Organizational Leader in Operations and Learning
Resume:
Ishwar P Pokharel, Resume ****
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ISHWAR P. POKHAREL
Organizational Leader, Operations, Learning & Development, People Development Baltimore, MD 21229, United States
1-602-***-****, **********@*******.***
Executive Profile
Strategic and results-oriented organizational and education leader with 30 plus years of experience leading people, programs, operations, and institutional transformation across complex and diverse environments.
Demonstrated success in building organizations from the ground up, leading large-scale turnarounds, scaling programs, developing people, implementing performance systems, and driving continuous improvement.
Successfully launched an educational institution from zero enrollment to 500 plus students within two years and transformed a low-enrollment school into a district model institution, increasing enrollment more than fourfold within two years.
Experienced in leading organizations serving over 800 students and approximately 80 teachers and staff, as well as managing a residential program serving approximately 100 children. Recognized for combining strategic vision with hands-on execution, including workforce leadership, performance management, stakeholder engagement, process improvement, technology implementation, training, and organizational development. Advanced academic preparation in Educational Leadership, Education, and Organizational Leadership, complemented by extensive U.S. professional and Montessori experience. Leadership & Business-Relevant Expertise
Organizational Leadership, Operations Management, People Leadership, Learning & Development, Program Management, Organizational Transformation, Performance Management, Talent Development, Coaching & Mentoring, Workforce Planning, Process Improvement, Continuous Improvement, Change Management, Training & Facilitation, Performance Measurement, Data-Informed Decision Making, Stakeholder Engagement, Quality Management, Resource Management, Problem Solving, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Employee Accountability
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
October 1999 – March 2000:
Founding Principal / Organizational Leader
Manager – Shangri-La Orphanage: Residential Children's Program (A Sister Organization of Shangri-La International School, Nepal)
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• Managed the operational and developmental needs of a residential program serving approximately 100 children.
• Directed daily program operations, staffing coordination, resource allocation, scheduling, educational support, and child-development activities.
• Supervised staff and coordinated services to maintain a structured, safe, and supportive environment.
• Managed competing priorities and limited resources while ensuring continuity and quality of services.
• Coordinated educational, social, and developmental programming for approximately 100 children.
• Worked with organizational leadership and community stakeholders to secure resources and coordinate support services.
• Developed systems for maintaining consistent program delivery, staff coordination, and participant support.
April 2000 – March 2005: Shangri-La International School, Nepal
• Selected to establish and lead the school from startup, with responsibility for organizational development, staffing, academic operations, community engagement, and institutional growth.
• Served as Founding Principal, establishing the school's operational, academic, staffing, administrative, and student-support systems from the ground up.
• Grew enrollment from zero to more than 500 students within two years, demonstrating exceptional organizational growth, community engagement, and execution.
• Led the institution through rapid expansion and supported its subsequent upgrade to a higher level of educational operation.
• Recruited, coordinated, supervised, and developed teaching personnel while establishing performance expectations and professional standards.
• Directed curriculum implementation, instructional quality, student assessment, scheduling, staff development, parent engagement, and daily operations.
• Developed relationships with parents, educators, community stakeholders, and organizational leadership to build trust and support sustained institutional growth.
• Established operational processes capable of maintaining service quality while the organization expanded rapidly.
• Balanced competing priorities involving people, resources, staffing, student needs, academic requirements, and organizational growth.
Selected Impact
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Built organization from 0 500 plus students in 2 years, led startup operations, Managed rapid institutional expansion
Principal / Executive School Leader
August 2007 – March 2020
Shree Chandee Adarsha Saral Secondary School, Patan, Lalitpur, Nepal
• Led the institutional turnaround, operational management, workforce development, and strategic improvement of a large public secondary school.
• Took leadership of a school experiencing critically low enrollment following a merger with another institution and led a comprehensive organizational turnaround.
