East Asia Pacific

In East Asia Pacific (EAP), Alive & Thrive provides strategic technical assistance to governments and a network of local partners with focus on eight countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam) to facilitate policy and system reforms aimed at increasing investment and creating an enabling environment for MIYCN. With funding from the Government of Ireland, A&T is strengthening MIYCN service delivery with a focus on equity to reach the most vulnerable in Cambodia, Laos, and Viet Nam. A&T is utilizing global evidence to inform the Government of Papua New Guinea’s social and behavior change strategy under a national multi-sectoral stunting reduction program. As an endorsed technical assistance provider to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Health Cluster, A&T supports the development of regional standards and collaborates with member states to improve the quality and coverage of MIYCN policies and programs throughout the region.

Roger Mathisen
Roger Mathisen
Regional Director

Roger is an international nutritionist with two decades of experience working in non-governmental organizations, the UN, academic institutions, and the private sector. At A&T, he provides program and technical leadership, management, and coordination of A&T activities across East Asia Pacific. Before joining A&T, Roger worked as a nutrition specialist for UNICEF in Malawi and Viet Nam. Roger is based in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Do Thi Phuong Dung
Regional Associate Director, Finance

Dung provides overall financial, operational, and administrative guidance and management to ensure smooth operations of the East Asia Pacific regional office. Dung has been responsible for finance and administration management of programs since 2009. Prior to joining A&T, Dung worked for SMARTWork Viet Nam, a project focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention in the workplace, funded by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and USAID. She is based in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Paul Zambrano
Regional Associate Director, Technical

Paul is a medical doctor and public health nutrition specialist with more than 13 years of experience in maternal and child nutrition, policy advocacy, humanitarian coordination, and management of acute malnutrition. At A&T, Paul provides technical support to strengthen the policy environment and breastfeeding-friendly health systems, and social behavior change strategies in the region, and leads A&T’s technical assistance to the ASEAN Health Cluster. Before joining A&T, Paul worked with UNICEF Philippines and Myanmar, Save the Children, and WHO. Paul is based in Quezon City, Philippines.

Heather Chotvacs
Technical Advisor, Social and Behavior Change

Heather Chotvacs is a social and behavior change (SBC) professional with two decades of experience in public health, public media, and education. At A&T, Heather provides thought leadership and technical guidance to design theory-based, evidence-informed SBC strategies and co-create local solutions that engage diverse audiences to increase demand for and utilization of health products and services and the adoption of healthy behaviors. Before joining A&T, Heather worked for Population Services International and was a Technical Advisor for the Demand Generation Technical Resource Team of the United Nations’ Commission on Life Saving Commodities for Women and Children to increase demand for and use of underutilized, lifesaving commodities across the reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health continuum of care. Heather is based in Washington, DC, USA.

Vu Hoang Duong
Regional Technical Specialist

Duong has a decade of experience in policy advocacy on health financing, equitable domestic resource mobilization in the health sector, partnership building, and project management. At A&T, Duong supports the development and execution of workplans for policy advocacy, strategic communications, and breastfeeding-friendly health systems in Viet Nam and in the East Asia Pacific region. Before joining A&T, Duong worked with Oxfam as the Governance Program Officer. She is based in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Chin Sedtha
Cambodia Program Manager

Sedtha develops and executes program work plans aimed at creating an enabling environment for improved nutrition, promoting a breastfeeding-friendly health system, and establishing Centers of Excellence for Breastfeeding in Cambodia. Before joining A&T, Sedtha worked for more than three decades with governmental institutions, UNICEF, and international NGOs on maternal and child health, nutrition and HIV/AIDS prevention and care. Prior to that, she was a nurse midwife, equipping her with a strong understanding of early essential newborn care and breastfeeding counseling and support. She is based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Nguyen Thanh Tuan
Regional Technical Advisor, Measurement, Learning and Evaluation

Tuan provides strategic technical leadership for monitoring, learning, and evaluation activities. He has more than 20 years of experience in conducting and supporting studies in 20 countries around the world. His research areas include maternal and child health, communicable and non-communicable diseases, health disparities, nutrition policies, health system strengthening, food system, economics, and gender. He is based in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

nguyen_thi_dieu_linh
Nguyen Thi Dieu Linh (C)
Communications and Partnership Specialist

Linh is a seasoned communication specialist with proven leadership and networking expertise. In her role at A&T, she plays a crucial part in cultivating connections with the private sector and civil society, leading A&T's strategic communication efforts. Her focus is on promoting A&T's initiatives and services for breastfeeding and workforce well-being in East Asia Pacific. Linh holds a Master's Degree in Media & Communications from Goldsmiths, University of London, with research focused on social behavior change communication. Previously, she served as the Regional Knowledge Management Officer for A&T and held diverse roles at Oxfam.

