The Asia Foundation Announces New Members of the Board of Trustees

January 12, 2024 — The Asia Foundation announces three new members to the Board of Trustees effective January 2024.

Joining our mission to improve lives and expand opportunities across Asia and the Pacific, these new members bring a wealth of experience, diverse perspectives, and a shared commitment to advancing our impact.

Meet our new members:

Lama Ahmad is a researcher and technology professional focused on ensuring safe and fair technology governance, particularly for those disproportionately impacted. On OpenAI’s Policy Research team, she leads partnerships and research on AI risks and social impact. Previously, at Facebook’s Open Research & Transparency team, she concentrated on Instagram and Facebook’s societal impacts, particularly regarding elections and democracy. As a Luce Scholar, Lama studied at the UN Pulse Lab Jakarta and focused on the ethics of data-driven technologies in Indonesia and Southeast Asia with a human-centered design approach.

Cheng-Ling Chen is an angel investor, advisor, and creative writer who supports women-led startups and nonprofits, focusing on under-served communities. Fluent in English, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, and Taiwanese, she advocates for multilingual education and has served on the boards of Presidio Knolls School and APA Family Support Services. As a cross-border corporate attorney with experience in various parts of China, Cheng-Ling is a proponent of empowering women. She is also the founder of HERliograph.com, where she highlights everyday heroines and fosters connections among women.

Ma. Laurice Jamero is a climate resilience and sustainability scientist coordinating climate resilience efforts at the Manila Observatory. She collaborates with local governments and civil society organizations in the Philippines on climate and disaster risk management. Lau is involved in various roles internationally, including at the World Climate Research Programme, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Future Earth Coasts, and Southeast Asia Science Advisory Network. She dedicates herself to engaging vulnerable communities in understanding climate risks, designing solutions, and promoting climate action and justice.

The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives and expanding opportunities across Asia and the Pacific. Informed by 70 years of experience and deep local knowledge, our work is focused on governance, climate action, gender equity, education and leadership, inclusive growth, and international cooperation. We work in more than 20 countries through our 17 permanent country offices and programs across Asia and the Pacific, supported by a headquarters in San Francisco and an office in Washington, DC. Our funding comes from a diverse array of bilateral and multilateral development agencies, foundations, corporations, and individuals.

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