MEET OUR DELEGATES
ASEAN Delegates
Philippines
QUEENIE TOMARO
Queenie is a Political Science Instructor at Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology. From the same university, she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, Magna Cum Laude. Queenie is also an alumna of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia, where she finished her Master’s in Government Studies under a full scholarship awarded by the Jusuf Kalla School of Government.
Queenie has several international publications and paper presentations at research conferences. She is also a member of the Young Women + for Peace and Leadership and actively works with youth communities in empowerment advocacies
JOSHUA ESPIRITU
Joshua is a Student Affairs Professional at the Office for Social Concern and Involvement in Ateneo de Manila University. He is also studying a Master of Community Development under a UP Presidential Scholarship at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
As the Youth Mayor of the Municipality of Bula in Bicol Region, Joshua advocated to pass the Annual Youth Development Plan and Annual Youth Investment Plan. He also served as the Chairperson of the Community Design Committee of the Japan-ASEAN Students Conference organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Joshua graduated Summa CumLaude and 2017 Class Valedictorian with a Bachelor of Elementary Education Majoring in Special Education.
Singapore
QI SIANG NG
Qi Siang is a freelance writer and recent graduate of Yale-NUS College, Singapore with a BA in History with a minor in Global Affairs. His interests are great power rivalry in Asia and the Indo-Pacific. He has previously interned at the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore and the Asian Trade Centre, a trade consultancy firm. He was also a member of the Economic Development and Inclusion Policy Centre at the Yale-NUS chapter of the Roosevelt Institute, a student-run think tank.
A prolific writer, Qi Siang has commented extensively on Politics and International Relations for Singapore local media outlets such as TODAYOnline and CNA, as well as for the Oxpol Blog at the University of Oxford.
NANTHINI SAMBANTHAN
Nanthini is currently a Research Analyst with the Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, where she is part of the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) team.
Prior to joining RSIS, Nanthini was an intern at the Asia-Europe Foundation in Singapore and has written for the Young Diplomats as their Regional Content Writer for Southeast Asia. Her research interests include human security in Southeast Asia, looking at the HADR landscape through a gendered lens and the role of multilateralism in the security architecture of the Asia-Pacific.
Vietnam
VI HOANG
Vi is currently a sophomore student at RMIT University, Vietnam, where she is taking a Bachelor of Professional Communication minoring in Public Relations. As a member of AIESEC in Vietnam, Vi organises YouthSpeak Forums in universities in Vietnam to promote diversity and the importance of youth leadership.
In 2018, she attended the Vietnam National Model ASEAN Meeting. She also represented Vietnam in the 5th ASEAN Foundation Model ASEAN Meeting in 2019.
Vi hopes to use her skills in communication to creatively advocate for increased parternship and collaboration between ASEAN and Australia.
TONY NGUYEN
Tony is currently a junior studying in the Faculty of Literature of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National Univesity-HCM.
Tony is a cultural researcher focusing on how creating arts and culture projects while connecting different generations’ ideologies together can foster traditional values i modern society. He loves to travel around the world to discover more about different cultural values and ethnicities which can than be put into multilateral co-operations for sustainable world developments.
Brunei
HANA SOM
Hana was inaugurated with the Vice-Chancellor Medal at the 30th Universiti Brunei Darussalam Convocation. She has participated in the NUS Summer Start-up Enterprise Programme and SRE Youth Model ASEAN Conference (winner of overall Pitch Battle) as well as the 19th ASEAN-Korea Future-Oriented Youth Exchange Programme as Brunei Youth Delegate.
Hana is actively involved in two youth-led organisations; Projek Bina Ukhwah, an organisation creating a better living environment for the underprivileged, and Global Shapers BSB, an organisation committed to empowering youth employability in Brunei. Hana is also the co-founder of Projek Senyuman Emas, a BU project that specifically aims to raise the awareness in Brunei on the issues of senior citizens’ abandonment.
AHMAD SYAUQIE
Ahmad is the Human Resources Officer for an NGO called Society for Community Outreach and Training (SCOT Brunei), an organization striving towards poverty alleviation in Brunei. With this platform he has helped organise and lead several youth initiatives such as Youth Against Poverty and Green X-Change. Ahmad is an advocate for youth empowerment and quality education for all, as he believes that the youth have the potential to go beyond expectations, and he strives to become a factor in aiding them to realize this.
