PROFILES OF SPEAKERS AND MODERATORS

Agabin, Meliza H.

Meliza H. Agabin is the Deputy Chief of Party of the Microenterprise Access to Banking Services (MABS) Program. She has over 28 years of experience in agricultural, rural, and microfinance, and has had extensive experience in management, research, surveying, and training. Ms. Agabin has been with MABS since 1998 and has led efforts to introduce housing microfinance to rural banks in the Philippines. She is the co-author of two books, “Rice Economy of the Philippines” (1974) and “Small Farmer Credit Dilemma” (1985), and a paper on Philippine rural banking, “Alternative Approach to Rural Financial Intermediation” (1996).

Almendras, Jose Rene D.

Jose Rene D. Almendras is the President of Manila Water Company, Inc. He joined Manila Water in 2007 and was previously with Ayala Land, Inc. as a member of the Management Committee and concurrently as Group Head of the Visayas Mindanao Business Group and the Operations Transformation Group. Mr. Almendras also served as President and CEO of Cebu Holdings, Inc. and Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corp. He was also Chairman of the Ayala Land Group Bidding Committee and established the Strategic Procurement Division. Mr. Almendras also served as Director in Avida Properties, Cebu Insular Hotels, Cebu City Sports Club, Ayala Greenfield Golf and Leisure Club, and Anvaya Beach Club. Prior to joining the Ayala Group, he was with the Aboitiz Group, serving as Treasurer for Aboitiz & Company and Aboitiz Equity Adventures. He also served as President of City Savings Bank and worked in various capacities with Citytrust Banking Corporation, Citibank N.A., and Bank of the Philippine Islands.

Baby, Quazi

Quazi Baby is the founder and Executive Director of Participatory Development Action Program (PDAP), primarily working to empower women and children. She has also worked with various national and international organizations, including Coalition for Urban Poor (CUP), Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh (ADAB), Disadvantaged Adolescent Working NGOs (DAWN), British Women Association (BWA), Association for Women Rights in Development (AWID), and Huairou Commission. In 2003, Ms. Baby received an honorary doctorate award from the World Citizen Tribunal at the University of Sapporo, Japan.

Ballesteros, Marife

Marife Ballesteros is a Senior Research Fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, a government think tank based in Manila. She is a consultant to national and local governments and international aid agencies on urban development issues, shelter policies, and land market reforms. Dr. Ballesteros also participated in crafting national policies on housing finance, community infrastructure programs, rental housing regulations, land administration reforms, and the national urban development and housing framework. She is concurrently a member of the Southeast Asia Urban Environment Management Network (SEA-UEM), where she serves as resource person for urban environment issues.

Banerjee, Banashree

Banashree Banerjee is an urban planner currently working as an independent consultant. She has also served as government town planner, university teacher, and researcher. Her work is primarily focused on inclusive and participatory approaches to urban planning and management, particularly in relation to poverty reduction. Ms. Banerjee has been responsible for designing, implementing, and institutionalizing participatory planning and monitoring in poor settlements and in a number of cities. Ms. Banerjee also teaches part time at the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies in Rotterdam. She also served as Chairperson of the International Jury for the UN-Habitat Best Practices Awards in 2008 and as working group member of the Global Commission for Legal Empowerment of the Poor in 2007.

Bauer, Richard

Richard Bauer is an engineering adviser with Oxfam GB, a leading international non- government organization in water, sanitation, and hygiene promotion (WASH) in humanitarian responses. Based in the United Kingdom, Mr. Bauer has provided engineering and programme support for Oxfam GB’s humanitarian and development projects in Asia, Africa, and Latin America since 1998. In his role with Oxfam GB, Mr. Bauer is an active member of interagency humanitarian coordination groups in the WASH and Emergency Shelter sectors.

Bawole, Paulus

Paulus Bawole is a researcher and lecturer at the Duta Wacana Christian University, Indonesia. His research interests are urban and housing development, and the environmental qualities of low-income settlements. He has previously served as Dean of the Engineering Faculty and Secretary of the Institute of Social Science, both at Duta Wacana Christian University. He has had extensive experience as an architect, designing Javanese Christian churches in various parts of Indonesia, as well as the Mojowarno Christian Hospital in East Java and the Indonesian People Bank. As a community development practitioner, he has helped facilitate projects in poor villages in East Timor and East Kalimantan. Dr. Bawole was also involved in planning projects involving agricultural tourism and clean water supply in poor villages.

Blake, Elizabeth

Elizabeth Blake is the Senior Vice President for Advocacy, Government Affairs and General Counsel for Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI). She joined HFHI in 2006, following a career in the private sector, including serving as Executive Vice President for Corporate Affairs and General Counsel of US Airways, Vice President and General Counsel of GE Power Systems, Vice President and Chief of Staff of Cinergy Corporation, as well as 19 years of private law practice in Cincinnati and New York City. Ms. Blake continues to serve on numerous charitable and civic boards, having chaired the development of a $92 million performing arts center and was appointed by the Governor of Ohio to the Ohio Board of Regents, of which she served as the first woman chair.

Botes, Hendrik

Hendrik Botes is the CEO of Moladi Construction Systems, and is an inventor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. As the designer of a multi-award winning affordable housing technology, he has more than 23 years of experience in the building industry. Mr. Botes has a broad-based understanding of the challenges that face affordable housing throughout the world and has gained unique insight into how businesses and governments can work together to eradicate the global housing shortage. In addition to driving the success of Moladi technology, he continues to provide consulting services to governments, advisers, and institutions.

