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Heidi Arbuckle

Deputy Country Representative, Timor-Leste

Doctoral degree in Gender and Asian Studies from the University of Melbourne, an honors degree in Political Science, and a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Curtin University. She has also studied literature and the arts at the Indonesian Institute for the Arts and Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. 

Heidi Arbuckle is deputy country representative in Timor-Leste. She brings over 20 years of experience in international development and academia. Her areas of expertise include governance, law and justice, media and technology, cultural expression, gender, and social inclusion in Southeast Asia.  

Previously, Heidi served as the Team Leader for The Asia Foundation’s security and justice program in Timor-Leste, and before that, she served in leadership positions for DFAT and USAID-funded programs. Heidi worked at the Ford Foundation’s Indonesia office for 12 years, where she led strategic direction and grantmaking for social justice programs in Indonesia, along with regional initiatives in Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Timor-Leste. At the Ford Foundation, Heidi spearheaded the office’s public interest technology investments to expand economic opportunity and advance rights. 

Heidi has authored numerous articles and two books on Southeast Asian social movements, development, and culture. She lived in Indonesia for 25 years. She was a founding member of the cultural collective Taring Padi and co-founder of Sekolah Pemikirian Perempuan, a cross-disciplinary platform for researchers and cultural practitioners who work in decolonizing knowledge. Heidi currently serves on the Cultural Facilitation Committee of the Ministry of Education and Culture in Indonesia. 

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