KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE SESSIONS SPEAKERS

Lusia Palulungan is the Program Manager of INKLUSI (the Australia-Indonesia Partnership Program Toward an Inclusive Society) at BaKTI Foundation. This initiative aims to promote inclusive social, cultural, economic, and political development in Indonesia, particularly for marginalised groups, including women. Previously, she served as a Program Manager of MAMPU (the Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment) from 2012 to 2020 in the same foundation.

Lusia began working on women's empowerment issues when she joined a women’s legal aid organization in Makassar in 1998. She is also a co-founder of LBH APIK (Legal Aid Institute) in Makassar. During her tenure as the Director from 2002 to 2012, she developed Community-Based Paralegals and provided Structural Gender Legal Aid for poor and marginalised women. 

She is also involved in organising women’s groups, providing legal education, and raising community awareness to advocate for their rights. Additionally, she actively serves as a speaker and facilitator on various gender and social issues such as Domestic Violence, human trafficking, marital violence, capacity building for female parliament members, paralegals, legal drafting, conflict resolution, diversity, and community development.

Over the past eleven years, she has been actively promoting regional policies on women's empowerment and child protection, including Child Marriage Prevention. In the past two years, she has become involved and active in social inclusion advocacy through the FORMASI Disability Network and participated in drafting the End of Year Notes of FORMASI Disability 2022. She is also active in advocating for the Sexual Violence Criminal Act (UU TPKS) as a member of the Women’s Rights Defenders Network for Sexual Violence Victims. Her advocacy efforts did not stop after the enactment of the UU TPKS, and she continues to monitor the implementation of Government Regulations and Presidential Regulations.

Dr. Hanh Nguyen Thi Phuoc TRAN (Alice) is a distinguished Internal Coaching Manager and senior lecturer at Greenwich University, a lecturer at RMIT University, and the Founder of Alice Academy. With a strong academic background, including a PhD, MBA, and BBus degrees from Australia and the UK, Dr. Hanh is a respected educator, successful entrepreneur, and leader in the academic field.

Her international experience as an educator and entrepreneur has enabled her to create innovative curricula and lesson plans tailored to her students' needs. Dr Hanh has a proven track record of mentoring students to achieve top honours, including first and second places in the Adecco Pitching Competition, the championship in the 2023 SWIN-BIZ-ROCKSTAR competition, and success in the HSBC Case Competition and Young Lions. Notably, her guidance has helped students secure prestigious opportunities, such as a one-month CEO experience with Adecco (US).

Dr. Hanh has served as a judge in high-profile student competitions, including the 2022 Business Analyst Competition and the 2023 Peaking Point Competition at national and international levels. She is also a frequent presenter at international conferences, sharing her expertise in the US, UK, EU, Australia, and at the Australian Alumni Symposium 2023 in Hanoi and Da Nang.

As the Founder of Alice Academy, Dr. Hanh has supported over 1,000 students in academic writing and university applications, helping them gain admission to top universities worldwide. Recognized for her contributions, she has been nominated for the 2023 Australian Alumni Award and the 2024 UK Alumni Award.

In addition to her academic achievements, Dr. Hanh is a talented pianist with over 20 years of experience, and she remains committed to empowering the next generation of leaders through education and mentorship.

Fandy Dawenan, a visually impaired individual from Indonesia, hails from Raja Ampat Regency in Southwest Papua Province. Despite his low vision, Fandy remains active and independent, utilizing assistive technology and a white cane to navigate his surroundings. He currently works as an English teacher in a senior high school and serves as the chairman of the Indonesian Blind Union of Southwest Papua Province.

Fandy holds a Master's Degree in Disability Policy and Practice from Flinders University, Australia, acquired through the Australia Award Scholarship Program. With his newfound knowledge and skills, he actively contributes to his community by conducting training programs for visually impaired individuals, including digital literacy, daily life skills, and orientation and mobility training. He is also a passionate advocate for the rights of people with disabilities and promotes the importance of inclusive and special education. In collaboration with the Indonesian Blind Union Board Member in Jakarta, Fandy is working towards the establishment of a regional regulation on disabilities in Southwest Papua Province.

Carmen Zubiaga is a well-known Disability Rights Advocate committed to inform, educate, and help in developing the capacities of all disability stakeholders in building an inclusive community for all. 

More than thirty years of experience working with organizations of persons with disabilities, partnering with various civil society organizations, international development organizations, and national government agencies on initiatives leading to inclusion of persons with disabilities in social, political and economic activities. 

She is also an icon of an empowered woman with disability from the grassroots who emerged as a national leader, appointed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines as Executive Director of the National Council on Disability Affairs. 