Bullen, Christopher

Christopher Bullen is a public health physician and is currently the Director of the Clinical Trials Research Unit, a research group at the School of Population health, The University of Auckland, New Zealand. Dr. Bullen co-initiated the New Zealand Healthy Housing Programme, a large-scale collaborative venture between the national state housing agency and district health boards, in an effort to control an epidemic of meningococcal disease in the country. The program operated for over seven years and lead to the renovation of almost 1,000 homes and connected thousands of people to health and welfare services. His efforts have helped promote the development of community housing ambassadors and trained lay workers to assist families in accessing resources to keep their homes warm, dry, and mould-free. Dr. Bullen was recently a co-investigator on a large community-based trial of healthy heating substitution to reduce asthma in children and has a strong interest in the importance of indoor air quality.

Carcellar, Norberto

Norberto Carcellar is the Executive Director of the Philippine Action for Community-Led Shelter Initiatives, Inc. (PACSII), a position he has held since 2002. Fr. Carcellar previously served as Executive Director of the Vincentian Missionaries Social Development Foundation, Inc. (VMSDFI). His work is primarily focused on the design and implementation of community-based programs in Payatas, Quezon City, Philippines, including the formation of urban poor savings groups and land acquisition and financing schemes, as well as health insurance operations. Fr. Carcellar has also developed programs on the rehabilitation of people with disabilities, support for waste pickers and youth scavengers, and nutrition for infants and the elderly. In 2007, he was awarded the Opus Prize for Faith-Based, Humanitarian Work and Social Innovation. Fr. Carcellar was also the recipient of the James Richardson Foundation Award for Community Service in 1999 and the Caritas Manila Award for Social Service in 1997.

Chin, Laurence

Lawrence Chin is a senior lecturer and programme director (MSc Real Estate) at the Department of Real Estate, National University of Singapore (NUS). Prior to joining NUS, he was a real estate manager with the Housing and Development Board, where he managed more than 25,000 flats, including commercial properties in public housing estates. Dr. Chin’s areas of teaching and research are in housing management, public policies, and urban governance. He has undertaken joint research projects for the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore, Urban Redevelopment Authority, and Singapore Tourism Board. Dr. Chin is also currently a Town Councilor and Chairman of the Finance & Tender Evaluation Committee with the Tanjong Pagar Town Council.

Chomistriana, Dewi

Dewi Chomistriana is the Head of the Project Management Unit of the Neighborhood Uprgrading and Shelter Sector Project. She is also the Section Head of Foreign Cooperation, Sub-Directorate of Foreign Cooperation and Investment Scheme, Directorate of Program Development, Directorate General of Human Settlements, Ministry of Public Works, Indonesia. Ms. Chomistriana previously served as Section Head of Data and Information and Section Head of Mid- and Long-Term Development Programs under the Ministry of Settlements and Regional Development. She is also a member of the Indonesian Sanitary Engineering Association.

Cornelissen, Huub

Huub Cornelissen is the Director of the Energy and Housing Department at the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO). After having worked for the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Zaire and Indonesia, he joined the Engineering Department of the University of Eindhoven, where he taught Industrial Development to graduate students. Mr. Cornelissen started his career at FMO in 1990, as a senior investment officer in the Africa and Asia Department. After a short period heading the IT Department, he was appointed Director of the Credit Department and Chairman of FMO’s Credit Committee. Subsequently, Mr. Cornelissen became the Director of the Europe and Central Asia Department prior to being appointed his current designation.

Cura, Jaime A.

Jaime A. Cura is the National President of the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations, Inc. (CREBA). He was a Senior Academic Fellow and Vice President of the Development Academy of the Philippines in the 1970s. He served as President of Trans- Asia Engineering Consultants in the 1980s, and as Director General of the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center and as Chairman of the Presidential Commission to Fight Poverty under the administration of former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos in the 1990s. Dr. Cura also served as Executive Director of the Consulting Engineers Council of the Philippines (CECOPHIL), President of the Philippine Council of Management (Philcoman), and President of the ASEAN Association for Planning and Housing (AAPH). He is also the Chief Executive Officer of Creba Land Services and Title Warranty Corporation, Inc., and serves as senior partner in several institutions of higher learning.

da Silva, Jo

Jo da Silva is a Director at Arup where she leads the International Development Team. She has over 20 years of experience in design and construction and has worked in post- disaster and development contexts since becoming a RedR member in 1991. Ms. da Silva has particular expertise in shelter housing, urban environments, and disaster risk reduction, including climate change adaptation. She sits on the International Development Policy Group at the Institution of Civil Engineers and is also a member of the international faculty of the Prince of Wales’ Business & the Environment Programme, run by the University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership. Ms. da Silva also lectures at the Centre for Sustainable Development at the University of Cambridge, contributes to the UK Shelter Forum, and is a recently elected Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Davis, Amy

Amy Davis is an Associate Director for International Housing Finance, Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), having 15 years of experience in microfinance and over 20 years of experience in international development. She joined HFHI in early 2008 and has been helping the global team develop promising practices and rigorous evaluation methodologies for implementing models, spearheading efforts to develop global expertise in market research and product development. Ms. Davis was previously a consultant with the SEEP Network, Catholic Relief Services, FINCA International, IDEAS, and Habitat for Humanity, performing diagnostics, evaluations, training, and strategic planning. She also facilitates workshops in the areas of change management, social performance metrics, client and impact assessment, market research, and new product development. She is also a founding member, former President, and current member of the Board of Directors of Women Advancing Microfinance (WAM) International.