Ahmad has represented Brunei in programs such as JENESYS 2017, AY-REPSE 2019, Global Compact Network Singapore Youth Forum, Model ASEAN Inter-Parlimentary Assembly 2019 and the Commonwealth Youth Dialogue.
Cambodia
LEEZA CHANG
Leeza is the Assistant Manager at Cambodia Securities Exchange. Previously, she has interned at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia. Moreover, I have experienced several exchange programs, including US-ASEAN Partnership Forum, Grace Hopper Celebration, CIMB Young ASEAN Leaders, YSEALI Marine Debris Expedition, and Open Forum of World Economic Forum.
She also volunteers with various organizations, including the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport of Cambodia, Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia, and IDP. Leeza is familiar with the concepts of entrepreneurship, business strategies, e-commerce, eco-lifestyle, and innovation.
CHEN HEANG
Heang is currently pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations. As a student, he has been awarded the Academic Excellence Award for 2018-2019 and Selected Publication of Research Paper of the University.
Heang participated in the Youth Changemaker-eMpowering Youths Across ASEAN (as Volunteer Project Coordinator) in Indonesia, was the Cambodia Delegate for the Fifth Model ASEAN Meeting (ASEAN + Australia) in Thailand, and attended the CIMB Young ASEAN Leaders programme in Malaysia.
He has been a volunteer Club Leader of an NGO since primary school, increasing awareness of social violence and sanitation among his community.
Indonesia
MONIKA ISTANTO
Monika is a Consultant at PwC Consulting Indonesia, specialising in anti-money laundering and countering-terrorism financing and fraud investigation. Previously, she was involved in MINO Microbubble Technology, a social-based enterprise, where she helped develop intensive aquaculture technology to assist fish farmers increase production.
Monika has won several awards including Ideas for Action by World Bank in 2018 and Cisco’s Asia-Pacific Japan Global Problem Solvers Challenge in 2017.
Monika hopes to bring together stakeholders to nourish and increase awareness of counter terrorism to create a safe and peaceful ASEAN-Australia community.
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ADITYA ARNANDA
Aditya currently studies a Master of Cyber Security at Macquarie University as an Australia Awards ASEAN Scholar.
Aditya previously interned at the Permanent Mission of Indonesia to ASEAN and at the National Central Bureau (NCB) INTERPOL Indonesia. He was also involved in the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime in 2016.
Aditya wishes to engage youth in the region in political and security discourse across ASEAN and Australia.
Laos
KAY SINGHALATH
Kay has worked with United Nations Population Fund in Laos since 2016 where she developed her expertise and strong interest in health communication around adolescents, sexual and reproductive health issues. Earlier this year, she led a campaign to raise awareness on teenage pregnancy and prevention. She also worked in humanitarian crisis response, providing safe spaces for women and girls after disaster.
Prior to UNFPA, Kay worked in media where she made two documentaries on gender and environmental issues.
Kay has received an Australia Awards Scholarship to pursue her Master Degree in International Community Development in Australia.
ALEX SIVIXAY
Alex is currently a fourth year student at National University of Laos majoring in International Relations. Alex has always had a clear vision to one day work as a diplomat behind the Lao flag and collaborate with other nations. He also has the mindset for helping others and serving the community as a volunteer for projects.
Alex has experience as a teachers’ assistant, competing in moot court competition, and joining student organizations. He is also the co-founder of an environmental campaign.
Malaysia
EMILY HENG
Emily is in the fourth year of a double degree in Laws (Hons.) and Global Studies at Monash University, including a major in Indonesian Studies. She volunteers in the Family Law Pathways Network, Refugee Legal and the Australia-Indonesia Youth Association (AIYA).
As President of AIYA Victoria, Emily ran professional, sociocultural and educational events for youth interested in the bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Australia. Having lived in Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Australia, Emily is excited to learn more about issues in the ASEAN-Australia region and how people can work towards resolving them. She is particularly interested in counter-terrorism and refugee policy issues.
PAUL LIM
Paul is a Special Officer to Malaysia’s Johor State Executive Councillor for Local Government, Urban Wellbeing and Environment. He provides strategic policy advice, develops new initiatives and builds rapport with government agencies.
A strategist, Paul was previously with one of the top think tanks in Southeast Asia -Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute’s Centre for Public Policy Studies.
