Rule of Law Initiative Staff - Asia Division
Jennifer Rasmussen, Director of the Asia Division, <jrasmussen@staff.abanet.org> Jennifer joins ROLI in March 2008 following her tenure as Director of Program Design for Global Rights, a Washington DC-based human rights NGO, where she has worked since 1996. As the creator and director of Global Rights’ Access to Justice Initiative, she worked to develop human rights programs involving public interest litigation, legal reform and advocacy in various regions of the world. In Asia, she has worked on programs in Afghanistan, Cambodia, India, Mongolia, Nepal and Timor-Leste. She holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Rochester and a J.D. from American University's Washington College of Law, specializing in international law.
Cambodia
In Cambodia
Steve Austermiller, Cambodia Legal Education Advisor <austermiller@ewmi-praj.org> received his undergraduate and law degrees from Northwestern University. He joined ABA/CEELI in November 2000 and served as a Liaison and Country Director in Croatia, and Country Director in Bosnia & Herzegovina before moving to Cambodia in early 2006. A native of Chicago, Mr. Austermiller was previously a partner at Pedersen & Houpt, a mid-sized commercial law firm in Chicago.
Brian Rohan, Cambodia Advocacy Advisor <brianrohan2001@yahoo.com>has been resident in Cambodia since 2003. In his current capacity he works with a team of Cambodian lawyers to bring high impact legal advocacy cases on land and forestry issues. Mr. Rohan previously worked in the ABA's D.C. offices, first as Country Director for Moldova, Ukraine and Environmental programs, and then as Associate Director of the Asia Division. He also served as ABA/CEELI Rule of Law Liaison in Moldova in 1996, and Environmental Law Liaison in Ukraine in 1997. After graduating from New York University Law School in 1990, Mr. Rohan began his legal career as Assistant Regional Counsel in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He also worked on environmental issues in Uganda.
China
In Washington, D.C.
XieGang <xieg@staff.abanet.org> is the Program Manager for China.
Theresa Luong <luongt@staff.abanet.org> is the Program Officer for the Philippines and China.
In China
Hyeon-Ju Rho, China Country Director <rhoh@staff.abanet.org> joined the Asia Division in February 2007 as Deputy Country Director of the China Program. Before joining the ABA, she was based in China as a visiting scholar at Peking University Law School, researching the development of public interest litigation in China through a grant from the Ford Foundation. Prior to moving to China, she worked as staff attorney at the Urban Justice Center in New York City and as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. She has a J.D. from New York University Law School, where she was a Root-Tilden-Kern Public Interest Scholar, and a B.A. from Swarthmore College.
WU Anjing <abawuanjing@yahoo.com> is currently the Head Interpreter and Program Assistant of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s China program. She joined ABA as an interpreter and program assistant upon graduation in 2005 from Beijing International Studies University, where she received an education in common law basics. She holds a Bachelors degree in Economics and was recognized with awards for excellence in study and contribution to her peers as a group leader during her time in college.
LIN Yanmei <abalinyanmei@yahoo.com> joined the China Program of the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative as a Program Officer in June 2007. She is responsible for managing and implementing projects in the areas of environmental litigation and enforcement, participatory governance in land management, urban planning, and migrant integration, and civil society and NGO development in China. Before joining ABA, she worked as a lecturer and researcher for China Institute of Environment and Resources Protection in Minority Areas at the Central University for Nationalities. She holds a B.A. and Master of Law from Fudan University and an LL.M. from New York University School of Law.
CHENG Lei <abachenglei@yahoo.com> joined the China Program of the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative as a Program Officer in June 2007. He is responsible for managing and implementing projects on criminal justice, children’s rights protection, and lawyer networking. Before joining ABA, Cheng Lei worked as Assistant Director and researcher for The Center for Criminal Procedure and Reform at Renmin University of China. He received his Doctorate in Law from Renmin University of China in June 2007 and has a post-doctoral research fellowship at the China Academy of Social Sciences.