Delector, Vicente Jr.

Vicente Delector, Jr. has been working with the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) since 1991, and has been assigned to three different GTZ programs in Luzon and Visayas in the Philippines. Since 2001, Mr. Delector has been the Local Technical Adviser assigned in the Visayas to provide technical advisory services, program coordination, and administrative support under GTZ’s Water, Sanitation, and Wastewater Management Program. An engineer by profession, he has had extensive experience in the areas of sanitation and wastewater management.

Espenilla, Nestor Jr.

Nestor A. Espenilla, Jr. heads the Supervision and Examination Sector, the supervisory arm of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), which oversees the supervision of financial institutions and other non-bank financial institutions under the jurisdiction of the BSP, a position he has held since 2005. Mr. Espenilla has been with the BSP since 1981, having worked in Economic Research, International Operations, and in the Office of the Governor. He joined the Supervision and Examination Sector (SES) in 1999 as Director of the Supervisory Reports and Studies Office 9SRSO) and was appointed Managing Director in 2001 and Assistant Governor in 2002. He has been playing a key role in the implementation of major banking reforms aimed at a more effective supervision of the banking system, as well as the accelerated development of the domestic capital market. Mr. Espenilla also worked at the International Monetary Fund in the early 1990s and regularly participated in various international missions for the Philippine government.

Feriadi, Henry

Henry Feriadi is a registered architect and is currently the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Duta Wacana Christian University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. His research interests include passive design to optimize wind and day lighting, thermal comfort in the tropics, energy efficient buildings, and low-cost housing designs. Dr. Feriadi has published and co-authored various internationally referred journal and conference papers on passive design, natural ventilation, and thermal comfort in tropical climate. He currently teaches passive and low-energy architecture design, as well as computer- based performance simulation for building design and evaluation. Dr. Feriadi also serves as Chairman of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia – Yogyakarta, working to provide affordable low-cost housing for the poor through the save and build program and becoming involved in reconstruction projects in post-tsunami Aceh (2004-2008) and post-earthquake Yogyakarta (2006-2009).

Fernandez, Francisco

Francisco Fernandez is the founder of Pagtambayayong Foundation, a non-government organization that promotes housing for the poor, and serves as Administrator of Cebu City, Philippines, which has assisted at least 38,000 urban poor households in acquiring security of tenure. He began his career in 1968 as a community organizer working with the urban poor in Cebu and in other cities throughout the Philippines. In 1986, former President Corazon Aquino appointed him as Commissioner of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, where he helped design the Community Mortgage Program. From 1991 to 1993, Mr. Fernandez served as Vice President of the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation.

Flores, Mario

Mario Flores currently serves as the Director of Disaster Response Field Operations at Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI). He joined HFHI in 1999 and has been involved with shelter and settlements projects seeking to promote risk reduction and support to livelihoods for disaster-affected communities in numerous countries worldwide. Mr. Flores also participates in various thematic networks related to shelter, settlements, housing, urban development, and appropriate technology.

Ganguli, Madhumita

Madhumita Ganguli is a Senior General Manager of Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited – India (HDFC), and is responsible for the overall operations of HDFC in New Delhi. Dr. Ganguli previously served as a consultant to set up a housing finance company in Mauritius and has also chaired a Committee on Standardization of Mortgage Loan Documents, constituted by the regulator of housing finance companies in India.

Garde, Eden P.

Eden P. Garde is the UN-Habitat Programme Manager for the Philippines, responsible for implementing the agency mandate of promoting sustainable human settlements and providing shelter for all. She has been leading the provision of technical assistance to national and local governments in localizing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and addressing shelter issues within the context of climate change, through innovative approaches in partnership with government, business, civil society, and other development organizations. Ms. Garde previously served as UN-Habitat Team Leader/Community Planner of the Integrated Approaches to Poverty Reduction at the Neighborhood Level – A Cities Without Slums Initiative. Prior to joining the UN, she was the Director for Operations of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), responsible for the foundation’s area resource management program.

Gordon, Richard

Richard Gordon is a member of the Governing Board of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and a member of the Senate of the Philippines. As an active volunteer of the Red Cross, he has personally led numerous relief, rescue, and rehabilitation efforts in the Philippines for 25 years. He has also initiated the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) Millennium Fund in 2000 from corporate donors to sustain training of volunteers and for purchase of necessary disaster and rescue equipment. As a member of the Philippine Senate, he authored critical legislation such as: Republic Act No. 9333, which established regular elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; Republic Act. No. 9369, the New Automated Election System Law; and Republic Act No. 9346, the abolition of the death penalty law. Senator Gordon previously served as Secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT), Founding Chairman and Administrator of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, and as mayor of Olongapo City, Philippines.

Gozun, Elisea

Elisea Gozun is the Chair of Earth Day Network Philippines and is a former Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). In 2007, she was one of the recipients of the Champions of the Earth Award conferred by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Ms. Gozun is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Clean Air Initiative-Asia (CAI-Asia). She is an active environmental campaigner through her participation in various NGOs and has served as consultant for various projects for the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, and other international organizations.

