Meet the team
The RSO is led by two Co-Managers representing the Australian and Indonesian governments. The wider RSO team is drawn from across the Bali Process membership and further afield, with current team members hailing from Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Moldova, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the US and the UK.
RSO Co-Managers
David Scott
RSO Co-Manager (Australia)
David Scott
RSO Co-Manager (Australia)
David Scott is a senior Australian Government official and currently the Australian Co-Manager of the Regional Support Office of the Bali Process. As Co-Manager and Officer-In-Charge of the RSO, David is responsible for the management of all day-to-day operations of the RSO to ensure the RSO is appropriately resourced and positioned to deliver on its priorities and effectively support the Bali Process and its Member States to counter people smuggling, trafficking in persons and related transnational crime. David is also responsible for setting the strategic direction for the RSO, executive engagement with Bali Process Co-Chairs, Member States and RSO donors and representing the RSO and Bali Process at a range of international meetings and fora.
David has worked across Government in policy, program management and regulatory focused roles focused on transport and border security, security risk analysis, critical infrastructure and cyber security and international policy and capacity building. Most recently David worked on Australia’s COVID-19 border measures developing policy settings and implementation arrangements to support the re-opening of Australia’s international border and related quarantine policy settings. Prior to this role, David led the Government’s development of enhanced legislative settings to uplift Australia’s critical infrastructure security including cyber security resilience and undertook an international posting to Indonesia focused on improving transport and border security resilience and counter-terrorism efforts across the Indo-Pacific region.
David completed his undergraduate studies in Communications and Media with Honours at La Trobe University in Melbourne and postgraduate studies in Government at the Australian Public Service Commission and Law at the Australian National University in Canberra.
Recommended Book: The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku
The Happiest Man on Earth is filled with insights on friendship, family, health, ethics, love, and hatred, and the simple beliefs that have shaped the author who provides enduring lessons for all in what is a truly human story and memoir of a Holocaust survivor who tells his story and pays tribute to those who were lost and in doing so shares his wisdom and explains his commitment to living his best possible life
David has worked across Government in policy, program management and regulatory focused roles focused on transport and border security, security risk analysis, critical infrastructure and cyber security and international policy and capacity building. Most recently David worked on Australia’s COVID-19 border measures developing policy settings and implementation arrangements to support the re-opening of Australia’s international border and related quarantine policy settings. Prior to this role, David led the Government’s development of enhanced legislative settings to uplift Australia’s critical infrastructure security including cyber security resilience and undertook an international posting to Indonesia focused on improving transport and border security resilience and counter-terrorism efforts across the Indo-Pacific region.
David completed his undergraduate studies in Communications and Media with Honours at La Trobe University in Melbourne and postgraduate studies in Government at the Australian Public Service Commission and Law at the Australian National University in Canberra.
Recommended Book: The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku
The Happiest Man on Earth is filled with insights on friendship, family, health, ethics, love, and hatred, and the simple beliefs that have shaped the author who provides enduring lessons for all in what is a truly human story and memoir of a Holocaust survivor who tells his story and pays tribute to those who were lost and in doing so shares his wisdom and explains his commitment to living his best possible life
Fuad Adriansyah
RSO Co-Manager (Indonesia)
Fuad Adriansyah
RSO Co-Manager (Indonesia)
Mr Fuad Adriansyah is the Indonesian Co-Manager of the Regional Support Office of the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime. He is also currently serving as Deputy Chief of Mission and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UNESCAP of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Bangkok.
He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in 1998, and was assigned to several foreign postings, including the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Berlin, Germany (2001 – 2005), the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in New York, the United States of America (2008-2012), and the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Seoul, Republic of Korea (2015-2019). Prior to his arrival in Bangkok, he served as the Director of Centre for Functional Positions Development (2020-2024).
He completed his Bachelor of Informatics Engineering at Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia, and Master of International Relations at the University of Indonesia, Indonesia.
He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in 1998, and was assigned to several foreign postings, including the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Berlin, Germany (2001 – 2005), the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in New York, the United States of America (2008-2012), and the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Seoul, Republic of Korea (2015-2019). Prior to his arrival in Bangkok, he served as the Director of Centre for Functional Positions Development (2020-2024).
He completed his Bachelor of Informatics Engineering at Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia, and Master of International Relations at the University of Indonesia, Indonesia.
Programme Coordinators
Fawad Haider
Programme Coordinator (International Migration, People Smuggling and Regional Initiatives)
Fawad Haider
Programme Coordinator (International Migration, People Smuggling and Regional Initiatives)
Fawad joined the Regional Support Office (RSO) in November 2025 as Program Coordinator for the International Migration, People Smuggling and Regional Initiatives Unit. He brings extensive experience in program management, policy development, capacity building, and strategic planning within the field of migration governance.
Before joining the RSO, Fawad spent over seven years with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in Pakistan, where he served as Head of Office. During his tenure, he led major initiatives on migration governance and border management, facilitated high-level policy dialogues, and supported the formulation of national migration policies. His work also encompassed the coordination of integrated border management programmes with a lasting impact on Pakistan’s migration landscape.
Fawad holds a Master’s in International Relations and an Executive MBA in Development Studies. His writings on migration policy, youth de-radicalization, and governance have appeared in leading Pakistani newspapers.
Recommended book: No Refuge by Sneha Parekh – Sheds light on the crisis of the millions of people who, having fled their homes, are stuck for decades in the dehumanizing and hopeless limbo of refugees camps and informal urban spaces, most of which are in the Global South.
Email: Fawad.Haider@rso.baliprocess.net
Before joining the RSO, Fawad spent over seven years with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in Pakistan, where he served as Head of Office. During his tenure, he led major initiatives on migration governance and border management, facilitated high-level policy dialogues, and supported the formulation of national migration policies. His work also encompassed the coordination of integrated border management programmes with a lasting impact on Pakistan’s migration landscape.
Fawad holds a Master’s in International Relations and an Executive MBA in Development Studies. His writings on migration policy, youth de-radicalization, and governance have appeared in leading Pakistani newspapers.
Recommended book: No Refuge by Sneha Parekh – Sheds light on the crisis of the millions of people who, having fled their homes, are stuck for decades in the dehumanizing and hopeless limbo of refugees camps and informal urban spaces, most of which are in the Global South.
Email: Fawad.Haider@rso.baliprocess.net
Evan Jones
Programme Coordinator (Border Management, Transnational Crime and Trafficking in Persons)
Evan Jones
Programme Coordinator (Border Management, Transnational Crime and Trafficking in Persons)
Evan is Programme Coordinator at the RSO. Evan joined the team in June 2023, and supports the smooth functioning of the RSO for effective and strategic engagement with Bali Process Members. He is passionate about further enhancing the capability of the RSO to deliver impactful programmes and activities that align with the objectives and needs of members.
Evan has been based in Asia for more than a decade, having worked in the not-for-profit sector in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand. He also has prior experience in working in academia, supporting NGO governance, and in the public sector in Australia. He brings a diverse knowledge and familiarity with effective governance, media engagement, stakeholder engagement, partnerships, and research to the RSO.
Recommended book: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - "Capturing the stark challenges faced by women in Afghanistan from the 1960s through to Taliban rule in the 1990s, the book conversely spotlights the country’s untapped beauty and resilience."
Email: Evan.Jones@rso.baliprocess.net
Evan has been based in Asia for more than a decade, having worked in the not-for-profit sector in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand. He also has prior experience in working in academia, supporting NGO governance, and in the public sector in Australia. He brings a diverse knowledge and familiarity with effective governance, media engagement, stakeholder engagement, partnerships, and research to the RSO.
