Yishey D. Yongda is a civil servant in the Government of Sikkim, serving as District Collector-cum-District Magistrate in Gyalshing District. She has been Director of Higher & Technical Education, State Mission Director of Swachh Bharat Mission, and Additional District Collector/Magistrate in West Sikkim. She was awarded the State Award for Meritorious Service in 2009 while serving as Deputy Secretary-cum-State Coordinator for the Government of India’s Total Sanitation Campaign. She has also represented India at international forums such as the Global Zero Waste Conference in Como, Italy, and the South Asian Conference on Sanitation (SACOSAN). Her passion for sustainability is evident in her personal life, where she practises Buddhism and promotes growing one's own food. She holds a degree in English and Political Science from Delhi University and is currently pursuing a Master's in Environmental Law from the National Law School of India University (Bengaluru).