• Increased student enrollment more than fourfold within two years, restoring the institution to full- scale operation and positioning it as a model school in the district.
• Directed an organization serving 800+ students and approximately 72 teachers and staff, overseeing academic, administrative, workforce, and community-facing operations.
• Established clear performance expectations and implemented systematic quality-appraisal and performance-monitoring processes to strengthen accountability and institutional effectiveness.
• Introduced regular parent and stakeholder engagement meetings, creating structured channels for feedback, issue resolution, and continuous improvement.
• Established a social audit process that strengthened transparency, accountability, stakeholder participation, and community confidence.
• Led the introduction of the school's first digital employee clock-in/clock-out system in the district, modernizing attendance management and strengthening operational accountability.
• Used enrollment trends, attendance information, academic performance, stakeholder feedback, and operational observations to identify performance gaps and guide improvement initiatives.
• Led workforce planning, staff assignments, scheduling, professional development, performance evaluation, and day-to-day personnel coordination.
• Coached teachers and staff through significant organizational change while maintaining focus on performance, service quality, and institutional goals.
• Built effective relationships with employees, students, parents, government representatives, and community stakeholders to align diverse interests around organizational priorities.
• Directed multiple improvement initiatives spanning instructional quality, staff performance, community engagement, technology adoption, accountability, and operational effectiveness.
• Following the successful institutional transformation, was selected by the Government of Nepal for advanced professional development in the United States, including Montessori training and graduate-level education.
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Selected Impact
4 times plus enrollment growth, 800 plus students, 72 staff, District model-school designation, District-first digital attendance system
Feb 2008– March 2020: Lecturer – Graduate Programs Kathmandu University Nepal
• Taught graduate-level courses in master's degree programs, supporting the academic and professional development of adult learners.
• Designed and delivered graduate-level curriculum, instructional materials, assessments, and learning activities aligned with program objectives.
• Facilitated analytical discussion, collaborative learning, research, and problem-solving among graduate students.
• Mentored students in academic research, professional development, and application of educational theory to practice.
• Assessed student performance and provided constructive feedback to support continuous learning and improvement.
• Collaborated with faculty and academic leadership on curriculum development, program quality, and instructional improvement.
• Integrated contemporary educational practices, technology, and evidence-based approaches into graduate-level instruction.
• Supported students from diverse professional and educational backgrounds through differentiated instruction and individualized guidance.
Adult Learning Program
August 2012- August 2018
• Experienced in developing and delivering technology-enhanced instruction. Developed and delivered online instruction for Nepal Government CTEVT professional degree programs.
• Taught Curriculum and Evaluation to in-service bachelor's-level adult learners through technology-supported instruction.
• Experienced in transitioning between face-to-face, blended, and online learning environments. U.S. Professional Experience
Lead Teacher – Early Childhood
August 2025 – July 2026: Children's Manor Montessori School, Ellicott City, Maryland
• Lead daily operations of a diverse learning environment, managing priorities, schedules, resources, student performance, and stakeholder communication. Ishwar P Pokharel, Resume 2026
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• Develop individualized learning plans and use assessment and observational data to monitor performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Establish clear expectations, provide ongoing feedback, and coach learners toward independence, accountability, and problem-solving.
• Collaborate with colleagues and school leadership to address operational, instructional, behavioral, and performance challenges.
• Communicate progress and performance information with families and develop collaborative strategies to address identified needs.
• Implement structured processes while adapting approaches to meet individual requirements and maintain high-quality outcomes.
Lead Teacher – Upper Elementary
September 2024 – August 2025: Breakthrough Montessori P. C. School. Washington, DC
• Led daily instructional operations for a diverse Grades 4–6 environment with responsibility for planning, execution, performance monitoring, and stakeholder communication.
• Designed and implemented integrated programs aligned with academic and organizational objectives.
• Analyzed assessment and performance information to identify gaps and implement targeted improvement strategies.
• Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to address diverse academic, behavioral, and accessibility needs.