Recommended book: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - "Capturing the stark challenges faced by women in Afghanistan from the 1960s through to Taliban rule in the 1990s, the book conversely spotlights the country’s untapped beauty and resilience."
Email: Evan.Jones@rso.baliprocess.net
Vacant
Programme Coordinator (Communications, Engagement, Monitoring and Reporting)
Vacant
Programme Coordinator (Communications, Engagement, Monitoring and Reporting)
Programme Managers
Devmi Dampella
Programme Manager (Irregular Migration and Regional Priorities)
Devmi Dampella
Programme Manager (Irregular Migration and Regional Priorities)
Devmi joined the RSO team in May 2023, and spearheads the portfolio on irregular migration and regional priorities. Devmi supports the RSO to lead research in the areas of natural and humanitarian disasters, and irregular labour migration, among others, with gender and human rights as cross-cutting areas. Her team leads RSO’s initiatives on civil registration and vital statistics specifically targeting hard-to-reach and marginalised communities including refugees, migrants, asylum seekers, stateless persons, and people without documentation.
Further, her team oversees programmes around voluntary return and reintegration assistance for eligible migrants from Bali Process Member States also working closely with the Bali Process Technical Expert Group on Return and Reintegration, strengthening Bali Process’ response to forced labour in selected industries, and responding to the plight of missing migrants.
Devmi has experience in the areas of labour mobility and human development, demand-driven skills development, policy, and global frameworks related to migration, regional and international partnerships and cooperation, and sustainable development. Devmi was previously based in Colombo, Sri Lanka and her experience spans across South Asia, and South-East Asia.
Recommended book: The Professional by Ashok Ferrey – “This wonderfully written book unveils the plight of immigrants and how they often get dragged into a blue-grey twilight world of illegals. There is no doubt that the journey of Chamath, an Oxford graduate, becoming Norton, a Professional, will keep you captivated throughout.”
Email: devmi.dampella@rso.baliprocess.net
Further, her team oversees programmes around voluntary return and reintegration assistance for eligible migrants from Bali Process Member States also working closely with the Bali Process Technical Expert Group on Return and Reintegration, strengthening Bali Process’ response to forced labour in selected industries, and responding to the plight of missing migrants.
Devmi has experience in the areas of labour mobility and human development, demand-driven skills development, policy, and global frameworks related to migration, regional and international partnerships and cooperation, and sustainable development. Devmi was previously based in Colombo, Sri Lanka and her experience spans across South Asia, and South-East Asia.
Recommended book: The Professional by Ashok Ferrey – “This wonderfully written book unveils the plight of immigrants and how they often get dragged into a blue-grey twilight world of illegals. There is no doubt that the journey of Chamath, an Oxford graduate, becoming Norton, a Professional, will keep you captivated throughout.”
Email: devmi.dampella@rso.baliprocess.net
Jordyn Francis
Programme Manager (Information Sharing and Regional Responses)
Jordyn Francis
Programme Manager (Information Sharing and Regional Responses)
Jordyn is the Programme Manager for Information Sharing and Regional Responses at the RSO. Jordyn joined the team in September 2025 and supports the RSO to develop a cross-border Regional Information, Liaison and Outreach Network (RILON) response group to support information sharing in addressing maritime people smuggling. The RILON initiative provides a collective, coordinated and proactive response mechanism to bridge the gap between policy, operations, and information sharing across the region when responding to trafficking in persons, people smuggling and related transnational crime.
Jordyn has worked in Australian law enforcement for the past seven years, where she was responsible for delivering Human Exploitation Strategies and leading program management, reporting, and donor engagement. Jordyn has also been involved in the implementation of the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation which brings together law enforcement partners, government agencies, non-government organizations and industry partners to collaboratively address child sexual exploitation.
Recommended Book: Trafficked by Sophie Hayes - Trafficked is a gripping first-hand account of a young woman who survived the horrors of human trafficking. It is a raw, powerful memoir that highlights a global crisis and a call to action against the heinous crime of trafficking.
Email:Jordyn.Francis@rso.baliprocess.net
Jordyn has worked in Australian law enforcement for the past seven years, where she was responsible for delivering Human Exploitation Strategies and leading program management, reporting, and donor engagement. Jordyn has also been involved in the implementation of the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation which brings together law enforcement partners, government agencies, non-government organizations and industry partners to collaboratively address child sexual exploitation.
Recommended Book: Trafficked by Sophie Hayes - Trafficked is a gripping first-hand account of a young woman who survived the horrors of human trafficking. It is a raw, powerful memoir that highlights a global crisis and a call to action against the heinous crime of trafficking.
Email:Jordyn.Francis@rso.baliprocess.net
Ravi Mahalingam
Programme Manager (Countering People Smuggling)
Ravi Mahalingam
Programme Manager (Countering People Smuggling)
Ravi is a Programme Manager for Countering People Smuggling at the RSO. Ravi joined the team at the end of March 2024 and is a seasoned public service officer with over 14 years of experience in project management, strategic planning, policy analysis and development, as well as research and evaluation.
Ravi has served at various government agencies in Malaysia including the National Strategic Office of the Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants, Ministry of Home Affairs; the Immigration Department of Malaysia; and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. His work primarily focused on security-related matters, particularly on migration, migrant workers, and transnational crimes that include trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants.
As a Programme Manager for Countering People Smuggling at RSO, Ravi brings a wealth of knowledge, dedication, and a relentless drive to combat one of the most pressing challenges of our time. He is committed to making a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by people smuggling activities while contributing to broader efforts to uphold human dignity and security in the region.
Recommended Book: "The People Smuggler: The True Story of Ali Al Jenabi, the 'Oskar Schindler of Asia'" by Robin de Crespigny is a powerful and compelling account of one man's extraordinary journey as a people smuggler and his subsequent transformation into a humanitarian. The book tells the true story of Ali Al Jenabi, an Iraqi refugee who became known as the "Oskar Schindler of Asia" for his efforts to save hundreds of asylum seekers from persecution and death. "The People Smuggler" is a gripping and thought-provoking read that challenges readers to confront the complexities of migration, human rights, and the responsibilities we have towards one another as fellow human beings. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity for compassion even in the most desperate of circumstances.
Email: ravi.mahalingam@rso.baliprocess.net
Ravi has served at various government agencies in Malaysia including the National Strategic Office of the Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants, Ministry of Home Affairs; the Immigration Department of Malaysia; and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. His work primarily focused on security-related matters, particularly on migration, migrant workers, and transnational crimes that include trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants.
As a Programme Manager for Countering People Smuggling at RSO, Ravi brings a wealth of knowledge, dedication, and a relentless drive to combat one of the most pressing challenges of our time. He is committed to making a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by people smuggling activities while contributing to broader efforts to uphold human dignity and security in the region.
Recommended Book: "The People Smuggler: The True Story of Ali Al Jenabi, the 'Oskar Schindler of Asia'" by Robin de Crespigny is a powerful and compelling account of one man's extraordinary journey as a people smuggler and his subsequent transformation into a humanitarian. The book tells the true story of Ali Al Jenabi, an Iraqi refugee who became known as the "Oskar Schindler of Asia" for his efforts to save hundreds of asylum seekers from persecution and death. "The People Smuggler" is a gripping and thought-provoking read that challenges readers to confront the complexities of migration, human rights, and the responsibilities we have towards one another as fellow human beings. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity for compassion even in the most desperate of circumstances.