She was also the first woman with disability to serve as an International UN Volunteer, posted in Phnom Penh Cambodia as Technical Adviser to the Ministry of Social Affairs Labor Veterans and Youth and Executive Director of the National Center of Disabled.

Hanna brings program delivery, design, research and evaluation experience through her work with government and non-government organisations across the Asia Pacific. Her commitment to intersectional and transformative inclusion informs her work across sectors such as infrastructure, human resource development, humanitarian programming and health. This has included the design of women’s leadership and civil society engagement programs that focus on advancing equity and inclusion. Hanna works in partnership with colleagues and partners to advance gender equality, disability and social inclusion within Australia’s development program. 

Emilia Yustiningrum is a senior researcher at the Research Center for Law at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia. She holds a PhD from the School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University, Australia. Her expertise is in international politics, foreign policy, and disaster management. 

Her current publications are a book titled Explaining Indonesia’s Foreign Policy: The Role of the Military in Post Natural Disaster Management (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024), which examines Indonesia’s post-Aceh tsunami disaster management through the lens of multifaceted foreign policy decision-making process involving a variety of bureaucratic actors. She also wrote a book chapter titled Indonesia’s Engagement on the Climate Change Negotiations: Building National Resilience (Elsevier, 2023), which investigates Indonesia’s dynamics of engagement in the climate change negotiations across administrations from the New Order era to the Reform era (1972-2021).

With a decade of effective advocacy in disability inclusion and equity, Ruth brings a unique and comprehensive perspective to the table. Having undertaken a degree in Human Services majoring in disability inclusion and rights, Ruth's academic foundation further strengthens her practical insights. Ruth's expertise is in providing technical advice in the Disability Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access arena, to ensure infrastructure and everyday basic services are equitably inclusive, and easy to access for people with disabilities. Her commitment is rooted in bridging the gap between lived experiences and actionable strategies, fostering a more accessible, equitable and inclusive future for people with and without disabilities but more specifically, for women and girls with disabilities.

Vasenai Kereni has been working with the Fiji National University as an Instructor in the School of Mechanical Engineering for ten years and holding the role of the Acting Associate Dean for TVET at the College of Engineering and Technical Vocational Education and Training (CETVET) for 3 years now.

She has a background in engineering; she completed her Bachelor of Engineering at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia. She completed her TVET courses at the Fiji Institute of Technology, now called FNU, before her Bachelor of Engineering with the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, Queensland.

She also graduated with a Certificate IV in Leadership and Management from Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC), Project Management Practice and Certificate IV in Resilience, which covers areas in Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change from the University of the South Pacific.

Vasenai Kereni participated in the UNITAR Hiroshima Women’s Leadership Phases I, (online) and phase II, (face to face in Samoa), and the Women Leading and Influencing (Leadership Connect 2023).

Part of her volunteer work is empowering women and girls to be part of STEM university programmes and the workforce. She assisted Graduate Women Fiji with the STEM outreach for girls as young as 6 years old from one of the informal settlements in Suva, as well as the mentoring programme, which is an annual event during International Women’s Day.

Prof. David or Teacher Archie has obtained his Bachelor of Occupational Therapy and Professional Teacher Certificate from the University of the Philippines. He has completed his Master of Occupational Therapy from the University of Queensland, Australia. 

He has been a member of the academe since 1998 and has stood at the forefront in developing pioneering masters programs for rehabilitation science and occupational therapy in the Philippines. More importantly, he has effectively translated theories and principles into action by establishing several organizations and programs since 2003. These include the Independent Living Learning Learning Centre- Manila, Cebu and Davao; Academia Progresiva de Manila; Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Adults and Children with Handicap Foundation and Project Therapy Education and Assimilation of Children with Handicap. 

These have proven to be sustainable and have fostered multisectoral collaboration in caring for thousands of individuals with disabilities. Most recently, he has launched TeletheraFREE in partnership with the Department of Interior and Local Government and the National Council on Disability Affairs to make therapy services more accessible to children in remote areas all over the Philippines. His organizations have helped advance community and school-based access to quality and inclusive health, therapy, education and livelihood resources. 

For his work, he has received several national and international awards such as the Apolinario Mabini Presidential Award, Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines, The Galing Pook Award for Innovative Local Government Practices and The United Nations Public Service Awards. He was also the recipient of the 2023 Global Australia Award for Most Outstanding Alumni.

With a commendable journey spanning over 28 years in the education sector, Dr. Sunil Kumar stands out as a dedicated Assistant Professor at Fiji National University, specializing in Inclusive Education and Special Education. His academic and professional path is distinguished by a profound commitment to enhancing educational frameworks and support systems for both students and educators.