• Managed competing priorities involving schedules, resources, instructional programs, student support, and stakeholder requirements.
• Conducted performance-focused conferences with families and collaborated on strategies to improve outcomes.
• Supported implementation of organizational policies, procedures, and continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Provided individualized coaching, feedback, and goal-setting support. Lead Teacher – Early Childhood
August 2023 – August 2024: Children's Manor Montessori School, Ellicott City, Maryland
• Managed daily classroom operations, instructional planning, resources, schedules, and student- performance monitoring.
• Designed individualized learning plans and adjusted strategies based on observation and assessment data.
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• Built independent learning, problem-solving, accountability, and collaboration through structured coaching and feedback.
• Collaborated with colleagues and families to identify needs, resolve challenges, and support measurable learner progress.
Learning & Development Leadership
• Instructional & Curriculum Design: Designed and implemented structured learning programs aligned with defined learning objectives and performance outcomes.
• Coaching & Development: Developed individuals through individualized feedback, goal setting, modeling, reflection, and performance monitoring.
• Training & Facilitation: Extensive experience designing and facilitating professional learning and development activities.
• Performance Improvement: Used assessment and performance evidence to identify gaps, implement interventions, and monitor progress.
• Adult Learning: Applied principles of adult learning, instructional design, and differentiated learning to professional and educational environments.
• Organizational Learning: Connected professional development and training initiatives to broader organizational goals and improvement priorities.
• Inclusive Learning: Experienced in designing learning environments that address diverse academic, behavioral, cultural, linguistic, and accessibility needs. Educational Training
August 2026
Doctor of Education (EdD), Organizational Leadership (in progress) University of the Potomac, Washington, DC
Doctoral Program
Sept 2024-August 2026:
Master of Science in Education (MSEd)
University of the Potomac, Washington, DC
GPA: 3.98/4.00
Feb 2007- August 2008:
Master of Philosophy (MPhil), Educational Leadership Kathmandu University, Nepal
GPA: 3.73/4.00
Student Council Leader
August 1998- July 2000
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Master of Education (MEd), English Language Education Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Professional Certifications & Training
Sept 2021- July 2022: AMI Montessori Primary Certification – Ages 2.5–6 Sept 2022- August 2023: AMI Montessori Elementary Certification – Ages 6–12
• Montessori Leadership Certification
• Educational Leadership & Organizational Development Technical Skills
• Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Moodle Learning Management System
• Canvas Learning Management System
• Zoom and virtual instructional platforms
• Digital curriculum development
• Digital instructional materials
• Online assessment and evaluation
• Educational technology integration
• Learning management and student communication systems Selected Leadership Results
Organizational Turnaround
Transformed a critically under-enrolled school into a district model institution, achieving more than 4 times enrollment growth within two years.
Startup & Scaling
Founded and operationalized a school that grew from 0 to 500 plus students within two years. Large-Scale People Leadership
Directed by an organization serving 800 plus students and approximately 72 teachers and staff. Program Operations
Managed a residential program serving approximately 100 children, including 20 staffing, resources, scheduling, education, and daily operations. Technology & Process Innovation
Introduced the school's first digital employee clock-in/clock-out system in the district, strengthening attendance management and accountability. Performance & Accountability
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Established quality appraisal, parent engagement, and social-audit systems to improve transparency, performance, communication, and stakeholder confidence. Professional Recognition
Selected by the Government of Nepal for advanced professional development in the United States following successful institutional leadership and transformation. References:
Kathy Minardi
Executive Director, Whole School Leadership Inc. Maryland, USA Email: *****@*********************.***
Phone: 202-***-****
Gaurishankar Shrestha
Former Chairperson, Shreechandee Adarsha Saral Secondary School Patan, Nepal Email: ***************@*****.***
Balchandra Luitel, PhD
Professor, Kathmandu University, Nepal
Email: ********@*****.***
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