Email: ravi.mahalingam@rso.baliprocess.net
Swapnil Mindhe
Programme Manager (Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Reporting)
Swapnil Mindhe
Programme Manager (Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Reporting)
Swapnil is the Programme Manager for Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Reporting at the RSO. Swapnil joined the team in May 2025, and supports the RSO to showcase the impact of its programming, operationalize its capability development approach, and support the RSO’s research work.
Swapnil comes from the United Nations Development Programme where he was advising on disaster and climate preparedness and resilience programming and recovery planning and leading program monitoring and evaluation and donor engagement portfolios. Swapnil has also held a number of other roles including in Micronesia, Romania, Syria and Iraq establishing and monitoring development assistance, disaster and emergency response programmes.
Recommended book: The Turbulent Decade by Sadako N. Ogata – “This memoir from the former UN High Commissioner for Refugees provides a revealing insight into the turbulent migration crises that defined the 1990s.”
Email: swapnil.mindhe@rso.baliprocess.net
Swapnil comes from the United Nations Development Programme where he was advising on disaster and climate preparedness and resilience programming and recovery planning and leading program monitoring and evaluation and donor engagement portfolios. Swapnil has also held a number of other roles including in Micronesia, Romania, Syria and Iraq establishing and monitoring development assistance, disaster and emergency response programmes.
Recommended book: The Turbulent Decade by Sadako N. Ogata – “This memoir from the former UN High Commissioner for Refugees provides a revealing insight into the turbulent migration crises that defined the 1990s.”
Email: swapnil.mindhe@rso.baliprocess.net
Margarita Minzateanu
Programme Manager (Stakeholder Engagement and Events)
Margarita Minzateanu
Programme Manager (Stakeholder Engagement and Events)
Margarita joined the RSO in February 2025 as Programme Manager for Stakeholder Engagement and Events, managing strategic partnerships and leading the organisation of flagship events to advance regional cooperation on countering people smuggling and trafficking in persons. Margarita has a background in public policy, migration and rule of law. Prior to joining the RSO, Margarita worked as Immigration and Border Governance Project Officer at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok and earlier as Executive Assistant to the Director-General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) in Rome.
Recommended Podcast and Book:
The Asylum Speakers Podcast, hosted by Jaz O'Hara, amplifies the voices of refugees and asylum seekers to challenge the divisive narratives, misconceptions, and myths that often surround migrants and the refugee crisis. Through personal stories of those displaced by conflict, persecution or hardships, the podcast humanises migration, debunking stereotypes and myths about migrants while highlighting the resilience and humanity of individuals who are too frequently depicted as threats, contributing to disinformation.
How Migration Really Works by Hein de Haas was written to dismantle common myths about migration, providing evidence on trends, causes, and impacts while emphasising the complexity of migration processes and the need for a new, nuanced and evidence-based approach.
Email: margarita.minzateanu@rso.baliprocess.net
Recommended Podcast and Book:
The Asylum Speakers Podcast, hosted by Jaz O'Hara, amplifies the voices of refugees and asylum seekers to challenge the divisive narratives, misconceptions, and myths that often surround migrants and the refugee crisis. Through personal stories of those displaced by conflict, persecution or hardships, the podcast humanises migration, debunking stereotypes and myths about migrants while highlighting the resilience and humanity of individuals who are too frequently depicted as threats, contributing to disinformation.
How Migration Really Works by Hein de Haas was written to dismantle common myths about migration, providing evidence on trends, causes, and impacts while emphasising the complexity of migration processes and the need for a new, nuanced and evidence-based approach.
Email: margarita.minzateanu@rso.baliprocess.net
Kieran Morris
Programme Manager (Crisis Preparedness Forum)
Kieran Morris
Programme Manager (Crisis Preparedness Forum)
Kieran joined the RSO in June 2025 as Programme Manager for the RSO's flagship event on crisis planning and preparedness. Prior to this, Kieran spent several years in the UK Government, with expertise in responding to high-profile security and foreign policy challenges and the Asia-Pacific region. Kieran has also served within the UK Home Office, working with UK and European border and security agencies to respond to people smuggling and serious organised crime.
Recommended book: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – This best-seller explores the refugee experience through Amir's journey from Kabul to the United States. Its themes explore longing for the homeland, guilt, and ethnic discrimination and marginalization, bringing a nuanced human dimension to the story of Afghanistan.
Email: Kieran.MORRIS@rso.baliprocess.net
Recommended book: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini – This best-seller explores the refugee experience through Amir's journey from Kabul to the United States. Its themes explore longing for the homeland, guilt, and ethnic discrimination and marginalization, bringing a nuanced human dimension to the story of Afghanistan.
Email: Kieran.MORRIS@rso.baliprocess.net
Sara Piazzano
Programme Manager (Countering Trafficking in Persons)
Sara Piazzano
Programme Manager (Countering Trafficking in Persons)
Sara joined the RSO in September 2025 as Programme Manager for Counter-Trafficking in Persons, bringing 20 years of experience working across Asia to address human trafficking, forced labour, and migration governance. She has led regional initiatives to strengthen prevention, protection, and policy responses, most recently as Chief of Party of the USAID Asia Countering Trafficking in Persons programme, where she coordinated a network of projects across the region and provided technical advice to advance survivor-centred and evidence-based approaches.
Sara has extensive experience working with people with lived experience of trafficking, leading research initiatives to elevate survivors’ perspectives in prevention and reintegration efforts, and developing practical tools for practitioners such as a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) toolkit for Countering Trafficking in Persons and a practitioner’s guide for survivor engagement. Her work has also included designing and piloting migration management models to reduce vulnerabilities, prevent labour abuses and bonded labour, and strengthen pathways for safe and fair migration.
Recommended Film: In This World (2002), directed by Michael Winterbottom, follows the perilous journey of two Afghan refugees smuggled from Pakistan to London. Filmed in a raw, documentary style, it captures the harsh realities faced by migrants on dangerous routes. One unforgettable scene depicts people locked inside a shipping container while attempting to cross the Mediterranean; with no oxygen, most suffocate and die. That moment is seared into memory as a stark reminder of the human cost of irregular migration and the thin line between smuggling and trafficking—powerful and tragically still relevant today.
Recommended Podcast: Labor of Loss, a podcast series by Winrock’s USAID Asia Counter Trafficking in Persons Project and Freedom Collaborative, explores experiences of human trafficking and labour exploitation across Asia. Across seven episodes, it takes listeners on a journey from a fishing fleet in South Korea to a palm oil plantation in Malaysia to a brick kiln in Cambodia, amplifying the voices of survivors and practitioners to unpack the complexities and systemic drivers of exploitation.
Email: Sara.Piazzano@rso.baliprocess.net
Sara has extensive experience working with people with lived experience of trafficking, leading research initiatives to elevate survivors’ perspectives in prevention and reintegration efforts, and developing practical tools for practitioners such as a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) toolkit for Countering Trafficking in Persons and a practitioner’s guide for survivor engagement. Her work has also included designing and piloting migration management models to reduce vulnerabilities, prevent labour abuses and bonded labour, and strengthen pathways for safe and fair migration.
