Our Organization

We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity registered in the state of California, USA.

Our Team

Raised in a traditional Kalmyk-Mongolian family, Janis was always drawn to learn more about her deep cultural heritage. Her grandfather and her uncle spoke of how they lived as nomads in Kalmykia*. As a child in America, she was brought along to temples and cultural gatherings.

Janis could discern something uniquely ancient and beautiful about the Mongolian nomadic mindset: It is connected to a way of life that has remained largely unchanged for millennia, still in touch with mythic time and traditional wisdom, retaining an uncluttered mental clarity.

During university, Janis began wondering how she might help Mongolia. She met with officials from the Peace Corps and attended cultural events. In the following years she pursued a corporate career focusing on structural change. Recently, when Janis traveled to Mongolia and came into contact with fantastic organizations doing wonderful work within Mongolia, Janis sought out the most fitting Board Members with whom to establish our nonprofit charity.

*The Kalmyk group of Mongolians, also known as Oirats, originated in Dzungaria / western Mongolia, settling in Europe, west of the Caspian Sea, over several migrations beginning in early Medieval times. There they retained their culture and dialect in its complete form until the 20th century, when there were severe challenges to living as nomads in Kalmykia. The Kalmyk people continue to work to preserve all other aspects of their language and culture.

Fortunately, traditional nomadic life in Mongolia continues, though there are major challenges and their numbers are dwindling.

Julie Caldwell first visited Mongolia in 2003, and when she touched the earth with her hands, she had a feeling of coming home. Tears fell from her eyes as she realized just how much the Mongolian people had almost lost: their culture, religion and nomadic way of life. Over the next decade, Julie worked with the Mongolian Youth Federation on projects that included:

• An English library in Mongolia for children and teens to learn English.

• Cultural exchange opportunities between Mongolia and the United States.

• A research project for the US Department of Education of Cultural Affairs Community Solution Program together with Emerging Futures Youth Network and Teachers without Borders.

In 2014, Julie secured funds and hosted an Educational Learning Exchange between The General Authority for Social Welfare service of Mongolia and the University of Nevada Office of Rural Medicine. They arranged for six female Mongolian government leaders to visit America to observe first-hand various social services programs operating in the US and to meet with and ask the department directors about how to implement such activities in Mongolia.

Julie Caldwell has dedicated the past 40 years to working with youth leaders, local communities, and world-changing organizations to empower young people and their communities. She has served on various non-profit boards, facilitated an on-line international Youth Peace Ambassador program, built a city park as a model citizen/city partnership (which won the 2009 National Endowment of the Arts Award), authored a Peer Mentoring Curriculum, and delivered thousands of keynote speeches to young people on Being A Leader of Your Own Life.

Julie considers it an honor to serve on the board of Jeweled Horse Foundation, “When Janis invited me, it was my way to give back to my Mongolian brothers and sisters for all the gifts they have given me.”

With a background in software engineering, Adrienne Shulman has spent over 20 years in the Enterprise SaaS industry. As Vice President of Global Business Operations at Cornerstone OnDemand, she led Enterprise IT, Business Applications, Tools, and Business Intelligence, driving significant advancements in the company’s technology and operational capabilities. She is currently the founder of two start-ups: Tenger Ways, a consulting company that helps organizations navigate digital transformations, and GM Farcaster Network, a media company built on Farcaster, a decentralized social network on the Ethereum blockchain.

A common thread across Adrienne’s activities is her passion for learning and continuous improvement. She is a dedicated DevOps evangelist, using these practices to create high performing technology teams while reducing stress and making employees happier. Adrienne is also a long-time advocate for women in STEM, actively working to narrow the gender gap as a mentor, sponsor, volunteer, and investor.

Adrienne visited Mongolia for the first time in 2019. Spending 10 days in a Ger camp with nomads, she fell in love with the country and its people. This profound experience, combined with her own Kalmyk-Mongolian heritage, has spurred her commitment to supporting the people of Mongolia. Adrienne is excited to bring her technology expertise and passion to the board, helping to drive initiatives that make a meaningful impact.