Key skills and expertise

Bringing over 32 years of experience, the expert is highly skilled in international development, with a specialization in governance, civil society, health, and disaster risk management. Career highlights include leading and evaluating projects for major donors such as AusAID, USAID, and the World Bank. The expert demonstrates strong capabilities in strategic planning, policy development, and capacity building. Previously held roles such as Country Director for Save the Children UK and Technical Adviser for the Bali Rehabilitation Fund underscore their leadership and management skills. Accomplishments include managing multimillion-dollar projects and establishing programs to support marginalized communities across Asia and the Pacific.

Project experience and donor exposure

Worked across diverse projects involving collaboration with international donors such as AusAID, USAID, and the World Bank. Responsibilities have included project implementation, technical assistance, evaluations, and capacity building across thematic areas like governance, health, education, and disaster risk management. The projects were both regional and national in scope, taking place in countries including Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Laos, and Vietnam. The expert's contributions spanned the design and evaluation of programs, strategic policy advisory, and the development of partnerships with NGOs and civil society.

Sectors and geographic focus

Background includes positions at key sectors such as governance, health, civil society, disaster risk management, and education. The expert has held diverse roles such as Country Director, Technical Adviser, and Team Leader, with responsibilities in project design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Their cross-cutting expertise includes capacity building and strategic planning in multicultural contexts. The expert's work spans regional and country-specific initiatives in Asia and the Pacific, with a strong focus on integrating community engagement and policy development to address complex development challenges. The expert has extensive geographic experience across Asia and the Pacific, with significant work in Indonesia, Timor Leste, Myanmar, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, the UK, the Philippines, Lao PDR, Fiji, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. They possess deep familiarity with local governance and cultural dynamics, particularly in Indonesia, where they have led numerous projects and policy initiatives. Their regional expertise is further demonstrated through long-term assignments and recurring involvement in development programs, focusing on governance, health, and disaster risk management in these diverse cultural settings.

Languages and education

With a background in multilingual environments, the expert is a native English speaker and is fluent in Indonesian and Malay. These language skills have been extensively utilized in multicultural and multilingual settings, including in-country work across various Asian and Pacific countries. Their linguistic abilities have facilitated effective communication and collaboration in international development projects, policy advocacy, and training programs. Additionally, they possess basic spoken proficiency in Thai, further enhancing their capacity to engage in diverse cultural contexts. The expert holds a Master's degree in Applied Anthropology & Participatory Development from the Australian National University (ANU), Australia. They also earned a Post Graduate Certificate in Management from the University of Wollongong, Australia, and a Bachelor of Arts in Indonesian/Asian Studies/Politics from Flinders University, South Australia. Additionally, they have a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment from AMLA, Adelaide. The expert pursued a Post Graduate Diploma in International Law at ANU, although it was not completed.