Recommended Film: In This World (2002), directed by Michael Winterbottom, follows the perilous journey of two Afghan refugees smuggled from Pakistan to London. Filmed in a raw, documentary style, it captures the harsh realities faced by migrants on dangerous routes. One unforgettable scene depicts people locked inside a shipping container while attempting to cross the Mediterranean; with no oxygen, most suffocate and die. That moment is seared into memory as a stark reminder of the human cost of irregular migration and the thin line between smuggling and trafficking—powerful and tragically still relevant today.
Recommended Podcast: Labor of Loss, a podcast series by Winrock’s USAID Asia Counter Trafficking in Persons Project and Freedom Collaborative, explores experiences of human trafficking and labour exploitation across Asia. Across seven episodes, it takes listeners on a journey from a fishing fleet in South Korea to a palm oil plantation in Malaysia to a brick kiln in Cambodia, amplifying the voices of survivors and practitioners to unpack the complexities and systemic drivers of exploitation.
Email: Sara.Piazzano@rso.baliprocess.net
Erick Thomas
Programme Manager (International Migration Strategies)
Erick Thomas
Programme Manager (International Migration Strategies)
Erick is the Programme Manager for International Migration Strategies. Erick joined in September 2025 and is currently supporting the RSO's Six Country Irregular Migration (SCIM) Initiative to strengthen collaboration between countries with the most acute shared irregular migration challenges in the Asia-Pacific.
Erick has worked in humanitarian affairs and diplomacy for the past eight years, joining RSO after four years at the United Nations in New York. He most recently served as Humanitarian Affairs Adviser for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Delegation to the UN, working on migrant protection, government engagement, and interagency cooperation. Prior to that he was Senior Policy Adviser to the UK Mission to the UN responsible for sustainable development and global health policy during COVID-19 after holding various roles for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Recommended book: Migrant, Refugee, Smuggler, Savior by Peter Tinti and Tuesday Reitano - while the book is around a decade old now, the picture it paints of the drivers of global smuggling networks is more relevant now than when the book was written. It provides a wider reflection on how global migration policy is struggling to adapt to the increased movement of people worldwide, and how smuggling emerges and operates to capitalize upon it. Having an inside view of what incentivizes the smuggling industry can help policymakers understand how to tackle its drivers and how the most vulnerable bear the highest price.
Email: Erick.Thomas@rso.baliprocess.net
Erick has worked in humanitarian affairs and diplomacy for the past eight years, joining RSO after four years at the United Nations in New York. He most recently served as Humanitarian Affairs Adviser for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Delegation to the UN, working on migrant protection, government engagement, and interagency cooperation. Prior to that he was Senior Policy Adviser to the UK Mission to the UN responsible for sustainable development and global health policy during COVID-19 after holding various roles for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
Recommended book: Migrant, Refugee, Smuggler, Savior by Peter Tinti and Tuesday Reitano - while the book is around a decade old now, the picture it paints of the drivers of global smuggling networks is more relevant now than when the book was written. It provides a wider reflection on how global migration policy is struggling to adapt to the increased movement of people worldwide, and how smuggling emerges and operates to capitalize upon it. Having an inside view of what incentivizes the smuggling industry can help policymakers understand how to tackle its drivers and how the most vulnerable bear the highest price.
Email: Erick.Thomas@rso.baliprocess.net
Ryan Winch
Programme Manager (Transnational Crime and Technology)
Ryan Winch
Programme Manager (Transnational Crime and Technology)
Ryan Winch is the Programme Manager for the Transnational Crime and Technology Team at the RSO. Joining the RSO in October 2022, Ryan leads the Transnational Crime and Technology Team with a primary focus on combating trafficking in persons and people smuggling facilitated by emerging technologies, as well as how the potential of new technologies can be best harnessed to counter trafficking in persons, people smuggling and transnational crime.
Prior to his role at the RSO, Ryan served as a Security Sector Reform Officer with MINUSCA, the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in the Central African Republic as well as as a Programme Coordinator with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Myanmar. Ryan has also worked with UNODC’s Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, CIVICUS, Open Development Thailand, and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).
Recommended book/podcast: Hold Your Fire by International Crisis Group – “This offers fascinating deep dives and expert analysis of emerging security issues and conflicts around the globe.”
Email: ryan.winch@rso.baliprocess.net
Prior to his role at the RSO, Ryan served as a Security Sector Reform Officer with MINUSCA, the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in the Central African Republic as well as as a Programme Coordinator with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Myanmar. Ryan has also worked with UNODC’s Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, CIVICUS, Open Development Thailand, and the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).
Recommended book/podcast: Hold Your Fire by International Crisis Group – “This offers fascinating deep dives and expert analysis of emerging security issues and conflicts around the globe.”
Email: ryan.winch@rso.baliprocess.net
Rose Wu
Programme Manager (Strategic Communications)
Rose Wu
Programme Manager (Strategic Communications)
Rose is Programme Manager for Communications and Engagement at the RSO. Rose joined the team in September 2022, and supports the RSO to engage proactively with Bali Process members and Working Groups, and to act as a responsive and trusted voice in the region – to ensure profile, impact and reach for the RSO’s programmes and activities.
Rose was previously based in London, UK, where her experience spans strategic, editorial and digital communications and engagement and stakeholder management across the research, higher education and charity sectors.
Recommended book: The Snakehead by Patrick Radden Keefe – "This is an astounding investigation into human smuggling which reads as part documentary, part thriller. The book follows ‘Sister Ping’ who was responsible for bringing at least 3,000 people from Fuzhou to America, and earned a reputation as a ‘living Buddah’ in her home city, as well as a vast personal fortune. The book charts the lives of some of those who made the journey and their fates, the links between the smuggling trade and organised criminal activity, the complex relationship held between migrants and smugglers, and humanises the drive behind people’s desperate journeys and what makes them willing to take such huge risks in the first place”.
Email: rose.wu@rso.baliprocess.net
Rose was previously based in London, UK, where her experience spans strategic, editorial and digital communications and engagement and stakeholder management across the research, higher education and charity sectors.
Recommended book: The Snakehead by Patrick Radden Keefe – "This is an astounding investigation into human smuggling which reads as part documentary, part thriller. The book follows ‘Sister Ping’ who was responsible for bringing at least 3,000 people from Fuzhou to America, and earned a reputation as a ‘living Buddah’ in her home city, as well as a vast personal fortune. The book charts the lives of some of those who made the journey and their fates, the links between the smuggling trade and organised criminal activity, the complex relationship held between migrants and smugglers, and humanises the drive behind people’s desperate journeys and what makes them willing to take such huge risks in the first place”.
Email: rose.wu@rso.baliprocess.net
Eun Jung Yi
Programme Manager (Border and Migration Management)
Eun Jung Yi
Programme Manager (Border and Migration Management)
Eun leads the RSO's Border and Migration Management team. Through pioneering learning techniques, she acts as a knowledge broker, collaborating with law enforcement agencies, international organizations, and civil society. With a background spanning over 15 years, Eun has engaged in humanitarian and development initiatives across diverse countries.
Email: eunjung.yi@rso.baliprocess.net
Email: eunjung.yi@rso.baliprocess.net
Programme Officers
Anjana Ahilan
Programme Officer (Communications and Engagement)
Anjana Ahilan
Programme Officer (Communications and Engagement)
Anjana Ahilan is a Programme Officer in the Communications and Engagement team at the RSO. Anjana joined the team in August and will contribute to the RSO’s strategic communications and stakeholder engagement efforts.
Anjana joins us from the UK, where she has recently completed a MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies at the University of Oxford. Her previous experience includes roles in social media content creation and support for communications, network management, and event planning with various non-profits, NGOs, and IGOs.