Thanh Binh Ta
Ta Thi Thanh Binh
Regional Program Officer - Monitoring, Learning & Evaluation

Ta Thi Thanh Binh provides technical and coordination support for program activities in Viet Nam and supports measurement, learning and evaluation for several countries in the East Asia Pacific region. Binh contributes to workplan management and implementation for the Centers of Excellence for Breastfeeding and Human Milk Bank initiatives in the region. Prior to A&T, Binh worked in public health and clinical research for three years, with numerous studies published in reputable medical journals. Binh is based in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Nguyen Quoc Phong
Program Officer - Monitoring, Learning & Evaluation

Nguyen Quoc Phong is the temporary Program Officer for Monitoring, Learning, and Evaluation (MLE) at Alive & Thrive. He coordinates program activities in Viet Nam, emphasizing MLE efforts. Additionally, Phong supports A&T's breastfeeding and human milk bank projects, oversees data management, and represents A&T in local and international engagements. He formerly researched violence against women in Myanmar at the University of Florida. Phong is based in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Dieu Linh
Nguyen Thi Dieu Linh (A)
Regional Program Associate

At A&T, Linh provides program support for Viet Nam as well as regional activities. She also assists with communication and media products. Prior to joining A&T, Linh worked as research and development assistant for an investment company. She is based in Ha Noi, Viet Nam.

Janice
Janice Datu-Sanguyo
Technical Consultant, Advocacy and Partnership, Philippines

Based in Manila, Janice provides technical assistance to government partners and various stakeholders in the Philippines to promote maternity protection and improved infant and young child nutrition. Janice has a decade of experience in policy development, advocacy, and project management. Before joining A&T, she worked with UNICEF Philippines as a consultant, and as a Project Officer for ILO Philippines.

Constance
Constance Ching
Technical Consultant - Code Advocacy and Implementation

Constance provides technical support related to Code advocacy, improved implementation of the Code, and evidence generation in the East Asia Pacific region. Prior to A&T, Constance worked for IBFAN-ICDC where she supported capacity building for governments, UN agencies, and NGOs on Code implementation and monitoring. She also participated in the World Health Assembly and other global forums to advocate for stronger Code-related measures. A social worker by profession, Constance has 18 years of experience in non-governmental organizations and academic institutions, including supervising a university-wide service-learning program in Hong Kong, and managing community-based programs for homeless people living with HIV/AIDS and mental illness in New York City. She is currently based in Penang, Malaysia.

Leng Vivath
Leng Vivath
Project Coordinator, Cambodia

Leng Vivath is a highly accomplished professional with over 20 years of experience in program and project administration and management. His expertise spans across various sectors, including education, health, local governance and decentralization, and economic development. He has made significant contributions in his field, demonstrating exceptional skills and a strong commitment to achieving project objectives.

Leng Vivath has built an extensive network of contacts in the Cambodian development community. This network includes individuals and organizations at the national, subnational, and local government levels, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the international development community, and the private sector.

Nguyen Hong Long
Regional Finance and Administrative Associate

Long has worked in finance and administration for international companies and NGOs for more than five years. At A&T, Long provides finance, administrative, operational, and logistic support to the East Asia Pacific team. He is based in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Nguyen Thi Mien
Regional Procurement Officer

Mien coordinates contracts and procurement in the East Asia Pacific region. Since 2010, she has provided a range of support to the A&T initiative, including administration and translation, finance and operations, and program implementation and documentation. Prior to joining A&T, Mien briefly worked for the Hanoi International SOS Clinic. She is based in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

Nhung
Nguyen Hong Nhung
Knowledge Management Consultant

Nhung has more than four years of experience planning and developing creative communication products for international and local NGOs. At A&T, she provides technical and coordination support for knowledge management and corporate communications in the East Asia Pacific region. Prior to joining A&T, she worked as a Creative Communicator for PanNature, Viet Nam, and provided consultancy services for the Asia Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC), Hong Kong. She is based in Ha Long City, Viet Nam.

 
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