Gull, Tor G.

Tor G. Gull is the Managing Director and CEO of Oikocredit in the Netherlands, a position he has held since 2001. Prior to joining Oikocredit, he worked as Senior Vice President for Export and Project Finance for a major commercial bank in Finland. He was also the bank’s chief representative in South East Asia and China. Mr. Gull’s experience includes financial management positions in the pulp and paper industry in Finland and involvement in development projects in Tanzania and Kenya.

Habito, Cielito

Cielito Habito is a Professor of Economics and Director of the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development (ACERD) at the Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines. Dr. Habito also sits on the Boards of several corporations and foundations, including the Manila Water Company, Metrobank Card Corporation, Brain Trust, Inc., Operation Compassion International, Clean Air Initiative-Asia, Galing Pook Foundation, and the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation (RPDEV). He also writes a weekly column entitled “No Free Lunch” for the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Dr. Habito served as Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and Director-General of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) under the administration of former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos from 1992 to 1998. He also chaired the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development from 1992 to 1998, and was elected Chair of the Sixth Session of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development in New York from 1997 to 1998. Prior to joining government in 1990, Dr. Habito was Professor and Chairman of the Department of Economics at the University of the Philippines-Los Baños and has also worked at Kyoto University and the World Bank.

Harris, Deborah

Deborah Harris is the Regional Resilience Manager for World Vision in Asia-Pacific. Following several years in emergency response work with World Vision’s Global Rapid Response Team, she now focuses on trying to offset disasters through building disaster resilient communities. Ms. Harris’ emergency response work saw her deployed to Gujarat (India), Heart (Afghanistan), Mosul (Iraq), Bam (Iran), Darfur (Sudan), India, and Pakistan, in which she focused on relief programming and was also involved in finance, logistics, and communications.

Hayes, Loucine

Loucine Hayes is an international development executive with over 15 years of experience in designing and managing programs in Europe, Central Asia, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East to promote access to housing and housing finance. She has restarted and restructured country programs and organizations, development sustainable business models and leadership, and established partnerships with local governments and development agencies. Ms. Hayes also created innovative housing finance products for low-income families in partnership with microfinance NGOs, established building and resource centers as social enterprises, and promoted access to social housing and innovative housing finance vehicles.

Iglesias, Gabrielle

Gabrielle Iglesias is the Information and Networking Coordinator for the Urban Disaster Risk Management Team at the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center. Her main task is to develop information products for the Program for Hydro-Meteorological Disaster Mitigation in Secondary Cities in Asia (PROMISE), a project spanning six countries. Ms. Iglesias is also an expert in local governance issues and in geographic information systems design and use for local applications, including disaster management.

Islam, Md. Shahidul

Md. Shahidul Islam is a Program Manager for WaterAid Bangladesh, having joined the organization in 2003 as urban Programme Coordinator, responsible for coordinating nine water supply and sanitation projects for the urban poor. He started his career in 1992 with the Department of Public Health Engineering, a central government agency responsible for facilitating water supply and sanitation in Bangladesh. He served as Chief Training Officer in an urban water supply and sanitation project entitled 18 District Towns Project, supported by the government of Netherlands. Mr. Islam also provided consultancy services to a number of organizations including CARE, WHO, UNDP, and World Vision, on concerns such as arsenic awareness and mitigation, water supply and sanitation, and food security enhancement.

Johnston, Rod

Rod Johnston is the President of Partner Housing Australasia (Building) Incorporated, a charitable NGO that specializes in providing pro-bono professional engineering, architectural, and building services to other NGOs and government bodies involved in community or housing projects. Mr. Johnston is also the author of the Electronic Blueprint, a web-based building industry knowledge base. He is a practicing civil/structural consulting engineer, with experiences in international and community development and structural engineering.

Jose, Ponnaiyan Muthunayagam

Ponnaiyan Muthunayagam Jose is the Manager for MFI Programs of Water.org. He has been in the development sector for the past 10 years, gaining considerable experience working with grassroots organizations in areas such as women empowerment, civic participation in local governance, and rehabilitation of displaced families. Mr. Jose previously worked with Caritas India, where he was part of a massive shelter and livelihood rehabilitation effort for tsunami-affected families in India. He is currently promoting the concept of WaterCredit among the leading microfinance institutions in India.

Jugo, Alberto L.

Alberto Jugo is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity Philippines (HFHP). Prior to joining HFHO, he held positions in the Ayala Corporation as Managing Director and in the Manila Water Company as Senior Director for the Business Group and Chief Financial Officer. For over 30 years, Mr. Jugo was with the Bank of the Philippine Islands, serving in various capacities. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Manila Water Company and Subic Water and Sewerage Company, and serves as an independent director of BPI/MS Insurance Corporation, Ayala Life Assustance, Inc., Ayala Plans, Inc., BPI Securities Corporation, BPI Leasing Corporation, BPI Rental Corporation, BPI Forex Corporation,and BPI Bankassurance, Inc.

