Our team
International team
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Ben Furmage, WSCA CEO and RUCAS Program Lead – Ben leads multidisciplinary local and international projects supporting the valuation and application of water sensitive city approaches. He has extensive experience in water resource and sewerage system planning, utility regulation, customer service, public affairs, research and development.
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Katharine Cross, International Program Lead – Katharine is a seasoned professional in water resources and environmental management, with over 15 years of diverse experience across continents with NGOs, government, and private sectors. Her expertise spans climate resilience, nature-based solutions, water-energy-food nexus, governance, and urban watershed connectivity. 
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Dr Jianbin Wang, Engineering Expert – Jianbin translates research into practice and provides transformative responses to emerging urban challenges. He promotes multifunctional infrastructure and applies circular economy approaches to deliver water sensitive city visions at a range of spatial scales, using urban design, landscape architecture and industrial design as integrative platforms.
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Tiange Wu, Landscape Architect – Tiange’s experience includes planning nature-based solutions, creating landscape designs to manage rainwater and flooding, using landscaping to mitigate urban heat, and researching the impact of landscaping on human wellbeing.
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Hima Chanarithichai, Research Assistant – Hima is a research economist with experience in infrastructure finance, market research, economic and financial analysis, and business development.

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Dr Kien Nguyen-Trung, Research Fellow – Kien Nguyen-Trung is an experienced applied sociologist working on various topics, including disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, vulnerability, water, social capital, gender inequality, and community development. He has designed and delivered effective training in qualitative research methods and software/AI applications in development contexts for over a decade.
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Smriti Venkatraman, Researcher – Smriti has a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Studies and a Bachelor of Arts (joint major in Economics and Environmental Studies) from Krea University (India). She is currently studying a Masters in Environment and Sustainability, specialising in corporate and leadership studies at Monash University.
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Bruce Rhodes, Water Resources SpecialistHis career of over 40 years has spanned consulting, Government and water utilities and has covered a range of water resources and bulk water management issues including; water security modelling and assessments, water entitlements management and reporting, climate change, the development of integrated water resource strategies.
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Professor Tony Wong, Stakeholder Expert – Tony is internationally recognised for his research and practice in sustainable urban water management. He has led many award-winning urban design projects in Australia and overseas, and has been commended for having defined ‘a new paradigm for design of urban environments that blends creativity with technical and scientific rigour’.
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Li Xia Southwick, Budgeting and Contracting – Li Xia provides high quality innovative solutions and advice formulated from advanced business planning, forecasting, modelling, analysis and reporting.

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Laura Laje, Events and Logistics Coordinator
Laura is our Events and Logistics Coordinator, with 25+ years’ experience in events coordination, communications, marketing and customer service within the education, non-profit and private sectors. She has organised many leading large-scale events, managing the logistics, collaborating with diverse stakeholders and delivering experiences that leave lasting impressions.

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Jenny Flynn, Communications (content) – Jenny is an experienced professional economist and has 12 years’ experience providing freelance research, writing, editing and communications services.
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Daniel Connellan, Communications (digital media specialist) – Daniel has spent the past 15 years designing and directing work for influential and forward thinking-brands. He specialises in graphic design, web development and video story telling.


National team
Viet Nam
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Regional team

Sam Dickens, Regional Coordinator – Sam has 3 years of consulting experience working on groundwater, surface water, water resource management and nature-based solutions projects across the UK, the Middle East and the Mekong region. He works with public water suppliers, government departments, international aid donors and the private sector. He holds Masters degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Hydrogeology.

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Regional team

Mai Ky Vinh, GIS and Spatial Planning Specialist - Vinh is GIS expert. He has 30 years' experience in GIS, stakeholder consultation, and remote sensing into natural resource management, spatial planning, climate change assessment, hazard assessment and adaptation planning, nature-based solution and ecosystem-based adaptation planning, biodiversity and nature conservation, land-use planning, forest cover mapping and monitoring.

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Vu Xuan Nguyet Hong, National Economist – Hong has an extensive career as an economist, working for both the government and private sectors. Her work covers topics such as infrastructure for resilient and sustainable economic development, valuing the benefits of using nature-based solutions to manage urban flooding and assessing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Vuong Thu Huong, National Coordinator – Huong has over a decade of professional experience, predominantly in project coordination and management for international agencies and government stakeholders. She has worked agencies such as GEF/UNDP, WB, ADB, USAID, IFC, AWP, AfD, FAO, DHI, Arep, SRC, KOICA, UNIS, MONRE, MPI, MOD and MoF.

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Tran Viet Hung, Partnership Manager and Water Engineer – Hung has 8 years’ experience in environmental management, climate resilience, sustainability, rural development and nature-based solutions. He is well-versed in  participatory mapping and facilitating focus group discussions and stakeholder consultations. He has a Masters of Public Policy, specialising in Environmental and Energy Policy.


Cambodia
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Dr Phanith Chou, National Economist – Phanith is a resources economist. He is passionate about REDD+ for climate mitigation and economic feasibility of nature-based solutions, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services valuation, climate adaptation and agricultural value chains. 

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Toy Monireth, National CoordinatorMoni has over 15 years’ experience working with civil society organisations (CSOs) in Cambodia, providing coordination and support for multi‐stakeholders to exchange experiences, thoughts and information. She also has considerable experience organising forums, platforms and training.
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Teak Seng, Partnership Manager – Teak has more than 25 years’ experience in integrated landscape management, nature-based solutions, wildlife conservation and habitat restoration across the Greater Mekong subregion and the Western Pacific region. Teak has led, developed and managed high performing multidisciplinary teams and has worked effectively with governments, civil society, private sector and local communities. He has a Master's in Environment Management.


Lao PDR
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Nilaphone Chanthachack, National Coordinator – Nilaphone is an experienced project coordinator, working on projects related to sustainable land use, haze mitigation, agricultural production and food security, and trade.

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Dr Amphone Vongvixay, National Water Engineer – Amphone is civil engineer with extensive experience in developing and assessing critical water and urban infrastructure, collecting and analysing hydrological and hydraulic data, and working on projects to improve livelihoods and socioeconomic conditions in urban areas.
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Nalinthone Vilaysane, Partnership Manager – Nang has over 10 years’ experience on environmental and climate change issues. Projects include developing and implementing the 1st Nationally Defined Contribution, finalising the Lao climate change decree and updating the national climate change strategy. She is a graduate of Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.


Thailand
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Panjit Tansom, National Coordinator – Panjit has 15 years’ experience delivering and managing projects related to environmental issues, including wildlife crime, law enforcement, law development, governance, timber trade and supply chain management.
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Dr Lalita Rammont, Partnership Manager – Lalita has over 15 years’ experience in water resources and environmental management within international organisations. She has worked in projects across the Mekong region and in South Asia. She holds a doctorate in Urban Environmental Management.


Past team members
Viet Nam
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Michael Simon (WSCA International Lead and RUCAS Program Manager)
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Dr Le Song Ha (Regional Coordinator)
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Chreay Chamroeum (Cambodia Water Engineer)
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Dr Kammonat Meetaworn (Thailand Economist)
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Pisesporn Wasawong (Thailand Economist)
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Detchphol Chitwatkulsiri (Thailand Water Engineer)
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Lamom Khounvisith (Lao PDR Economist)

Explore more research, guidelines and
tools related to the following topics:

Integrated Urban Flood
Management

Climate change
mitigation

Community
engagement

Economics and
business case


Flood resilience
Green Infrastructure
Urban heat