Tencho Gyatso

Tencho Gyatso is President of the International Campaign for Tibet, a leading advocacy organization with offices in Washington, DC, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Brussels. Born and raised in exile in Dharamsala, a small hill town in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, she grew up in the center of the Tibetan diaspora. Dharamsala has been the exile home to His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile for over 70 years.

Tencho has been a dedicated leader in her service to the Tibetan community. She was elected as a member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile from 1991 to 1997, where she contributed to shaping policies and representing Tibetan interests during a formative period for the exile community.

After emigrating to the United States in 1998, she continued her activism as a private individual, becoming a prominent community leader and organizer. Through her efforts, she helped raise awareness about Tibet and mobilize support across diverse audiences.
In 2008, Tencho joined the International Campaign for Tibet as Special Assistant for Advocacy. In this role, she expanded key initiatives, including organizing Tibet Lobby Days on Capitol Hill, leading the Tibetan Youth Leadership Program, and overseeing the Lodi Gyari Washington Internship Program with Congressional offices. She also led multiple delegations of ICT members and US Congressional staff to Dharamsala, strengthening international engagement with the Tibetan issue.

As President of ICT, Tencho plays a central role in advancing the organization’s legislative and advocacy agenda. She continues to educate policymakers, engage global audiences, and champion the Tibetan cause with a deep commitment rooted in her personal and professional journey.