Kamarolzaman, Kirawan Zeiswar

Kirawan Zeiswar Kamarolzaman is currently a Commercial Manager for DHL Global Forwarding. He has been involved in freight forwarding and logistics since 1993, starting with customer services, before moving on to sales and managing airfreight activities. He joined the DHL Group in 2000 as Key Account Manager, eventually taking on the role of Senior Manager for Field Sales before heading Trade Lane Management Sales in Malaysia and Dubai fro 2007 to 2009.

Karunaratne, Padma

Padma Karunaratne is currently a Program Manager for the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) in Thailand. She is a civil engineer by profession and is a member of the Institution of Engineers of Sri Lanka. Her experience in the local government sector spans over 20 years of working with the Colombo Municipal Council, prior to joining the ADPC.

Kelley, Patrick

Patrick Kelley is the Director of International Housing Finance for Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI). His responsibilities include directing Habitat’s global strategy for sustainable housing finance, developing retail product linkages with banks and other retail financial service providers, and sourcing capital to bring housing solutions to scale. Prior to joining HFHI, Mr. Kelley served extensively in Africa, supporting MFIs under USAID’s IGP and Economic Strengthening funding. He also supported the growth and advocacy agenda of three national microfinance networks through USAID’s Sector Strengthening funding. Mr. Kelley also served as Executive Director of URWEGO LLC, the largest MFI in Rwanda and initiated the startup of Turame in Burundi and Hekima in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He also introduced a non-mortgage housing finance product in Rwanda and has previous housing experience in Latin America.

Kumar, Prasoon

Prasoon Kumar is a planner, urban designer, and architect with more than seven years of international work experience, currently serving as an independent consultant and Team Leader for Dharavi Evolution. His design approach is unique in providing balanced creative solutions that are simple, relevant, sustainable, and viable. Mr. Kumar is an active volunteer at re:ACT, a local Singaporean architecture society. In his capacity as an independent consultant, he works collaboratively to provide services in the fields of city planning, urban regeneration, land use planning, transit-oriented developments, sustainable design, and urban research.

Lamont, Tara

Tara Lamont is the Director of Design and Construction Services for the University of California, Office of the President. She has oversight responsibilities for the $8.3 billion capital program of which $1.5 billion is devoted to housing. Ms. Lamont, who hails from Mumbai, has an interest in sustainable, humane, and democratic solutions to slum redevelopment. She is currently initiating a program entitled “Small Steps, Big Impact” with Habitat for Humanity India, through which families in the U.S. will be able to sponsor houses for families in India with whom they can foster and maintain relationships. The goal of the program is to support Habitat for Humanity’s housing initiatives and initiate and strengthen connections between the diverse strata of Indian society.

Lopez, Regina Paz

Regina Paz Lopez is the Managing Director of ABS-CBN Foundation, whose vision is to have a better world for children by bringing society together through media. She initiated Bantay Bata 163, the Philippines’ first media-based hotline, which was the United Nations Grand Awardee for Excellence in 1997. Ms. Lopez also spearheads Bantay Kalikasan, for which she received the 1997 International Public Relations Award of Excellence for the Environment and the 2009 Outstanding Manilans Award for the Environment. She also produces education television shows on Science, Math, Values, History and English for elementary, and Philippine Literature for High School. Ms. Lopez is also the Vice Chairperson of the ABS-CBN Bayan Foundation, which provides microfinance assistance to micro-entrepreneurs. She is currently spearheading the cleaning of Manila’s Pasig River and her nationwide project “Bayanijuan” is helping about better lives for millions of Filipinos.

Lumampao, Feri

Feri Lumampao is the Executive Director of Approtech Asia. She is also an elected member of the World Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) Steering Committee and elected member of the Board of Directors of NEXUS (Carbon for Development Network). Ms. Lumampao is also a consultant of Barangay Teknolohiya (BATEK) of the Philippine Women’s University, President of the Women Inventors Association of the Philippines, Inc., (WIAPI), and member of the Board of Directors of Orphan IT and Integral Development Services. She is also an elected member of International Advisory Group of ENERGIA (International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy) and a member of Technical Working Group and founding member of Carbon Solidarity Asia. She also serves as an adviser to the Municipality of Tupi, Philippines in technology and enterprise development.

Mahajan, Vikrant

Vikrant Mahajan is the Chief Operating Officer of Sphere, India.

Mangkusubroto, Kuntoro

Kuntoro Mangkusubroto is the Director of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Executing Agency for Aceh and Nias, a position he assumed in 2005. He brings to the role his extensive experience in corporate restructuring, emergency relief coordination, and project supervision. Dr. Mangkusubroto has held a number of senior management positions in Indonesia’s state-enterprise sector and in government, including: President Director of P.T. Tambang Timah Tbk in 1989; Director General of Mines at the Indonesian Ministry of Mines & Energy in 1994; Deputy Chairman of the Investment Coordinating Board in 1997; Minister of Mines and Energy from 1998 to 1999; and President in the state electricity company P.T. PLN in 2000. He currently sits on the boards of several companies, including P.T. Unilever Indonesia and P.T. Semen Cibinong (Holcim Group). He is also an Associate Professor in Decision Science at the Bandung Institute of Technology and serves as the Advisory Board Chairman of Global Rescue Network and Senior Adviser to the IndoRescue organization.

Mellanen, Ari

Ari Mellanen is an Export Manager at Elematic Oy Ab. His work experience includes large-scale concrete structures/slipforming in Finland, precast schools in Iraq, and precast affordable housing in South Korea, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Russia. Mr. Mellanen was also involved in construction projects in Syria and the Soviet Union until 1989. He has also been involved with marketing precast solutions for affordable housing and other structures in India.