Recommended book: My Fourth Time, We Drowned by Sally Hayden – "This eye-opening book provides an in-depth exploration of the migrant crisis, blending investigative journalism with powerful storytelling. It focuses on the harrowing experiences of those fleeing conflict and persecution, illuminating the profound personal and political ramifications of their journeys. Through intimate portraits, Hayden reveals the human cost of migration, the roles played by smugglers and governments, and the resilience of those who risk everything for a chance at a better life."
Email: Anjana.ahilan@rso.baliprocess.net
Anjana joins us from the UK, where she has recently completed a MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies at the University of Oxford. Her previous experience includes roles in social media content creation and support for communications, network management, and event planning with various non-profits, NGOs, and IGOs.
Recommended book: My Fourth Time, We Drowned by Sally Hayden – "This eye-opening book provides an in-depth exploration of the migrant crisis, blending investigative journalism with powerful storytelling. It focuses on the harrowing experiences of those fleeing conflict and persecution, illuminating the profound personal and political ramifications of their journeys. Through intimate portraits, Hayden reveals the human cost of migration, the roles played by smugglers and governments, and the resilience of those who risk everything for a chance at a better life."
Email: Anjana.ahilan@rso.baliprocess.net
Lindsay Erjavic
Programme Officer (Transnational Crime and Technology)
Lindsay Erjavic
Programme Officer (Transnational Crime and Technology)
Lindsay is Programme Officer in Transnational Crime and Technology and joined the RSO in January 2022. Lindsay supports the team in the organisation of events, projects and research which further the Transnational Crime and Technology Team efforts to support Member States to address new and growing uses of technology to facilitate trafficking in persons and people smuggling, along with the impact of transnational organised crime's relationship with these technologies.
Lindsay previously worked in the Policy and Partnerships team at the RSO, before moving to the newly formed Transnational Crime and Technology Team in January 2023. Before the RSO, Lindsay worked in Mae Hong Son, Thailand—implementing education and empowerment projects in the refugee camps of Ban Mai Nai Soi and Ban Mae Surin.
Recommended book/podcast: Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo – “This book provides an intimate and deeply researched account of life in the Annawadi slum, located near Mumbai's international airport. The book underscores how poverty and limited opportunities can push individuals, particularly women and children, into desperate situations where they are more easily exploited.”
Email: lindsay.erjavic@rso.baliprocess.net
Lindsay previously worked in the Policy and Partnerships team at the RSO, before moving to the newly formed Transnational Crime and Technology Team in January 2023. Before the RSO, Lindsay worked in Mae Hong Son, Thailand—implementing education and empowerment projects in the refugee camps of Ban Mai Nai Soi and Ban Mae Surin.
Recommended book/podcast: Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo – “This book provides an intimate and deeply researched account of life in the Annawadi slum, located near Mumbai's international airport. The book underscores how poverty and limited opportunities can push individuals, particularly women and children, into desperate situations where they are more easily exploited.”
Email: lindsay.erjavic@rso.baliprocess.net
Wendy Htet
Programme Officer (Communications and Engagement)
Wendy Htet
Programme Officer (Communications and Engagement)
Wendy is a Programme Officer in the Communications and Engagement team at the RSO. Wendy joined the team in November 2023 and supports the RSO’s strategic communications and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
Wendy was previously based in Myanmar—her home country. She has worked for non-profits and NGOs in the United States, Thailand, and Myanmar— contributing to a diverse background in monitoring and evaluation, communications consulting, and corporate social responsibility. Wendy holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies and Business Administration from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Recommended book: Hello, Shadowlands by Patrick Winn– "Essential to understanding Southeast Asia in the 21st century, Hello, Shadowlands reveals a booming underworld of organised crime across a region in flux— a $100 billion trade that deals in narcotics, animals and people —and the staggering human toll that is being steadily ignored by the West… Focusing on human stories on both sides of this crime wave, the acclaimed Bangkok-based broadcaster and journalist Patrick Winn intimately profiles the men and women of the region who are forced to make agonizing choices in the absence of law.”
Email: wint.htet@rso.baliprocess.net
Wendy was previously based in Myanmar—her home country. She has worked for non-profits and NGOs in the United States, Thailand, and Myanmar— contributing to a diverse background in monitoring and evaluation, communications consulting, and corporate social responsibility. Wendy holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies and Business Administration from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Recommended book: Hello, Shadowlands by Patrick Winn– "Essential to understanding Southeast Asia in the 21st century, Hello, Shadowlands reveals a booming underworld of organised crime across a region in flux— a $100 billion trade that deals in narcotics, animals and people —and the staggering human toll that is being steadily ignored by the West… Focusing on human stories on both sides of this crime wave, the acclaimed Bangkok-based broadcaster and journalist Patrick Winn intimately profiles the men and women of the region who are forced to make agonizing choices in the absence of law.”
Email: wint.htet@rso.baliprocess.net
Natnicha Surasit
Programme Officer (Countering People Smuggling)
Natnicha Surasit
Programme Officer (Countering People Smuggling)
Natnicha is a Programme Officer for Countering People Smuggling at the RSO. She joined the RSO in August 2024, and is committed to supporting Member States' efforts to address the complexities of people smuggling and uphold the rights and dignity of people in the Bali Process region.
Natnicha's professional journey includes countering transnational threats and crime, human security, and geopolitics in the Asia-Pacific region, concentrating on Southeast Asia. Before joining the RSO, she worked as an associate for the GI-TOC, an international policy and research institute that focuses on transnational organized crime.
She has also worked at the Office of the National Security Council of Thailand as a Policy Analyst, and has interned at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) with the Strategic Planning and Inter-agency Affairs team, as well as the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) Preventing Violent Extremism team. As a student, she interned at the Thai Consulate-General in Vancouver.
Natnicha studied International Relations for a BA at Chulalongkorn University, and Global Politics and Security for a MS at Georgetown University. She is currently studying for a Diploma in Law, focusing on Criminal Justice in her spare time.
Podcast recommendation: The Index Podcast by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC). The topics covered include highlights from the Global Organized Index, an online tool ranking levels of criminality and resilience in 193 countries around the world. Each episode covers a different topic of criminal activity and geographical focus, ranging from bride trafficking from Cambodia to China, Tunisia and Human Smuggling, cryptocurrency and money laundering, and the drug markets of East and Southern Africa, for instance.
Email: natnicha.surasit@rso.baliprocess.net
Natnicha's professional journey includes countering transnational threats and crime, human security, and geopolitics in the Asia-Pacific region, concentrating on Southeast Asia. Before joining the RSO, she worked as an associate for the GI-TOC, an international policy and research institute that focuses on transnational organized crime.
She has also worked at the Office of the National Security Council of Thailand as a Policy Analyst, and has interned at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) with the Strategic Planning and Inter-agency Affairs team, as well as the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) Preventing Violent Extremism team. As a student, she interned at the Thai Consulate-General in Vancouver.
Natnicha studied International Relations for a BA at Chulalongkorn University, and Global Politics and Security for a MS at Georgetown University. She is currently studying for a Diploma in Law, focusing on Criminal Justice in her spare time.
Podcast recommendation: The Index Podcast by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC). The topics covered include highlights from the Global Organized Index, an online tool ranking levels of criminality and resilience in 193 countries around the world. Each episode covers a different topic of criminal activity and geographical focus, ranging from bride trafficking from Cambodia to China, Tunisia and Human Smuggling, cryptocurrency and money laundering, and the drug markets of East and Southern Africa, for instance.