TAN Qi <abatanqi@yahoo.com> joined the China Program of the American Bar Association's Rule of Law Initiative as Staff Interpreter and Program Assistant in July 2007 upon graduation from Beijing Foreign Studies University, where she received an M.A. in simultaneous interpretation. While a graduate student, she worked as contract interpreter for China Construction Bank and Bank of America as well as for many major conferences. She has translated numerous commercial, legal and official documents, including the National Reports for the 61st session of United Nations General Assembly. She was the translator for the published Chinese edition of the book Spook by Mary Roach. She was a visiting student at Juniata College in Pennsylvania from 2002 to 2003.
XUE Qing <xueqing1999@yahoo.com> is Finance Manager and Program Officer for the China Program of the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative. She has worked for the ABA since July 2002. Before that, she worked as an Administrative Officer for the German consulting company ECI Consulting Co., Ltd. from 1999 to 2002. Prior to that, she worked in a joint venture knit hosiery company as an Assistant to the Foreign Manager from 1996 to 1999. She has a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Tsinghua University, and a B.A. from the Beijing Textile Engineering Institute of Beijing Union University.
DING Xia <abadingxia@yahoo.com> is the Office Manager for the China program of the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative. In this position, she is responsible for managing office logistics, including financial reporting and reimbursement as well as other events planning. She joined ABA in February 2006. She previously held positions as a public relations manager, general office deputy director and secretary to the president of Songhe Hotel, Tianlun Dynasy Group from 2001-2002. She also worked at the five-star Tianlun Dynasy Hotel, where she served as a public relations officer from 2000 to 2001, and as secretary for the housekeeping department from 1998 to 2000. She received her Bachelors degree from the Business College of Beijing United University.
Nepal
In Nepal
Kaya A. Ikuma, Program Manager <kikuma@staff.abanet.org> joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative in September 2006. She previously worked for USAID’s program office in Sanaa, Yemen. She also worked for a number of years as an Assistant County Prosecutor in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Upon graduation from law school, Ms. Ikuma was an Associate at Gary, Naegele and Theado, a class-action law firm in Lorain, Ohio. She received her J.D. from University of Toledo, School of Law and her B.A. in French and Japanese from Hope College. She currently resides in Kathmandu, Nepal where she manages ABA’s Nepal program and is also the Interim Program Manager for ABA's Cambodia and Thailand programs.
Philippines
In Washington, D.C.
Theresa Luong <luongt@staff.abanet.org> is the Program Officer for the Philippines and China.
In the Philippines
Scott Ciment, Philippines Country Director <ciments@staff.abanet.org>, has been serving in this capacity for the ABA since July, 2007. Prior to this, Mr. Ciment was the Public Defense Development Advisor for the U.S. State Department’s Justice Sector Support Program in Afghanistan. Mr. Ciment was the legislative director for California Attorneys for Criminal Justice during the 2000-2002 legislative session and later became a member of their Board of Governors. He also served as the Chief Public Defender of the Republic of Palau and as a staff attorney for the Criminal Defense Division of the New York Legal Aid Society. Mr. Ciment has a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and received his B.A. from U.C. Berkeley.
Fides Ferrer, Office Manager <fidesaba@pldtdsl.net> joined the Asia Division in January 2004. Prior to that, she worked as an Administrative Officer for another USAID-funded project, working on various administrative matters for the commercial law satellite office from 2003 to 2004. She previously worked at a private computer company as the Executive Assistant to the President from 1998 to 2003. Ms. Ferrer studied Computer Science at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Renato Lopez (Jun), Philippines Staff Attorney <junaba@pldtdsl.net> has been with ABA’s Asia Division since the opening of its Manila office in January 2004. He previously worked as a legal specialist for another USAID-funded program, working on various legal and judicial reform projects. Mr. Lopez earned his J.D. from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1996, and was admitted to the Philippine bar in 1997.
Jack Andrew O. Miranda, Philippines Staff Attorney <jackaba@pldtdsl.net> joined the Asia Division in August 2006. He worked previously in the Office of the President of the Philippines (Malacanang) as a Presidential Staff Officer and then as the Presidential Legislative Liaison Officer to Congress during the last two years of President Fidel Ramos’s term doing advocacy and developmental work. He subsequently worked with the academic and training arm of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, the Philippine Judicial Academy. Mr. Miranda earned his law degree from the Arellano Law School.