Modrovic, George

George Modrovic is the founder and managing partner of ELFI LLC and has a broad technical background that includes mechanical design, manufacturing, testing and troubleshooting of heavy industrial equipment. He also spent eight years working with prefabricated walls. Mr. Modrovic currently serves on the Educational and Research Committee of the US Green Building Counsel, Chicago Chapter.

Monthienvichienchai, Chainarong

Chainarong Monthienvichienchai is the Chancellor of St. John’s University, Bangkok, Thailand and the Chairman of Habitat for Humanity Thailand. He has also been affiliated with UNDA, the International Organization of Catholic Broadcasters, serving as World President from 1987 to 1994. Mr. Monthienvichienchai is also a consultant to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Vatican City and serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Asian Communication Network (ACN). He also serves as Executive Director of the Asian Research Center for Religion and Social Communications, a position he has held since 2004, and as Board Member of the Catholic Education Council of Thailand, a position he has held since 1980. Mr. Monthienvichienchai also sits on the International Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity.

Mostrales, Daniel

Daniel Mostrales is a Professor at the Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Iligan Institute of Technology of the Mindanao State University (MSU-IIT). He also serves as Housing Technology Adviser for various non-government organizations, including Habitat for Humanity Philippines (HFHP) and J.F. Ledesma Foundation, Inc. Mr. Mostrales’ areas of interest include: alternative construction materials and technologies; design and construction of reinforced masonry buildings; and water and sanitation. He is also a Life Member of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE).

Naing, Naidah

Naidah Naing is completing a doctoral degree program at Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) Surabaya, majoring in Housing and Settlement Skills. She is also a lecturer at the Architecture Department, Engineering Faculty, Indonesian Moslem University (UMI) in Massakar. Ms. Naing is also a research staff at UMI’s Life Environment Study Center and Women Studies Center. She also serves as General Secretary of the Indonesian Businessmen and Contractors Association (APAKSINDO) and of the National Professional Certification Educational Institute (LP-SPN).

Palafox, Felino Jr.

Felino A. Palafox, Jr. founded Palafox Associates in 1989, which is the only known architectural firm in the Philippines to have been awarded with integrated ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications by TUV of Germany for architecture, urban planning, master planning, interior design, landscape architecture, and engineering. The firm has been involved in the architectural design of more than seven million square meters in building floor area and the master planning of over 100 communities, covering more than 11 billion square meters of land area in 32 countries. Mr. Palafox has 36 years of experience in the fields of planning and architecture. Prior to establishing Palafox Associates, he worked for over six years as an architect and urban planner with Ayala Corporation and Ayala Land, Inc.

Queiros, Carl

Carl Queiros is the Director for Program Development of Habitat for Humanity International – Africa and the Middle East. The department he oversees designs, innovates, develops, advises, and evaluates Habitat programs, with specialists focusing on the housing process, housing microfinance, vulnerable group housing, urban housing, and organizational learning and development. Mr. Queiros has over 15 years of experience in the field of development, mainly working in Africa and Europe. His passion is in making decent housing become more accessible to low-income and vulnerable communities.

Ranatunga, Jayantha

Jayantha Ranatunga is the Chairman of the National Energy and Resource Development Center, Sri Lanka. He previously served as Chairman of the Governing Council of the UN Asia Pacific Centre for Technology Transfer and a member of the Board of the Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technical Education. Mr. Ranatunga is also a visiting lecturer at Moratuwa University and Colombo University.

Retsinas, Nicolas P.

Nicolas P. Retsinas was appointed Director of Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies in 1998. The Joint Center is a collaborative venture of the Graduate School of Design and the Harvard Kennedy School and conducts research to examine and address the most critical housing and community development issues in America. Dr. Retsinas is a lecturer in Housing Studies at the Graduate School of Design and the Harvard Kennedy School, and is also a lecturer in Real Estate at the Harvard Business School. Prior to his Harvard Appointment, Dr. Retsinas served as Assistant Secretary for Housing-Federal Housing Commissioner at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and as Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision. He also served on the Board of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Housing Finance Board, and the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation. Dr. Retsinas was the recipient of a Meritorious Service Award from the US Treasury Department in 1997, the Excellence in Public Service Award from the Rental Housing Association in 1998, and the Housing Leadership Award from the National Low Income Housing Coalition in 2001. He was inducted into the Affordable Housing Hall of Fame in 2008 and was named by Builder magazine in 2009 as one of the top 30 innovators in the home building industry in the past 30 years.

Samuel, Rajan

Rajan Samuel is a Senior Consultant for Housing Finance at Habitat for Humanity International – Asia-Pacific. His responsibilities include: identifying alternative legal structures to promote housing finance for the poor; providing structured technical assistance to partner organizations in risk, fund, and portfolio management; and developing alternative financial instruments to tap into capital markets. Mr. Samuel has been involved in development finance and community development for more than 24 years. He has previously worked for EFICOR, Opportunity International, World Bank, Khula Finance, DFID, IFAD, CARE, World Vision, and DANIDA.