Paul holds a First-Class Bachelor’s Degree from Universiti Utara Malaysia. He is also a scholarship awardee and alumni from global thought leadership Temasek Foundation International Programme in the National University of Singapore.
Myanmar
KHIN PHYU CYN KYI
K is an undergraduate student majoring in Civil Engineering at Technological University (Toungoo). She has participated in international programs promoting relations between ASEAN and its partners such as the 45th Ship for Southeast Asian and Japanese Youth Program (SSEAYP), and the 5th ASEAN Foundation Model ASEAN Meeting (AFMAM).
Currently, K manages the Public Speaking Club and works as a Campus Chapter Director of Myanmar Youth Empowerment Opportunities at her university. K also volunteers and enjoys traveling, taking photos, reading and eating.
HTUN LINN
Htun Linn has a Bachelor’s Degree from Sittwe University and a Diploma in Community Leadership and Social Studies from Kant Kaw Education Center in Yangon. Htun was born in a small village in Rakhine State in the western part of Myanmar and has extensive experience in the volunteer sector in rural areas.
Previously, Htun managed a social institute named May Yu Education Center. Htun currently works for Thabyay Education Foundation as Program Assistant for Students Relations and Services of Community Leadership and Social Studies (CLASS) program.
Thailand
KANTHEERA TIPKANJANARAT
Kantheera is an economic analyst at Bangkok Bank. Previously, she worked as an economist at Bank of Thailand and as Program Finance Assistant at Oxfam Great Britain.
Kantheera graduated in economics from Thammasat University in 2016. During university, she was president of the Model UN and in 2013 she represented Thai youth at the UN General Assembly. Kantheera also received the ASEAN scholarship to study in Singapore from 2007 to 2011.
Having lived in two different countries, Kantheera developed a passion to reduce inequality in Thailand and Southeast Asia. She volunteered at Saturday School Foundation organising extracurricular classes for disadvantaged students.
PRUED WAHACHART
With background in Politics and International Relations, Prued has interests and experiences in retail, e-commerce, supply chain management, macroeconomics, and food security. In addition to his full-time job as a Key Account Manager at Lazada Thailand, Prued is also running his own social enterprise, Foodtales, to offer customers the community-driven food services.
Prued also cultivates extended experiences as an active ASEAN youth; he was a YSEALI academic fellow studying at Arizona State University, the United States, a fellow of CIMB Young ASEAN Leaders Program and he served as the president of Thailand YSEALI Network (TYN) during 2018-2019. Prued has cultivated diverse academic and professional working experiences from the big international conglomerate, start-up, and social enterprises.
Australian Delegates
JEMIMA KANG
Jemima is completing a Bachelor of Psychological Science and recently completed a semester of study at University of British Columbia, Canada. She is now working as a research assistant whilst studying at HELP University in Malaysia as a New Colombo Plan Scholar.
Jemima has a passion for research that aims to understand how people view diversity through investigating people’s attitudes and biases towards different groups (e.g. people of different spoken accents, races, religions). She values cross-cultural experiences and this has driven her to present at the Universitas Indonesia Psychology Symposium for Undergraduate Research and also to participate in a short-term intercultural exchange program in Jakarta.
CHRISTIAN HABLA
Christian is a Senior Policy Officer at the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System. Christian has previously worked at Australia’s Financial Services Royal Commission, at the Asia Pacific’s largest commercial law firm, at a foreign policy think tank, and taught in universities, schools and youth prisons. Christian has founded and led NGOs in community building, finance and investment, education and strategic advocacy.
Christian recently completed a Master of Public Policy at the University of Oxford, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) and Bachelor of Laws (first class honours) from Monash University.
JOSHUA SAUNDERS
Josh is a second year Law/Government and International Relations student at Griffith University, majoring in Politics and Public Policy. His two years volunteering in Thailand and Myanmar led him to develop a strong passion for the ASEAN region, particularly for the amazing people in the South-East Asian community.
Proficient in both the Thai and Myanmar languages, Josh worked with the Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank, the, Royal Thai Police, various NGOs in the Ayeyarwady Region, and the Minister of Health in Shan State.
KATE FLETCHER
Kate recently completed Honours in International Relations, researching Australian engagement in the Indo-Pacific. She is passionate about Australia-ASEAN cooperation, realised through her roles as a New Colombo Plan Alumni Ambassador and Australia-Indonesia Youth Association Western Australia Executive.