Email: natnicha.surasit@rso.baliprocess.net
Andi Yurdi
Programme Officer (Border and Migration Management)
Andi Yurdi
Programme Officer (Border and Migration Management)
Andi is Programme Officer in the Border and Migration Management team at the RSO.
Andi was previously based in the Netherlands where he studied International Relations for his master’s degree in the field of International Relations specialising on NGOs and INGOs.
Recommended book: Sun Tzu, the Art of War – “This book can be read by anyone, and it will speak to you. An introspective read that will bring a new perspective to readers regardless of who they are.”
Email: andi.yurdi@rso.baliprocess.net
Andi was previously based in the Netherlands where he studied International Relations for his master’s degree in the field of International Relations specialising on NGOs and INGOs.
Recommended book: Sun Tzu, the Art of War – “This book can be read by anyone, and it will speak to you. An introspective read that will bring a new perspective to readers regardless of who they are.”
Email: andi.yurdi@rso.baliprocess.net
Associate Programme Officers
Sarawut Pongsuwan
Associate Programme Officer (Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Reporting)
Sarawut Pongsuwan
Associate Programme Officer (Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Reporting)
Sarawut supports the Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Reporting team at the RSO. Sarawut recently finished his studies at Mahidol University, where he majored in International Relations and Global Affairs. He previously served as an intern under the RSO's Communications and Engagement team. His fields of interest include human rights, migration, politics, and International Relations.
Recommended book: Human Trafficking in Thailand: Current Issues, Trends, and the Role of the Thai Government.
This book addresses the reality of human trafficking in Thailand, dissecting studies, presenting facts, and dismissing stereotypes. It focuses on the areas of fishing, agriculture, domestic work, sex work, and the trafficking of children, weaving individual narratives and official studies into the wider history of Thailand’s changing economy and labor situation. It also details how the Thai government has addressed the issue, reflects on the roots of human exploitation, and suggests a way forward.
Email: sarawut.pongsuwan@rso.baliprocess.net
Recommended book: Human Trafficking in Thailand: Current Issues, Trends, and the Role of the Thai Government.
This book addresses the reality of human trafficking in Thailand, dissecting studies, presenting facts, and dismissing stereotypes. It focuses on the areas of fishing, agriculture, domestic work, sex work, and the trafficking of children, weaving individual narratives and official studies into the wider history of Thailand’s changing economy and labor situation. It also details how the Thai government has addressed the issue, reflects on the roots of human exploitation, and suggests a way forward.
Email: sarawut.pongsuwan@rso.baliprocess.net
Xin Yi Huang
Associate Program Officer (Transnational Crime and Technology)
Xin Yi Huang
Associate Program Officer (Transnational Crime and Technology)
Xin Yi is from Taiwan and has recently finished her master's studies in International and Security Politics at the European School of Political and Social Science (ESPOL) in Lille, France. She joined the RSO as an intern under both the Border and Migration Management team and the Transnational Crime and Technology team for six months in the beginning of January 2025 and has since transitioned to Associate Program Officer in the Transnational Crime and Technology team. Her field of interest is human rights, refugees and asylum seekers, and global migration issues, particularly the migration dynamics in the Southeast Asia, which led to her interest in interning at the RSO. Before she started her internship here, she interned at a policy-focused think tank in Taiwan and a Japanese humanitarian NGO.
Recommended Book: Legitimising Rejection: International Refugee Law in Southeast Asia, Sara E. Davies
This book discusses the relationship of the international refugee law and the Southeast Asian countries from a different perspective. Given the fact that most of the Southeast Asian countries are not party to the international refugee law, there are a lot of existing literature trying to explain this phenomenon. Sara E. Davies's book points out the importance of looking at how states relate to law and how law shapes behavior by enabling and constraining certain types of action.
Email: xin.yi.huang@rso.baliprocess.net
Recommended Book: Legitimising Rejection: International Refugee Law in Southeast Asia, Sara E. Davies
This book discusses the relationship of the international refugee law and the Southeast Asian countries from a different perspective. Given the fact that most of the Southeast Asian countries are not party to the international refugee law, there are a lot of existing literature trying to explain this phenomenon. Sara E. Davies's book points out the importance of looking at how states relate to law and how law shapes behavior by enabling and constraining certain types of action.
Email: xin.yi.huang@rso.baliprocess.net
IOM Support Team
Amela Mujagic
Back-Office Manager
Amela Mujagic
Back-Office Manager
Amela is the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Back-Office Manager for the RSO. She joined the team in October 2016 and supports the RSO by liaising with the RSO Co-Managers on all back-office requests, coordinates administrative, financial and logistical matters such as HR, financial management, logistics and procurement, assists Co-Managers in preparation of budgets, overseeing safety and security related matters for staff and premises, drafting of project related contracts and coordination with IOM Legal Department.
Amela has over 25 years of experience at international, regional, and national level. During her long-standing career with IOM. She has worked in Austria, Timor-Leste, Afghanistan, Jordan, Iraq, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan and most recently in Thailand. Amela is Austrian citizen and speaks fluently German, English and Bosnian with basic knowledge in French, Spanish, Italian and Arabic.
Amela has over 25 years of experience at international, regional, and national level. During her long-standing career with IOM. She has worked in Austria, Timor-Leste, Afghanistan, Jordan, Iraq, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan and most recently in Thailand. Amela is Austrian citizen and speaks fluently German, English and Bosnian with basic knowledge in French, Spanish, Italian and Arabic.
Yaowaree Sincharoenpanich
Finance Assistant
Yaowaree Sincharoenpanich
Finance Assistant
Yaowaree is the Finance Assistant for the RSO. She initially joined the team on a part-time basis in mid of year 2016, and on a full time basis in February 2017 and provides day-to-day support to the RSO, with the main focus on financial and budgeting matters.
Yaowaree has over 20 years of experience related to the finance in both public and private sectors at national level. She is a Thai Citizen and a Thailand CPA. Besides being a native speaker of the Thai language (native speaker), Yaowaree also speaks English and Teochew.
Yaowaree has over 20 years of experience related to the finance in both public and private sectors at national level. She is a Thai Citizen and a Thailand CPA. Besides being a native speaker of the Thai language (native speaker), Yaowaree also speaks English and Teochew.
Manisha Gorowara
Administrative Assistant
Manisha Gorowara
Administrative AssistantJoining the team in March 2024, Manisha brings a fresh perspective and a wealth of experience to the role. Her background in Human Resources and Administration further enriches the team's capabilities, making her a valuable asset in managing various tasks efficiently.
As part of the primary administrative support team for the RSO, Manisha is pivotal in handling administrative matters crucial to the organisation's operations. From coordinating logistics and arranging meetings to verifying timesheets and preparing documentation, she demonstrates meticulous attention to detail and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
Email: mgorowara@iom.int
Pich Koomquan
Administrative Assistant
Pich Koomquan
Administrative Assistant
Pich is the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Administrative Assistant for the RSO. He joined the team in August 2025 to provide day-to-day administrative, logistical and procurement support, helping the RSO deliver programs and partnerships effectively across the Asia–Pacific region.
He brings over five years of experience in finance, accounting and operations across both the private sector including education, finance institutions and healthcare and international organizations such as United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Pich holds a Master’s degree in Accounting and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Finance and Human Resource Management) from Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand. He is Thai citizen and speaks fluently English and Thai.
