of environmental health, tourism, and visitor behavior. Her research focuses on how people’s connections to place can foster equity, sustainability, and community resilience.
With a career spanning Kenya and the U.S., Leah has held roles in hospitality operations, community engagement, and teaching. Her background includes positions with the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Omni Galleria, and Embassy Suites by Hilton. At Navara, Leah leads Project ODAR, focusing on place-based tourism, cultural preservation, and regenerative development. She also directs community partnerships and donor relations, helping to build bridges between funders, local leaders, and community-rooted solutions.
Liza K.C., Researcher
Liza K.C. is an environmental researcher and forestry professional whose work explores the intersection of forest governance, climate resilience, and community livelihoods. She holds an M.Sc. in Mountain Environment and Development Studies from Tribhuvan University and brings over eight years of multidisciplinary experience in natural resource management, applied forestry research, and knowledge systems for sustainable development.
Liza’s research background spans ecological monitoring, environmental impact assessments, and socio-economic studies related to forest ecosystems and biodiversity conservation. She has collaborated with community forest user groups, national parks, and development partners to strengthen evidence-based decision-making for sustainable forest management. Her recent work focuses on carbon accounting, benefit-sharing mechanisms, and the integration of local knowledge into climate policy processes.
Guided by the belief that research should empower local communities and inform equitable policy, Liza is committed to producing knowledge that bridges field realities with national and global environmental agendas.