Heidi Arbuckle

Dr. Heidi Arbuckle is The Asia Foundation’s country representative in Timor-Leste. She brings more than 20 years of experience in international development and academia. Her areas of expertise include governance, law and justice, media and technology, and freedom of expression in Southeast Asia.

Since joining the foundation in 2021, Heidi has served as the deputy country representative and as a team leader for the Timor-Leste office’s security and justice programs. Before joining the foundation, 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 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.

Heidi has authored numerous articles and two books on Southeast Asian politics, development, and culture. She lived in Indonesia for 25 years and has been deeply engaged in its intellectual and cultural communities. 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. Heidi served on the Cultural Facilitation Committee of the Ministry of Education and Culture in Indonesia during the Joko Widodo government.