Schlosser, Christian

Christian Schlosser is currently with UN-Habitat’s Human Settlements Financing Division in Nairobi, Kenya. He is in charge of implementing a new initiative on experimental loan operations and other innovative financial mechanisms designed to catalyze investments in pro-poor housing, basic infrastructure, and upgrading, in close partnership with national and local governments, supported by local stakeholders. Prior to joining UN- Habitat in 2006, Dr. Schlosser served as a Housing Policy Specialist with the German Federal Government.

Sebageni, Grace

Grace Sebageni leads housing finance work at Habitat for Humanity International – Africa and Middle East. She was previously the regional manager for World Vision’s microenterprise development work and served as a sector advisor in a multi-institutional USAID grant through World Relief in Rwanda. Ms. Sebageni also served as Branch Manager for Faulu Uganda, a member of the Faulu Africa Group, a leading microfinance organization in East Africa. She has also undertaken market research and product development consultancy assignments for Volunteer Efforts for Development Concerns (VEDCO), Centenary Rural Development Bank, and MicroSave, among others.

Senewiratne, Tony

Tony Senewiratne is currently the National Director of Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka, a position he has held since 2001. He previously served as Volunteer Board Member of the National Child Protection Authority, before being appointed as Deputy Chairman in 2000. Mr. Senewiratne also served as Executive Director of Lanka Evangelical Alliance Development Service (LEADS) from 1991 to 2001, and established ESCAPE, an organization for the protection and rehabilitation of abused children. He has also worked with Youth for Christ from 1969 to 1991, serving as Associate National Director. Mr. Senewiratne was also involved in the construction of houses for disaster victims using an environment-friendly approach, which was featured on BBC UK’s Earth World.

Sharma, Maneesh

Maneesh Sharma is the Regional Director of Vestergaard Frandsen Indonesia – Regional Office for Western Pacific Region. He helped expand the company’s business to countries in the Asia-Pacific region, primarily in China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Solomon Islands. Mr. Sharma’s experience in B2B (business to business) and B2C (business to customer) sales has enabled him to expand Vestergaard Frandsen’s business in these new markets. He was earlier associated with India’s health and education sectors, having worked with public welfare organizations for nearly a decade. Mr. Sharma is an engineer by education and has also previously worked with conglomerates such as Daewoo, New Holland (FIAT Group), and Castrol Lubricants.

Shaw, Nikki

Nikki Shaw is currently a Technical Adviser to the World Toilet Organization, specifically working for the World Toilet College as both trainer and capacity developer. She has 20 years of experience as a civil engineer specializing in water and sanitation and serves as consultant to Arup as a Senior Civil Engineer. Ms. Shaw is currently preparing material to expand the courses offered by the World Toilet College, as an avenue through which more people can be effectively provided with sustainable sanitation solutions and to reduce the suffering of 2.6 billion toilet-less people worldwide.

Simittrarachchi, Aruna Paul

Aruna Paul Simittrarachchi is currently the Country Representative for Nepal of Habitat for Humanity International. He began his career training on community development activities closely associated with SEDEC Sri Lanka. He then went on to become involved in emergency assistance to refugees and long-term development work. From 1986 to 1990, Mr. Simittrarachchi served as Assistant Director in a drug rehabilitation center organized by Sri Lanka Sumittrayo. He then served as lecturer and counselor at the Institute of Integral Education and the Human Development from 1990 to 1997. He joined Habitat for Humanity Sri Lanka in 1999, working as Manager for Training and Affiliate Development. In 2004, he joined Habitat for Humanity International, serving as Regional Program Advisor for South Asia, promoting housing finance and the save and build methodology.

Smith, David A.

David A. Smith is the founder of the Affordable Housing Institute, a non-profit international consultancy specializing in affordable housing program design and development, which was recently awarded a two-year, $1,000,000 research grant by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He has over 30 years of experience in affordable housing finance, having been engaged in housing finance development projects throughout the world. Mr. Smith is also a prolific author, having published over 100 articles on housing finance. He is also the founder and CEO of CAS Financial Advisory Services, one of the leading affordable asset managers in the US, with $2.6 billion under management.

Snowball, Gerard

Gerard Snowball is currently the Regional Resource Development Manager for Habitat for Humanity International – Asia-Pacific. Mr. Snowball is a senior international NGO manager with over 30 years of experience in child and community development, community health, and disaster mitigation. He was previously the Regional Building Relationships and Resource Manager for Plan International – Eastern and Southern Africa, successfully providing direction to programme development, resource mobilization, organizational change, and the development of alternative growth models. He also served as Country Support Manager for Plan International Zimbabwe and National Health Advisor for Plan International Sri Lanka. Mr. Snowball also worked as a Programme Director for Health, Child and Youth Development for Idalgashinna-Bio Tea Association for Development (IBITAD), Sri Lanka, an association that oversees community development programmes for Tamil laborers and their families on tea plantations in the country.

Steinberg, Florian

Florian Steinberg is an architect, urban planner and institutional development expert, currently working as a Senior Urban Development Specialist in the South East Asia Department of the Asian Development Bank. He has been working on projects in Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, and has over more than 30 years of experience in developing counties. Mr. Steinberg is a specialist in urban management, urban planning and renewal/rehabilitation, settlement upgrading, urban infrastructure planning, environmental management, and institutional development. He also served as ADB’s project officer for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of communities affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Aceh and Nias.

