Dr Christine Chen joined ARNEC as a member of the Board of Directors in January 2014. Dr. Chen is the Founder President of the Association for Child Care Educators (ACCE) and Founder and current President of the Association for Early Childhood Educators (AECES). Dr. Chen received her BA in Social Work from the University of Singapore, continued with her Masters of Science in Early Childhood Education from Bank Street College of Education, New York City and the Doctor of Education from the George Washington University. Her first work experience in Singapore was in the company sponsored child care centre for factory workers’ children, she learnt about the importance of having qualified teachers to ensure quality education for ALL children. As a resulted she initiated the Association to advocate for teacher development, continuous learning and career pathways. She has been advocating for professional development and learning for early childhood educators for 25 years.

Internationally, she is the President (2015-1017), Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) and Deputy Chairwoman (2014-2019) of the Asia-Pacific Preschool Education Association. She represents Singapore in the Pacific Early Childhood Education Research Association (PECERA) and serves on the Editorial Board for the International Journal of Early Childhood Education and the International Journal of Early Childhood Education and Care. She is also a Member of the Advisory Board of IndoCare – Indonesia Centre for Autism Resource and Expertise and has done voluntary work in Vietnam with the National College of Education, Hanoi through the Singapore International Foundation. In her advocacy work in Singapore, Dr. Chen served as a Member of the Child Care Personnel Accreditation Committee with the then Ministry of Community Development to look into accreditation matters as well as professional development for the child care profession. She sits on the Early Childhood Care and Education Manpower, Skills and Training Council. And she served as a Member of the Policy Study Workgroup on Education and Human Capital Excellence (2007-2009).

For all her voluntary and community services, she was awarded the Public Service Award, the Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (PBM – 1994) and Volunteer of the Year Award, 2010 from the President of Singapore.

Cliff Meyers joined ARNEC as a Members of the Board of Directors in June 2017. He is considered the ‘Founding Father’ of ARNEC, instrumental in establishing the ARNEC network in 2007 in his role as Regional Education Advisor for UNICEF EAPRO. He also played a significant role in negotiating the transition of the ARNEC Secretariat from the EAPRO Office in Bangkok to its first location in Singapore. He has over 20 years of experience as Education Chief and Technical Advisor with UNICEF in Nepal, Thailand, Lao PDR and most recently in Myanmar where he oversaw a team of 20 education staff implementing early childhood development, primary, non-formal and middle school education programmes. He co-led the Education sector and coordinated with Development Partners, civil society and Government of Myanmar.

Dr Sheldon Shaeffer joined ARNEC as a Member of the Board of Directors in January 2014. Dr Shaeffer was Director of UNESCO’s Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education in Bangkok for over seven years, retiring at the end of 2008. A citizen of Canada, he was educated in history (B.A.), anthropology (M.A.), and comparative international education (Ph.D.) at Stanford University. He has taught, done research, and worked in development programmes in Southeast Asia for over 25 years – as a high school teacher in Malaysia, as an anthropologist and an education programme officer for the Ford Foundation in Indonesia, and as the regional education advisor for UNICEF in Bangkok. He was also for 10 years the Director of Education and Population Programmes for the International Development Research Centre in Canada and later was a senior research fellow at the International Institute for Educational Planning (UNESCO) in Paris. Before moving back to Bangkok with UNESCO, he was head of UNICEF’s global education programme in New York for three years. His current interests, reflected in numerous consultancies for a range of development agencies, include early childhood development, language policy in education and the use of mother tongue, teacher management and development, inclusive education (both in regard to disabilities and more broadly defined), child-friendly education, school-based management, and HIV and AIDS and education.

Joel Lasam has more than two decades of experience in development policy, governance and development, policy research and analysis, and program management. 

He joined the central planning ministry of the Philippines as a development specialist for governance, where he was exposed to legislative and executive partnerships for public policy. He also moved to other sectors, particularly basic education and energy, assisting ministers in policy research and communications. After 14 years in government, he assumed the post of Governance Adviser managing public sector reform programs with assistance from the Australian Aid and has continued development work through advisory services to various ministries in the Philippines with the support of donor agencies in the fields of national and local governance, organisation development and capacity development, and program management. 

Apart from development work, Joel has joined the academe teaching research and development theories to undergraduate students in the Philippines after obtaining his graduate degree in public policy and administration from the International Institute of Social Studies in The Hague, The Netherlands in 1998. 

Joel joined ARNEC as a Knowledge Management and Learning Advisor in 2019 with firm support for the primacy of ECD investments in support of inclusive, equitable, and sustainable futures for the region.

Jia Hao, also known as Jay, is the Programme Coordinator of ARNEC, providing technical support in planning and implementation of ARNEC projects/initiatives.

Graduating with a bachelor's in teaching (Early Childhood Education), Jia Hao spent 5 years of his career teaching preschool children in Singapore. Throughout his teaching, it was always his aim to create an environment where the children could discover themselves as proud individuals in the wider society. He achieves this by focusing on achieving a positive learning climate for children to feel safe, encouraged and inspired to show who they are to themselves and the people around them. He has also spent this time mentoring students, planning reflective sessions and writing. A reflective journal of his teaching experiences was shared in the AECES Journal, Early Educators in 2023.

