Fifteen ascendant leaders from ASEAN nations to travel to U.S. this fall

PHILADELPHIA, June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisenhower Fellowships (EF) has selected 15 exceptional mid-career leaders from diverse professional fields for its prestigious 2025 Southeast Asia Program, nearly six weeks of intensive travel across the United States to meet with experts in their respective professions.

The ascendant leaders from six Southeast Asian countries will embark on a transformative, nearly six-week fellowship journey across the U.S. in October designed to foster dialogue and cross-cultural exchange. They will engage with international peers and American thought leaders to explore new ideas, forge collaborative partnerships and give shape to projects of impact they will implement upon their return home.

The Fellows selected for the 2025 Southeast Asia Program are from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. These dynamic leaders drive change in fields ranging from public policy and artificial intelligence to music, medicine and climate innovation.

They bring with them to the U.S. an impressive array of impactful initiatives, including a digital health platform for dementia caregivers, an AI ethics curriculum for public servants, a deep tech innovation hub and plans for a new major international arts festival in Hanoi.

The Southeast Asia Fellows are developing pioneering approaches to advance their work in their individual countries and across their region. Each embodies EF's mission to promote peace, prosperity, and justice through international understanding and collaboration. They will apply what they learn on fellowship to better their societies after they return home.

"Fifty years after the end of the war in Vietnam, we are proud to welcome to the United States exceptional leaders from that former enemy and other friendly nations in the region for fruitful people-to-people exchanges that will strengthen ties between future leaders of our countries," said EF's chairman, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Robert M. Gates.

The 2025 Eisenhower Fellows from Southeast Asia are:

• Yoga Adiwinarto, Director of Business Development, KALISTA (Indonesia)

• Vịnh Cao, Artist, Music Producer, and Composer, Space Speakers Label (Vietnam)

• Rena Dharmawan, Consultant Surgeon, National Cancer Centre (Singapore)

• Matthew Durai, Founder and Executive Producer, ZAG Studios (Malaysia)

• Erika Fille Legara, Managing Director, Center for AI Research (Philippines)

• Jane Lim, Deputy Secretary of Trade and International Economic Relations, Ministry of Trade and Industry (Singapore)

• Pak Shun Ng, Group Chief, Policy and Strategy; Group Chief, Plans and Transformation, Ministry of Defense (Singapore)

• Tien Nguyen, Founding Partner, Earth Venture Capital (Vietnam)

• Supachai Parchariyanon, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, RISE (Thailand)

• Saiyai Sakawee, Head of Consumer Communications, SEA and South Asia Frontier Markets, Google (Thailand)

• Santitarn Sathirathai, Member, Monetary Policy Committee, Bank of Thailand (Thailand)

• Trang Trinh, Concert Pianist and Arts Leader, All Bodies Dance (Vietnam)

• Cindy Vuu, Chief Executive Officer, Binh Tien Consumer Goods Manufacturing LC (Vietnam)

• Parit Wacharasindhu, Member of Parliament, House of Representatives (Thailand)

• Steven Wongsoredjo, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, SuperApp (Indonesia)

Founded in 1953 and named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, EF connects leaders from diverse fields and countries to exchange ideas, foster collaboration and promote international understanding.

With a network of nearly 1,900 active Fellows in scores of nations, EF inspires, connects and empowers leaders to take on some of the world's most urgent challenges with creativity, determination and purpose.

For more information contact:
Erin Hillman, Vice President of Programs and Operations
ehillman@efworld.org
215-546-1738

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SOURCE Eisenhower Fellowships