Email: pkoomquan@iom.int
He brings over five years of experience in finance, accounting and operations across both the private sector including education, finance institutions and healthcare and international organizations such as United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Pich holds a Master’s degree in Accounting and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (Finance and Human Resource Management) from Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand. He is Thai citizen and speaks fluently English and Thai.
Email: pkoomquan@iom.int
Suangsuda Rojanawichian
Administrative Assistant
Suangsuda Rojanawichian
Administrative Assistant
Suangsuda is the Administrative Assistant for the RSO. She joined the team in November 2023 and provides support to the program teams in implementation of project activities, procurement, logistic and administrative support to the project in close coordination with RSO Back Office team, with the focus on administrative.
Suangsuda has over 8 years of experience in administrative, logistical, and procurement work in both government sector and public organizations, managing various administrative and logistical arrangements. Suangsuda is a Thai citizen and a native speaker of Thai.
Email: srojanawichi@iom.int
Suangsuda has over 8 years of experience in administrative, logistical, and procurement work in both government sector and public organizations, managing various administrative and logistical arrangements. Suangsuda is a Thai citizen and a native speaker of Thai.
Email: srojanawichi@iom.int
Secondees
Nilanthi Illeperumage (2025)
Immigration Investigations Officer at the Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka and RSO Secondee (2025-26)
Nilanthi Illeperumage (2025)
Immigration Investigations Officer at the Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka and RSO Secondee (2025-26)
Nilanthi is a Senior Immigration Investigations Officer at the Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka, currently attached to the Border Surveillance Unit. With over 15 years of experience in the field of immigration, she has served in diverse operational roles, including border control, passenger clearance, offloading procedures, secondary inspections, and the detection of documents and identity fraud.
She has played a key role in coordinating Travel Document and Biometric (TD&B) verifications in collaboration with the Document Examination Support Center (DESC). Her work has contributed significantly to Sri Lanka’s efforts in verifying suspicious travel documents, preventing irregular departures, and supporting international information exchange. Nilanthi is also an active contributor to the Advanced Document Examination Network (ANDEX), where she represents Sri Lanka’s commitment to enhancing regional document security, capacity building, and technical cooperation.
As a Secondee to the Regional Support Office (RSO) of the Bali Process, Nilanthi brings a strong operational perspective grounded in field experience. Her work supports the RSO’s efforts in tackling transnational crimes such as human trafficking and migrant smuggling, with a focus on data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and joint capacity-building initiatives. She contributes to key activities including toolkit development, secondee reporting, ICE Team coordination, and RSO-led workshops.
Nilanthi’s secondment runs from mid of July 2025 to January 2026. During this period, she is committed to sharing Sri Lanka’s experiences, strengthening regional cooperation, and contributing to policy discussions aimed at improving border governance and protection responses.
Recommended film: Lion – Based on a true story, this film follows the journey of a young boy who becomes separated from his family in India and later embarks on a search for identity and belonging. The story powerfully highlights issues of cross-border movement, vulnerability, and the importance of accurate identification—making it a valuable resource for migration and protection professionals.
Email: Nilanthi.Illeperumage@rso.baliprocess.net
She has played a key role in coordinating Travel Document and Biometric (TD&B) verifications in collaboration with the Document Examination Support Center (DESC). Her work has contributed significantly to Sri Lanka’s efforts in verifying suspicious travel documents, preventing irregular departures, and supporting international information exchange. Nilanthi is also an active contributor to the Advanced Document Examination Network (ANDEX), where she represents Sri Lanka’s commitment to enhancing regional document security, capacity building, and technical cooperation.
As a Secondee to the Regional Support Office (RSO) of the Bali Process, Nilanthi brings a strong operational perspective grounded in field experience. Her work supports the RSO’s efforts in tackling transnational crimes such as human trafficking and migrant smuggling, with a focus on data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and joint capacity-building initiatives. She contributes to key activities including toolkit development, secondee reporting, ICE Team coordination, and RSO-led workshops.
Nilanthi’s secondment runs from mid of July 2025 to January 2026. During this period, she is committed to sharing Sri Lanka’s experiences, strengthening regional cooperation, and contributing to policy discussions aimed at improving border governance and protection responses.
Recommended film: Lion – Based on a true story, this film follows the journey of a young boy who becomes separated from his family in India and later embarks on a search for identity and belonging. The story powerfully highlights issues of cross-border movement, vulnerability, and the importance of accurate identification—making it a valuable resource for migration and protection professionals.
Email: Nilanthi.Illeperumage@rso.baliprocess.net
Past Secondees
Past Secondees
Secondees are drawn from law enforcement officers, border and immigration officials, policy makers and judicial personnel from Bali Process Member States. Secondees work in the RSO offices in Bangkok, Thailand for a four to six month period on a project and programme of work that furthers and contributes to their Member State’s needs as well as Bali Process and RSO objectives. Secondments support strengthening of technical capacity across Member States, and allow Member States to share good practices and high-level capacities through and with the RSO.
Read more about our past secondees.
Read more about our past secondees.
Interns
Lucie Benevise (2025)
Intern (Communications and Engagement, Crisis Preparedness Forum)
Lucie Benevise (2025)
Intern (Communications and Engagement, Crisis Preparedness Forum)
Lucie has recently completed the first year of her Master's in Human Rights at the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies (IHRP) at Mahidol University, and is currently focused on writing her thesis. Before joining IHRP, Lucie trained in User Interface and Experience Design, and held roles in various nonprofit and grassroot organisations.
Lucie is interning under the Strategic Communications and Engagement team, where she will support the creation and maintenance of content and information platforms. Her fields of interest include women and children's rights, migration and labour, trust in international human rights mechanisms, and peacebuilding through conflict transformation. Her thesis aims to explore the role of culture and agency of children in cases of trafficking and child domestic labour affecting girls in MENA.
Recommended book: The Wretched of the Sea: Women and Borders in the Mediterranean
This book, based on research carried out on the Mediterranean coast, recounts the tales of the women who survived perilous voyages, heartbreaking rupture from their family, and the promise of opportunities. The Wretched of the Sea offers a remarkable insight into their daily lives in reception centers, waiting to be accepted into a Europe that often rejects them.
Email: Lucie.BENEVISE@rso.baliprocess.net
Lucie is interning under the Strategic Communications and Engagement team, where she will support the creation and maintenance of content and information platforms. Her fields of interest include women and children's rights, migration and labour, trust in international human rights mechanisms, and peacebuilding through conflict transformation. Her thesis aims to explore the role of culture and agency of children in cases of trafficking and child domestic labour affecting girls in MENA.
Recommended book: The Wretched of the Sea: Women and Borders in the Mediterranean
This book, based on research carried out on the Mediterranean coast, recounts the tales of the women who survived perilous voyages, heartbreaking rupture from their family, and the promise of opportunities. The Wretched of the Sea offers a remarkable insight into their daily lives in reception centers, waiting to be accepted into a Europe that often rejects them.
Email: Lucie.BENEVISE@rso.baliprocess.net
Ashwini Muruganandam (2025)
Intern (Irregular Migration and Regional Priorities)
Ashwini Muruganandam (2025)
Intern (Irregular Migration and Regional Priorities)
Motivated by a strong commitment to combating transnational organized crime within the Southeast Asian region, Ashwini has joined the Border and Migration Management team as an intern for a six-month term, where she will contribute to research and analytical initiatives, as well as support the development and coordination of relevant programmes and events.