Since then, Jia Hao has joined ARNEC to work with the larger Early Childhood Community. It is his belief that all levels of community have to work together to achieve the best outcomes for children. His current interests revolve around the psychological well-being of preschool teachers in the classroom.

Dr. Maggie Koong is Immediate Past World President of World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) and holds leadership position at Victoria Educational Organisation (VEO) in Hong Kong and mainland China. She received her Master of Education from The University of Hong Kong and Doctor of Education from Durham University. Dr. Koong has been directly appointed by Hong Kong and Chinese Governments to serve on numerous key government committees and university councils, including the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference – Shanghai Committee, Committee on Free Kindergarten Education, Equal Opportunities Commission, Family Council and Council of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She is the Project-in-Charge of OMEP-UNESCO Play and Resilience World Project, the International Focal Point of the Collective Consultation of NGOs on Education for All (CCNGO/EFA), and an Advisor for UNESCO’s Survey of Teachers in Pre-primary Education (STEPP) Project.

Margaret Sims is Honorary Professor of Early Childhood ay Macquarie University, Australia. She worked for many years in early intervention and family support in New Zealand before moving into the university sector in Australia. Her research interests focus around community-based services for young children and their families, along with the leadership, management and policy contexts in which these services operate. Her infant and toddler text (the third edition published in 2020) is widely used in early childhood degree programmes as is her social inclusion text (published in 2011). More recent work centres around the ways in which neoliberalism impacts on the drive towards professionalisation of the early childhood sector across a range of different countries along with the impact of this in higher education where early childhood teachers receive their pre-service education.

Sara Dang is Save the Children’s Advisor for ECCD in Asia. In this role, she provides technical support to ensure the delivery of quality ECCD programs in Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan and Vietnam. She has also been involved in developing ECCD programs in the Pacific. Her expertise lies in designing and implementing integrated preschool programs, creating strong parenting programs, and improving country capacity in ECCD programming. Before joining Save the Children, Sara identified opportunities for UNICEF’s Regional Office for South Asia to initiate and strengthen the integration of early stimulation within nutrition, health, preschool and other programs for young children in Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Sara has worked for various UN agencies and NGOs in Africa and Asia, across multiple sectors, including nutrition, health, HIV/AIDS, education and child protection, always with a focus on young children. She speaks English, French, Thai and Nepali, and currently lives in Kathmandu. She has a Bachelor in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto and a Master’s in Mind, Brain and Education from Harvard University.

Neelima Chopra, PhD, is a dynamic advocate for early childhood development (ECD) and education, boasting over 18 years of expertise in the field. Currently serving as a Program and Partnership Specialist with the Asia Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC), Dr. Chopra spearheads the implementation of ARNEC's programmatic and thematic priorities, notably focusing on ECD and Climate Change, Responsive Parenting, and Social & Emotional Learning.

In her previous roles, Dr. Chopra showcased her leadership as the Lead-ECCD & Education at HCL Foundation, where she provided technical guidance for nationwide ECCD programs. Additionally, her tenure as a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Early Childhood Development & Research, Jamia Millia Islamia University, saw her lead impactful research initiatives.

Having also served as a Programme Coordinator at UNESCO MGIEP, Dr. Chopra facilitated capacity building endeavors across Asia-Pacific nations. Her skill set encompasses curriculum design, program management, and adept stakeholder engagement.

With a PhD in Early Childhood Education from Jamia Millia Islamia and an MSc in Child Development from the University of Delhi, Dr. Chopra seamlessly combines academic prowess with hands-on experience. A prolific author, her publications span critical topics including social and emotional learning, emergent literacy, and quality early childhood education.

Dr. Chopra's unwavering dedication extends beyond her professional roles, evidenced by her active involvement in various professional bodies and her steadfast commitment to nurturing compassionate and inclusive learning environments for young children globally.

My full name is Widodo Suhartoyo, currently I am joining Tanoto Foundation as Senior Grant Manager for ECED. Prior to this position, I was with UNICEF Indonesia for more than 27 years in various positions (Programme Support officer, Advocacy and Social Mobilization officer, Communication officer, Child Protection officer, Basic Services officer, Chief Field office, Education, Youth and Adolescent specialist and ECD specialist). Before joining UNICEF, I was a civil servant at Bandung School Of Social Welfare as lecturer. I have experiences also working with NGO and UNHCR funded project in Galang Refugees camp. I am also act as coordinator of national Coalition of Holistic Integrative ECD.

Evelyn D. Santiago joined ARNEC in June 2015 and came to ARNEC with more than 20 years of professional experience in development work encompassing child rights, investment programming, strategic planning, project planning and design, program management, grants development and partnership building.