Dr. Kumar holds a PhD in Special Education from Masaryk University, Czech Republic, and a Master of Education from the University of Canberra, Australia. He has enriched his teaching and administrative prowess through roles such as the Head of Department for Primary and Early Childhood Education and various coordinator ships at Fiji National University.

An adept educator, Dr. Kumar has extensive experience in curriculum development, particularly in special and inclusive education fields. He has played a pivotal role in the creation and execution of education courses, notably contributing to the design of postgraduate and master's level courses under a UNESCO project. His teaching repertoire includes supervising and mentoring trainee teachers at all levels, and his expertise extends to educational psychology, child development, and inclusive education strategies.

Beyond academia, Dr. Kumar is an active participant in international conferences, where he shares his insights on inclusive education and its implications for future educators. His published works focus on challenges and developments in inclusive environments and are recognized in prestigious educational journals.

Dr. Kumar is deeply involved in community service, often volunteering his time and skills to enhance the learning and well-being of children and the elderly in Lautoka, Fiji. His commitment extends beyond the classroom, impacting real-world scenarios through workshops and seminars on inclusive education and student outcomes.

His professional attributes of resilience, organizational capacity, and an innate ability to motivate others underscore his role as a leader and educator. Dr. Kumar continues to influence the educational landscape in Fiji, fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment that prepares students and teachers alike for the challenges of the 21st century.

Narath is dedicated to empowering Cambodian women by fostering financial autonomy, entrepreneurial leadership, and mental and spiritual well-being.

In 2010, Narath founded the Lady Saving Group (LSG), a self-help initiative aimed at enhancing women's economic status through a mutual saving and credit platform, entrepreneurship, financial literacy education, and networking opportunities. Currently, LSG boasts 289 women members from diverse backgrounds, the majority of whom are micro and small business owners. The organization supports these women by providing access to education, financial resources, and networking.

Recognizing the need for mental and spiritual support within society, Narath established the Wellbeing Advancement Organization (WELL) in 2020, shortly after graduating from the AAS program. WELL is dedicated to nurturing well-being-focused entrepreneurial leaders in underserved communities, including women, youth, and workers, through training and coaching programs that connect them with financial resources and foster entrepreneurial communities. One of the organization's recent initiatives is WELL Academy, an educational program designed to empower individuals to champion holistic well-being for all through community projects and business development. 

Narath holds a Master’s Degree in Social Entrepreneurship from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, and is a certified small business coach through the Street Business School Program. She has extensive experience in organizational development, fundraising, project management, business training, digital marketing, women's rights, economic empowerment, gender-based violence, youth rights at work, and corporate social responsibility. Narath has also provided consultancy and training services for various local and international NGOs for projects related to women economic empowerment, youth employment and social entrepreneurship development. 

Inspired by a life philosophy centred on freedom and impact, Narath strives to create both economic and social value for society.

Jayson Ibanez is currently the Director for Operations at the Philippine Eagle Foundation. He is also a Professorial Lecturer at the College of Science and Mathematics of the University of the Philippines in Mindanao and an Adjunct Professor at the School of Environmental Science and Management of the University of the Philippines Los Banos.

Jayson received his PhD in Natural Resource Management from Charles Darwin University through an Australian Leadership Award (ALA) scholarship. He has BS and MS Biology degrees from UP Los Banos (1995) and Ateneo de Davao University (2007), respectively. 

Jayson pioneered research on Philippine eagle home range, survival and habitat use through radio, satellite and GPS/GSM telemetry. His team studied 31 eagles with trackers, improving scientific knowledge of the country’s “critically endangered” national bird. Also, his PhD dissertation on Knowledge Integration and Indigenous Planning in the Philippines helped set up his NGO’s “culture-based conservation” approach to species and nature conservation in 2010. 

He received the Biodiversity Recognition Award from the Biodiversity Management Bureau – DENR in 2015, the Whitley Fund for Nature (UK) conservation awards in 2015, and a continuing grant award in 2017 for his culture-based conservation work. He also received the International Alumni Award from Charles Darwin University in 2023 and the Australia Alumni Excellence Award for the Environment this year for his work with Indigenous Peoples and Nature Conservation.  

The talk will share about how the design of our community and culture-based conservation projects explicitly include creating platforms for supporting women engagement in Indigenous governance, green jobs, and research. We argue that these purposive engagements act as a meaningful and safe entry point for women empowerment, which raises their role and profile as emerging leaders in the community.