Stickney, Christy

Christy Stickney is the Director of Housing Finance at Habitat for Humanity International – Latin America and the Caribbean, overseeing the design and implementation of innovative projects in shelter finance and construction throughout the region. She is currently leading initiatives to promote action research in housing microfinance, testing housing-related remittance programs, and stimulating investment in housing finance. Ms. Stickney has been actively involved in microfinance since 1993, previously working for Opportunity International, directing technical assistance and financial support to poverty focused loans and savings programs. She has also worked for the Mennonite Central Committee (Nicaragua), World Relief (Philippines), and the Peace Corps (Philippines).

Swaminathan, Vishnu

Vishnu Swaminathan is the Director for the Housing for All initiative in India. He joined Ashoka with more than 14 years of experience as an entrepreneur and innovator. He started two IT-based companies in Singapore, involved in the areas of financial transactions and animation technologies. After one of the companies was acquired, he moved to India to head a leadership school based in Pune, where he led the school’s social effort by creating the Center for Social Development. Mr. Swaminathan has also worked on large government projects with the aim of donating the surplus for funding civil society organizations. Most recently, he worked with the National Innovation Foundation, a government-sponsored organization working on grassroots innovation at the national level in India.

Tinga, Sigfrido R.

Sigfrido R. Tinga is the Mayor of Taguig City, Philippines, a position he has held since 2001. From 1999 to 2001, he served as Group Managing Director of K2 Interactive, a company specializing in regional strategy consulting, e-business solutions, and digital designs. Prior to that, he served as Assistant Vice-President for Business Development of Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation.

Tusalem, Billy

Billy Tusalem is the Director and Chief Operating Officer of the J.F. Ledesma Group, a social development institution specializing in capacity building, microfinance, coastal resource management, reproductive health, incremental and socialized housing development, and the promotion of alternative building technologies. Dr. Tusalem is also the President of the Multi-Sectoral Alliance for Development Negros, a development network in the island of Negros, Philippines, operating in partnership with the World Bank for the protection of areas covered by the Mt. Kanlaon National Park. He also serves as President of the San Carlos Development Board, and as President and National Board Member of the Philippine Undertaking for Social Housing. Dr. Tusalem is also a member of the Building Advisory Service Network (BASIN), based in Grenoble, France and serves as President and Managing Director for BASIN in East and Southeast Asia. He was previously the Dean of the Recoletos de Bacolod Graduate School, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos from 2005 to 2007.

Urquia, Miguel

Miguel Urquia is a Senior Officer of the Shelter Department of the International Federation of Red Cross an Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), specializing in design, operational support for sheltering response, management of the global shelter alliance and shelter programming. Mr. Urquia supports the IFRC in building its shelter capacity, identifying and promoting best practices, development of programming and trainings, coordination of the emergency shelter cluster in natural disasters and promoting a broader shelter network. Mr. Urquia is an architect with a background in project design and has extensive experience with shelter programs in Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. A key focus of his recent work has been on the role of shelter and settlement programming in risk reduction and livelihood support.

van der Rest, Josse

Josse van der Rest is a Belgian priest who came to Chile in 1958 and has lived there since. For over 50 years, Fr. van der Rest has been working to shelter the poor, establishing SELAVIP in the 1970s, which eventually extended its work from Latin America to Asia and Africa. Fr. van der Rest is a social activist that lectures in universities throughout Latin America and Europe, calling attention to the urgent need of addressing urban poverty and providing shelter for the poor. His main concern is the prevailing inequity in the developing world and the role that land speculation plays in these processes. As such, Fr. van der Rest has focused SELAVIP projects on helping the poor gain access to land and basic shelter as the first steps towards having a decent home.

Wehmer, Natalja

Natalja Wehmer is currently working for the Sustainable Urban Development Unit of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), dealing with urban concerns related to poverty alleviation and inclusive and sustainable development. Ms. Wehmer has been developing training materials on successful approaches and principles to housing the urban poor and implementing regional projects on pro-poor housing finance and decentralized solid waste management. Prior to joining the UN, she was part of the Institute for Prospective Analyses (IPA), an innovative, future-oriented think tank and civic education provider in Germany, and has worked as a project planner and facilitator for the Centre for Applied Policy Research. Ms. Wehmer is experienced in facilitating participatory learning processes, including simulation games, scenario-building, and various debating and discussion methods.

Wong, Robert Kin-ming

Robert Kin-ming Wong is the Head of the Shower Talent Exclude Prejudice (STEP) Design Team, Hong Kong, established in 2006 by members from the architectural and rehabilitation professions. The STEP Design Team believes that everyone should have equal opportunity to partake and enjoy the design, taking a broad definition of architecture to connect the underprivileged, including people with disabilities, with the general public by promoting a participatory approach in the architectural design process.

Yap, Kioe Sheng

Yap Kioe Sheng served as Chief of the Social Protection and Social Justice Section and was in charge of the Centre for the Alleviation of Poverty through Secondary Crops (CAPSA), in Bogor, Indonesia. Now retired, he also served as Chief of UNESCAP’s Poverty Reduction Section and Human Settlements Section. Dr. Yap joined UNESCAP in 2000, after 13 years at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand, where he was a Professor of Housing and Urban Development. From 1982 to 1987, he worked at UNCHS (Habitat) in Nairobi, Kenya. Dr. Yap has worked extensively in Asia and Africa, and has written books and articles on low-income housing.