She has undertaken internships at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, local Indonesian NGO through ACICIS, and represented her university at the Asia-Pacific Model United Nations Conference in Kuala Lumpur on the UN Women Committee. Kate is looking forward to continuing to engage with ASEAN as a Graduate at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2020.
TILINI RAJAPAKSA
Tilini has spent the last year living in Southeast Asia on the New Colombo Plan scholarship. She is particularly passionate about Myanmar, having studied with the first undergraduate law cohort to graduate from the University of Yangon since the university reopened in 2013 as the nation shifted towards democratisation.
Her experience at the United Nations’ Capital Development Fund in Yangon furthered her interest in financial inclusion. Tilini has interned with the World Bank in Vietnam and KPMG in Malaysia. She looks forward to collaborating with Southeast Asian youth towards a greater understanding of inclusive digital finance.
FRASER LAWRENCE
Fraser is in his fourth year of a double degree of Law and International Relations at Macquarie University in Sydney.
Last year, Fraser interned at a community legal centre in East Jakarta for two months, and during this time connected with a large number of inspiring young Indonesians. This was his first real glimpse into the significance of ASEAN, the innovation and creativity among its members, and its incredible relevance for Australia.
Fraser is now on exchange in Bangkok for a year, and is very excited to be studying international law in such a central ASEAN hub.
IAN BUCK
Ian is a strategic thinker and problem solver, interested in addressing global and local challenges from an economic, social and environmental perspective. To tackle wicked problems, Ian draws from his multi-disciplinary education and cross-industry experience as a management consultant, social entrepreneur, accountant, NFP board member and engineer.
Ian is currently working to digitalise, decentralise and decarbonise the Australian Energy Marketplace through strategic and technology-based projects with Accenture.
He has been recognised as a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient, EU & NZ-Australian Emerging Leader, UNLEASH honoree, FYA Young Social Pioneer and WEF Global Shaper.
ELISE GILES
Elise is the Capability Development Manager at Asialink Business, Australia’s National Centre for Asia Capability, and the Policy Manager at the Australia-Vietnam Young Leadership Dialogue.
Elise has proven ability to effectively address emerging policy issues and deliver high quality programs and projects in Australia and the ASEAN region. Elise was recently deployed in Vietnam to strengthen local capacity to address infectious disease threats. She also supported remote communities in Indonesia to develop strategies to solve local challenges.
Previously, Elise worked in the Queensland Public Service for five years as a Policy Officer in economic and social policy portfolios.
DANA THROSSELL
Dana is a final-year undergraduate student at the Australian National University, studying International Security and Asian Studies with a particular focus on gender security and Southeast Asia. Dana is a 2019 New Colombo Plan Scholar studying and interning in Indonesia, as well as travelling and attending forums across the region.
Dana is currently completing a semester at the Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang in which she is researching and writing a thesis on women in de-radicalisation programs. She also has extensive internship experience in local and international NGOs focused on issues such as modern slavery, gendered violence and counter-terrorism.
MIGUEL VERA-CRUZ
Miguel is devoted to unlocking the potential of Australia’s Asian diaspora to drive Australia’s economic relationship with ASEAN. Miguel develops strategy pro bono for cultural diversity-related initiatives, including turning around and growing Youth PoWR, Australia’s largest youth interfaith dialogue movement; and facilitating lectures at Haymarket HQ, a Sydney-based incubator focused on connecting Asian and Australian startup communities.
Miguel has channelled his Australian-Filipino heritage into social enterprise, volunteering for one in Singapore teaching migrant workers entrepreneurship, and undertaking research on social enterprises in Sydney and Beijing. Miguel also led Australia’s Youth Delegation to APEC 2015 Philippines.
STEPHANIE ZUGHBI
Stephanie is a Lawyer in the Disputes and Investigations team at Allens, a commercial law firm. She is also a Research Coordinator at the Arab Studies Institute, a not-for-profit organisation based in the United States. Stephanie was previously a Secondee Lawyer at the Refugee Advice and Casework Service and Sydney Branch Director at Young Australians in International Affairs.
Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney. She has also studied at Fudan University in Shanghai and the University of Balamand in northern Lebanon.