Thailand
In Washington, D.C.
Rabya Chaudhry <chaudhrr@staff.abanet.org> is the Program Officer for Thailand and the Regional Anti-Corruption program.
In Thailand
Andrew Boname, Regional Anti-Corruption Advisor (RACA) <aboname@staff.abanet.org> joined the ABA in March 2007 to serve as the Asia Division’s Regional Anti-Corruption Advisor, based in Bangkok, Thailand. He previously served as a CEELI Criminal Law Liaison in Bosnia-Herzegovina (March 2000-May 2001). After earning his J.D. at New York University Law School, Mr. Boname served as a Navy JAG and worked for nearly a decade as a prosecutor in Guam, during which time he established specialized anti-corruption and appeals units. Between his tours with the ABA, he worked as a regional coordinator for the Criminal Justice Advisory Unit attached to the UN Mission in Bosnia, as well as Chief of Party on two USAID projects in Bosnia.
Anongporn (Anne) Thanachaiary, Project Director – Integrity Program <anongpornt@kiasia.org> joined the ABA in January 2006 and serves as Project Director for the Asia Division’s Thailand Integrity Program. She is a licensed Thai lawyer and was vice-president of the Lawyers Council of Thailand. Ms. Thanachaiary received her LL.B. with Honors from Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Chitvimol Krishnamara, Program Assistant – Regional Anti-corruption Program (RACA) <chitvimolk@kiasia.org> joined the ABA in November 2002. Prior to that, she worked in banking areas at Standard Chartered Bank – Bangkok as a Sales Service Officer and at Standard Charter Nakornthon Bank Plc. – Bangkok as an Investment Banking Officer. Ms. Krishnamara earned her Masters Degree in Business Administration from University of Dallas, and a B.A. from Chiangmai University, Thailand.
Wilinwan Saengphuang, Project Assistant – Integrity Program <wilinwans@kiasia.org> joined the ABA Rule of Law Initiative’s Asia Division in August 2006 as a Program Assistant for the Thailand Integrity Program based in Bangkok, providing logistical and administrative support to the projects. She coordinates with local organizations including the Lawyers Council of Thailand, the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the Judiciary of Thailand and various universities to organize Lawyer, Prosecutor, and Judicial Ethics seminars. Gift has assisted with the Judicial Ethics Seminar held at the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok in September 2006, ethics workshops held in several Bangkok Universities, and two ongoing series of attorney and prosecutor ethics programs organized in 14 provinces. She also facilitates Legal Ethics Workshops presented live to participating groups and through televised presentations. The TV programs, broadcast on Thailand’s Channel 11, presented various American experts on legal ethics in the US criminal justice system. Gift invites speakers, provides materials, arranges travel, coordinates with seminar venues – and does whatever is necessary to ensure a successful event. She received her Master’s Degree in Language and Communication from National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) and BA in English from Rajabhat Institute Chankasem, Bangkok, Thailand.
Vietnam
In Vietnam
Allison Moore, Vietnam Country Director <moorea@staff.abanet.org> has worked for the Asia Division since June 2003, first as a Program Manager based in Washington, D.C., second as the China Country Director, and now as Vietnam Country Director based in Hanoi. Before that, she lived and worked in China as a visiting scholar at Tsinghua University and Beijing University, where she lectured on American Constitutional Law and Building Legal Institutions. Ms. Moore was Assistant Legal Counsel to the U.S. Senate from 1999-2001, and clerked for Judge Tatel on the D.C. Circuit. She has been named a Marshall Scholar, Luce Scholar, U.S.-Japan Leadership Program Fellow and Remarque Institute Fellow, and is currently participating in the National Committee for U.S.-China Relations’ Public Intellectuals Program. She has a J.D. from Yale Law School, an M.Phil. in Economics from University of Cambridge, and a B.A. from Stanford.