Originally hailing from Singapore, Ashwini holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of New South Wales (Sydney) and is presently undertaking a Specialist Diploma in Security Consultancy at Temasek Polytechnic (Singapore). Her academic and professional interests are anchored in the nexus of crime, border security and regional policy, with a specific focus on the evolving dynamics of trafficking networks and the pivotal role of intergovernmental cooperation in tackling them.
In addition to her engagement with policy and research, Ashwini has developed a growing interest in the field of Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and has gained investigative experience through previous work in wildlife crime cases. She aspires to further explore the intersection of intelligence, technology, and governance in shaping effective responses to cross-border criminal activity.
Recommended book: Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong about the World – And Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling with Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Ronnlund - A compelling entry-level book for individuals seeking to pursue a clearer and more rational thinking in an increasingly complex world. While the book adopts a simplified optimistic approach, it offers an accessible and thought-provoking starting point for understanding global development trends through a data-driven perspective. Drawing on statistical insights, Factfulness challenges widespread misconceptions of certain global issues to encourage readers to embrace a fact-based worldview grounded in nuance and context.
Email: Ashwini.Muruganandam@rso.baliprocess.net
Originally hailing from Singapore, Ashwini holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of New South Wales (Sydney) and is presently undertaking a Specialist Diploma in Security Consultancy at Temasek Polytechnic (Singapore). Her academic and professional interests are anchored in the nexus of crime, border security and regional policy, with a specific focus on the evolving dynamics of trafficking networks and the pivotal role of intergovernmental cooperation in tackling them.
In addition to her engagement with policy and research, Ashwini has developed a growing interest in the field of Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and has gained investigative experience through previous work in wildlife crime cases. She aspires to further explore the intersection of intelligence, technology, and governance in shaping effective responses to cross-border criminal activity.
Recommended book: Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong about the World – And Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling with Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Ronnlund - A compelling entry-level book for individuals seeking to pursue a clearer and more rational thinking in an increasingly complex world. While the book adopts a simplified optimistic approach, it offers an accessible and thought-provoking starting point for understanding global development trends through a data-driven perspective. Drawing on statistical insights, Factfulness challenges widespread misconceptions of certain global issues to encourage readers to embrace a fact-based worldview grounded in nuance and context.
Email: Ashwini.Muruganandam@rso.baliprocess.net
Tharatorn Neamphan (2025)
Intern (Border and Migration Management)
Tharatorn Neamphan (2025)
Intern (Border and Migration Management)
Tharatorn is a final-year student majoring in International Relations and Global Affairs at Mahidol University International College. He is currently interning with the Border and Migration Management team at the RSO where he plays a supportive role in the preparation of events, workshops, research, and other related tasks.
Throughout his studies, Tharatorn has taken courses focused on transnational crime in the Asia-Pacific region. After studying and regularly hearing about transnational crime on the news, he is intrigued to understand how the issues are being managed and how he can be a part of the solution.
Tharatorn also studies languages and has completed a short-term exchange program in Beijing, China. His interest in linguistics and communication has inspired a strong vocation to spread relevant and helpful information to raise awareness about issues related to transnational crime in the hope of reducing the number of victims and encouraging institutions to take action.
Email: Tharatorn.Neamphan@rso.baliprocess.net
Throughout his studies, Tharatorn has taken courses focused on transnational crime in the Asia-Pacific region. After studying and regularly hearing about transnational crime on the news, he is intrigued to understand how the issues are being managed and how he can be a part of the solution.
Tharatorn also studies languages and has completed a short-term exchange program in Beijing, China. His interest in linguistics and communication has inspired a strong vocation to spread relevant and helpful information to raise awareness about issues related to transnational crime in the hope of reducing the number of victims and encouraging institutions to take action.
Email: Tharatorn.Neamphan@rso.baliprocess.net
Ann dela Torre (2025)
Intern (Irregular Migration and Regional Priorities)
Ann dela Torre (2025)
Intern (Irregular Migration and Regional Priorities)
Ann has extensive experience working with marginalised communities within the fields of disability studies, inclusion, and Indigenous education. Professionally trained as a special needs practitioner, Ann is deeply passionate about social justice research that amplifies the voices and lived experiences of minoritised groups, including individuals with profound disabilities, displaced persons, and ethnic communities.
Currently, through an internship with the RSO, she supports the organisation’s efforts to address Irregular Migration and Regional Priorities, focusing on areas such as irregular migration research and inclusive civil registration systems, among others.
Recommendation book: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl – This timeless book, chronicling Frankl’s experience in a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust, explores the human condition through suffering, desperation, and the remarkable capacity for hope and strength. Quoting one of the most famous lines from the book: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Several decades later, Frankl’s reflections continue to inspire on how people can find meaning and purpose even in the most unlikely places and moments.
Email: ann.dela.torre@rso.baliprocess.net
Currently, through an internship with the RSO, she supports the organisation’s efforts to address Irregular Migration and Regional Priorities, focusing on areas such as irregular migration research and inclusive civil registration systems, among others.
Recommendation book: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl – This timeless book, chronicling Frankl’s experience in a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust, explores the human condition through suffering, desperation, and the remarkable capacity for hope and strength. Quoting one of the most famous lines from the book: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Several decades later, Frankl’s reflections continue to inspire on how people can find meaning and purpose even in the most unlikely places and moments.
Email: ann.dela.torre@rso.baliprocess.net
Ananya Vohra (2025)
Intern (Transnational Crime and Technology)
Ananya Vohra (2025)
Intern (Transnational Crime and Technology)
Ananya is a Master’s of Global Governance candidate at the University of Waterloo through the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Ontario, Canada. She is currently interning with the Transnational Crime and Technology team at the RSO, where she will be supporting research on how emerging technologies are shaping transnational crime specifically new criminal uses of technology in trafficking networks and cyber scam centers. Ananya will help develop policy briefs, research outputs, and monitoring tools to track regional trends. Her previous experience includes internships with the Government of Canada’s Indigenous Services in both the Child and Family Services and Emergency Management team. Ananya also has experience working on a variety of research projects focused on gender in human security policies, as well as projects focused on national and international data governance frameworks.
Recommended book: The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley by Marietje Schaake – Schaake draws from her experiences in the European Parliament and working among Silicon Valley insiders to offer a behind-the-scenes account of how technology companies have crept into nearly every corner of our lives and our governments. Schaake takes readers beyond the headlines to high-stakes meetings with human rights defenders, business leaders, computer scientists, and politicians to show how technologies—from social media to artificial intelligence—have gone from being heralded as utopian to undermining the pillars of our democracies.
Email: Ananya.Vohra@rso.baliprocess.net
Recommended book: The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley by Marietje Schaake – Schaake draws from her experiences in the European Parliament and working among Silicon Valley insiders to offer a behind-the-scenes account of how technology companies have crept into nearly every corner of our lives and our governments. Schaake takes readers beyond the headlines to high-stakes meetings with human rights defenders, business leaders, computer scientists, and politicians to show how technologies—from social media to artificial intelligence—have gone from being heralded as utopian to undermining the pillars of our democracies.
Email: Ananya.Vohra@rso.baliprocess.net
Past Interns
Past Interns
The RSO’s internship program provides valuable hands-on experience and professional development opportunities for aspiring individuals eager to contribute to our efforts countering trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants. We believe in nurturing talent, fostering growth, and empowering the next generation of students and recent graduates.
Read more about our past interns.
Read more about our past interns.
Team Structure
This Organogram provides further detail on the RSO team structure.