BOBBY WEN
Bobby is currently studying a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of International Security Studies at the Australian National University.
ASEAN has always been a very special place for Bobby as he spent much of his childhood in Singapore before coming to Australia. He has had the opportunity to study and work across the Asia Pacific region in Australia, South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.
As the economies, cultures and politics of ASEAN countries transform, Bobby wants to explore the opportunities that exist for the new generation of ASEAN Australia leaders.
LEILA BOWE
Leila is a graduate environmental engineer specialising in contaminated lands management at WSP Australia. She has worked internationally in Cambodia and Ireland and studied as a New Colombo Mobility Plan Scholar in India. Having recently completed a double degree in Environmental Engineering and Arts at UNSW, she strives to tackle the environmental and development issues that face our region. In particular, Leila has a passion for sustainable infrastructure development and recently completed a thesis studying the economic and environmental benefits of climate change adaptation. She believes that knowledge sharing is integral in establishing more resilient communities and dialogues such as the AASYP are the perfect catalyst to make change.
LUCAS CARY
Lucas is studying Environmental and Marine Science at the University of Western Australia, where he is also an academic tutor, Residents Club volunteer and Resident Advisor.
In 2018/19 Lucas interned with Rio Tinto. Now, Lucas is completing an Agricultural Semester Program at IPB University and interning at the Centre for International Forestry Research in Bogor, West Java, as a 2019 New Colombo Plan Scholar.
Following his semester in Indonesia, Lucas will relocate to New Caledonia for three months, to intern at the Pacific Community.
ABIGAIL SLATER
Abigail recently graduated from the Australian National University with First Class Honours in Cancer Therapeutics and will commence an MD in 2020. Since she was young, Abigail has had a passion for bridging intercultural barriers and started studying Mandarin Chinese when she was 10 years old. In 2017 she spent a year in Taipei studying Chinese and interning with a biotechnology company as the New Colombo Plan Fellow for Taiwan.
Abigail has had considerable experience of health inequity in under-resourced settings in South-East Asia. Through her studies and intercultural experience, Abigail believes meaningful clinical and academic ASEAN-Australia collaboration is key to supporting sustainable healthcare development in ASEAN.
CAMERON HEE
Cameron is a former New Colombo Plan Scholar who has completed internships in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei and Beijing.
He is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) at the University of Western Australia and has been recognised by the Australian Financial Review as one of Australia’s Top 100 Future Leaders for his advocacy work in the Indo-Pacific.
CLANCY O'DONNELL
Clancy is an adviser at the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, with experience working in both Government organisations and the Private Sector. He has previously worked at the Australia Indonesia Business Council, The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet including on the 2017 ASEAN Australia Special Summit in Sydney.
Clancy is passionate about improving Australia-ASEAN relations through deepening trade and investment ties, and is an Indonesian speaker.
ELIZABETH BANERD
Elizabeth is a Program Officer at Palladium International. Working in the development space, she supports Australian Government investments which fund private sector actors to create social good in ASEAN. Elizabeth has a keen interest in driving greater gender equality and improving women’s economic empowerment.
Previously, Elizabeth worked at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta on the economic governance team.
Elizabeth completed a Master in Public Policy from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in 2018, with a focus on conflict and foreign policy. Elizabeth has lived and worked in Singapore, Australia and Indonesia.
MADDISON O'GRADEY-LEE
Maddison is a psychology and public health student at Macquarie University. She is passionate about gender equality and health. She is the founder and CEO of High Tide, an organisation committed to improving the mental health of young people.
Maddison also volunteers as a facilitator, empowering survivors of assault and preventing gender based violence through workshops at Jasiri. Maddison presented youth recommendations to the UN on the SDG’s and spoke at the 62nd session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York. Maddison wishes to improve mental health outcomes for the ASEAN-Australia community.
BEN DUGGAN
Ben is a former educator now working in government relations and policy for a small school system in Australia. He has 12 years experience in multi-disciplinary roles focused on education and policy, having worked for members of parliament, created a small not-for-profit, taught in a high school, and worked as a consultant on small business policy.
Through participating in the Teach for Australia Program, Ben was inspired to work on school system management and education policy. He is passionate about helping teachers to collaborate and use research to improve the learning outcomes for their students. He is excited to connect with those eager to ensure young people are empowered through the best possible education system.
