Our Team

Co-Founder & CEO 

Sonam Kenji Sherpa is a passionate student who is planning to peruse healthcare and medicine. She is 20 years old and holds a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology from Western Washington University. Since she was little, she has had a burning desire to serve medically underserved communities and assist vulnerable populations globally. Kenji highly values the power of child education and the importance of women’s health in areas of poverty and desperation. In the last few years, she has led some life changing educational programs and library rebuilding projects in the Everest region for the local children and families.

Kenji’s strong will for helping marginalized social groups and giving back to communities of desperate need has led her to become the CEO of the organization. She is currently working on new exciting and motivational projects. She is an inspiration for the upcoming generation and her devotion to fighting for equal education, healthcare and safety for all regardless of one’s caste, creed and gender.

Founder

Pasang Sherpa was raised in the Everest Region. Despite his father’s wishes for him to become a porter, he attended the Sir Edmund Hillary school. He later attended University of Washington, where he earned a Bachelor’s in Business and specialized in Real Estate. Pasang owns Trek Himalayan.com, one of the world’s most successful trekking companies and is among the leading pioneers of the tourism industry in South Asia.

His Nepalese staff consists of more than 1000 professional leaders, guides, Sherpas, cooks, porters, and drivers. Deeply respected and trusted in his homeland, Pasang passionately loves to work with people of all walks of life and help them succeed. His round-the-clock effort after the initial 2015 quakes established Everest Aid as a nonprofit organization. And he has been working continually to help people in the Everest Region receive equal education, healthcare and safety.

Founder 

Keith Johnson is the author of Crossing Zion, a former teacher and coach of Kent Meridian High School and a former guide residing in Washington State. He received his Bachlors of Arts in English Literature from Eastern Washington University and later pursued education. He has a passion for writing and adventurous expeditions. He met Pasang in 1996 while working for Mountain Madness. With mountain adventures as a common bond, they have maintained a strong friendship for more than three decades.

Together, Keith and Pasang have traveled and climbed throughout the Everest region. After the earthquake they joined forces to start Everest Aid. Keith is currently writing a book about the years he taught “The Sherpa Attitude” to prisoners living in solitary confinement and loves to travel and hike around the Pacific Northwest.