Prior to joining ARNEC, she spent 10 years working for ChildFund International in various management positions at Country Offices in the Philippines, Timor Leste and at the Asia Regional Office in Bangkok. She also worked previously with the German Technical Cooperation (now called GIZ) and with the Central Economic Planning Ministry of the Philippine Government. Evelyn has a Master of Arts degree in Economics of Development from the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) – Erasmus University, The Hague, The Netherlands.

Evelyn is passionate about issues affecting children especially the most marginalized and the most vulnerable ones. She strongly believes that access to quality ECD interventions is a right of every child and that duty bearers should join hands in ensuring that this right is fulfilled. She firmly believes that investment in ECD is critical in ensuring that children have a fair chance to develop and maximize their potential.

Ms. Mahmuda Akhter is the Executive Director of the Institute of Child and Human Development (ICHD). She is also the Vice-Chair of Bangladesh ECD Network (BEN) and the Convener of South Asia Forum of Early Childhood Development Professionals (SAFECDP). She is a Member of the Technical Advisory Group of Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN). She is a member of National ECCD Technical Committee under Ministry of Women and Children Affairs. She is a Member of Management Board of Bangladesh Shishu Academy which is the National Academy for Children. She was the founding Head of ECD Resource Centre at BRAC Institute of Educational Development, BRAC University from 2005 to 2011. She was also a member of Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood (ARNEC) Steering Committee (2008-2016). Under the guidance of Ms. Mahmuda Akhter, a significant number of research studies was conducted in the field of Early Childhood Development. She had a lead role in designing and developing the Post Graduate Certificate, Diploma and Master Degree Program in Early Childhood Development at BRAC IED jointly with Columbia University USA and Open Society Institute London. She has been working as a faculty in this program of BRAC IED, BRAC University since 2008.

Eddy Henry heads the Policy and Advocacy at Tanoto Foundation in Indonesia. Through learning, research, piloting and multi-sector collaboration with both the government, academics community, private sector, other philanthropic organizations, development agencies and media, Tanoto Foundation also conducts impact-driven advocacy for wider adoption of good practices and proven impactful programs.

Previously Eddy led the Foundation’s Early Childhood Education and Development (ECED) from 2019 until 2023, with the goal to ensure all children are developmentally on   track and school ready. Tanoto Foundation’s ECED program has three main impact areas:

• to support the Government of Indonesia in reducing the stunting prevalence amongst children under five,
• to improve the quality of early childhood caregiving / parenting practices, and
• to increase access to quality early childhood education services.

Prior to joining Tanoto Foundation, Eddy has worked at various philanthropic organizations and NGOs in various capacities such as Education Programs Director, Student Life    Director. Eddy has also held positions as a member United World Colleges (UWC) International Board and member of Regional Council for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Asia Pacific.

His industry experience includes positions as CEO at an IT startup company in Indonesia and Singapore, and a Director of a pharmaceutical distribution company in Indonesia. Eddy was a graduate of Lester B. Pearson College (UWC of the Pacific) and Trent University in Canada in Mathematics and Computer Studies.

Siddhant Sachdeva is the co-founder of Rocket Learning, an NGO working in the early childhood development space currently impacting 2.5 Mn children across India via engaging parents and day care center workers. Within Rocket Learning, Siddhant leads operations, behaviour change, people & culture and analytics teams. He has previously worked as a project leader at the Boston Consulting Group for half a decade and has experience in large-scale public and private sector transformation projects across India, Malaysia and Indonesia. He holds a Masters in Business Administration from IIM Calcutta, a Bachelors of Technology from IIT Delhi, and a Master’s in International Management from University of St Gallen, Switzerland. Siddhant is a GLG Social Impact Fellow and was featured on the Business World Social Impact Leaders list. Siddhant was selected in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for his work in the social impact sector. Rocket Learning’s work has been featured in WEF, Cannes Film Festival and there is a case study in HBS on Rocket Learning’s work. Siddhant takes his inspiration to work in ECD from his mother, who has been running an affordable private pre-school for low income communities for the last 20 years.

Datin Prof. Dr. Mariani Md Nor is a renowned academic specializing in Early Childhood Education in Malaysia. Currently a Professor at SEGi University, she holds a Ph.D. in Children’s Cognitive Psychology from the University of Bristol. In February 2024, she took the role of Dean at SEGi University’s Faculty of Education, Languages, Psychology, and Music. With over three decades of experience, she previously served as Dean of the Faculty of Education at the University of Malaya, where she significantly boosted the faculty’s global rankings. Her extensive career includes roles such as Director of the Early Childhood Education Centre, Advisor for the Early Childhood Education Society, and President of the Early Childhood Care & Education Council Malaysia. Currently, she was appointed as one of the special task force members on a matter to review Malaysian Child Act 2001 and Nursery Act in Malaysia under Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development. She has led numerous research projects, notably focusing on children's psychology and early childhood education. A prolific scholar, Datin Prof. Dr. Mariani has published over 66 articles, 27 books, and presented at over 200 conferences. She has received numerous awards, including international recognitions, and has supervised a vast number of postgraduate students. Beyond academia, she is an active commentator in the media and collaborates with universities globally. Her work continues to shape early childhood education and psychology in Malaysia and internationally.