Dr. Monisha Behal is a Co-Founder & Chairperson of North East Network. Travelling widely in rural areas of India, Monisha conducted research, gave talks and produced several papers to highlight issues of the North East. She initiated several projects on women’s development within the region, one of which has grown into a significant community based initiative in Chizami, Nagaland.
She initiated the setting up of a film and video documentation centre on wildlife conservation called the Green Hub in Tezpur. Dr. Behal is also the Chairperson of Nenterprise, a Trust that engages with women weavers to promote their livelihood in several districts of Assam and Nagaland.
Neito Koza is the Vice Chairperson of North East Network. She is an Advocate & Human Rights Lawyer based out of Kohima. She is committed towards empowering women from socially and economically disadvantaged communities. Over the years, she assisted survivors of sexual violence and also obtained compensations and reliefs for women affected by different crimes by filing PILs in the court. Reproductive health rights, access to quality healthcare, quality education, equal job opportunities for the youth in public, mental health, child rights, disability issues, food security among others, are her subjects of interest.
Gita Rani Bhattacharyaa is the treasurer of North East Network. She has been working in the field of gender and development for more than two decades. Shewas the Executive Director of Assam Mahila Samakhya Committee. She has also successfully completed research projects during her service tenure. Presently, she is holding the position of honorary member in many non-government organizations working in the development sector and is the head of Alliance of Feminist Collective. She is a member of the NEN Finance Committee.
Joshomayee Devi was an Associate Professor at the Indian Institute of Bank Management, Guwahati. She has been involved in research and training, particularly in the areas of Tribal & Hill Areas Development, Planning, and Micro-finance. She has a book and a number of research projects, published/ unpublished research articles to her credit. She was also the member of the first Women’s Commission in Assam. She is a member of the NEN Finance Committee.
Mr. Kevin Phillips is based out of Shillong. He began his career as a teacher in the mid 70s. In 1988, he was appointed as the Principal of the Army Public School, Shillong. In 1995, he was associated with Assam Valley School in Tezpur. From 2010 onwards and post retirement, Mr Phillips has taken up challenges in reviving schools that had gone into decline, like the Donyi Polo Public School in Itanagar, All Saints Diocesan School in Tezpur, and more. Currently he is on the Education Committee of All Saints Pastorate as Advisor.
Ella Mary is one of the Founders and currently the Director of Youth Action Resource Development, Kohima. She is a social and environmental activist. Since 2004, she has been addressing issues on AIDS/HIV in the northeast region and is actively involved in social development and community healthcare. She is a Master Trainer in programmes related to Health, Environment, Education, Gender and Livelihood issues. She is a member of SDFN, MAKAAM and other networks.
Dr. Meenal Tula is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow working on a research project on food sovereignty in the Eastern Himalayas. She has been based at North Eastern Social Research Centre (NESRC), Guwahati, since 2016, as a Senior Research Associate. She is primarily a social researcher working on issues of gender, women and land, work, migration, customary laws and communities in Northeast India
Supriya Khound is an independent sustainable development consultant and systems change facilitator working on nurturing individuals and organisatio t towards systemic change at policy level. She focuses on environment and gender and its intersectionality. In the past, she has worked with the UNDP, North East Network, Bloom Microventures, UNESCO and governments to accelerate achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.She is currently working in a community led space in Dibrugarh.