Our Team in Viet Nam

Ms. Pauline Tamesis of the Philippines has more than 20 years of experience in senior leadership positions driving transformational change for sustainable development. She assumed her new position as the UN Resident Coordinator in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam on 18 June 2022.

Before coming to Viet Nam, Pauline served as the UN Resident Coordinator in Cambodia. In this capacity, Ms. Tamesis positioned the United Nations as a development innovations and solutions provider for inclusive, sustainable and equitable recovery from COVID-19 pandemic and for accelerating SDG achievement.

Prior to these roles, she was appointed as Chief of UNDP Country Office Support and Quality Assurance in the Asia Pacific Regional Hub (2016-2018) where she oversaw UNDP operations in 24 offices. As Chief of Country Office Support, she led design of new business models for growth and providing “out-of-the-box” solutions to implementation bottlenecks.
Her passion for innovation was sparked in Bangladesh as UNDP Country Director, where she led the office from 2013-2016 to build a future-facing $500m portfolio for urban poverty reduction, social protection, renewable energy, sustainable cities and climate adaptation.

A policy adviser at heart and she brings thematic expertise in democratic governance, anti-corruption, gender equality and women’s political empowerment. She served as Democratic Governance Practice Leader in the UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Center from 2008 to 2013. Pauline was previously Democratic Governance Practice Manager from 2006 to 2008 and Anti-Corruption Adviser from 1998 to 2006 in the UNDP Bureau for Development Policy.

Pauline is a proven leader, with strong track record in steering UN development system in complex environments, as well as designing for transformation. She possesses strong communications and interpersonal skills: bringing high energy, innovation mindset, and commitment to collaborative leadership. While a lifelong learner, she obtained an MBA from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and a bachelor’s degree in Management Economics from Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines, where she graduated with honors. Pauline has completed specialized courses at European Institute of Business Administration (INSEAD in France), Aresty Institute of Executive Education of Wharton School (USA) and Lee Kwan Yu School of Public Policy (Singapore).
Pauline is married to Anthony Dimayuga and has two teenage sons, Lucas Dimayuga and Thomas Dimayuga.

Mr. Ambrosio N. Barros has been appointed IFAD Head of the Mekong Multi-Country Office, IFAD Representative for Viet Nam and Country Director for Laos, Myanmar and Thailand. He is based in Hanoi, Viet Nam, moving from Johannesburg where he headed the IFAD Southern Africa Multi-Country Office. After joining IFAD in 2010, he has mainly led IFAD’s portfolios in various countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Haiti, Malawi and Zambia. Prior to IFAD, he managed a Master’s Programme at Sciences Po Paris, France, and served as a diplomat for the Angolan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Barros holds a BA in History and Social Sciences as well as two Master’s degrees: one in History of International Relations from Sorbonne University in Paris, France, and another in Public Administration and Public Policy with a specialization in Economic and Political Development from Columbia University in New York, USA.

Dr Angela Pratt took up the role of WHO Representative in Viet Nam on 3 October 2022.

Angela has over 15 years experience in international public health and national health policy-making, with particular expertise in health policy, strategy and communications, and non-communicable disease prevention and control.

Before moving to the WHO Viet Nam Country Office, Angela was the Director of the Office of the Regional Director, and Director of Communications and External Relations in WHO’s Western Pacific Regional Office, based in Manila. In this role she led the development of the WHO Western Pacific Region’s Communication for Health (C4H) program. Angela first joined WHO in 2012, in WHO’s China Country Office in Beijing, where she led the WHO's work on tobacco control in China for over 4 years.

Previously, Angela was Chief of Staff to the former Minister for Health (2008-2011) in her home country of Australia, during which time she was closely involved in delivering Australia's world-first tobacco plain packaging laws, along with a range of other reforms to the Australian health system.

Angela holds a BA (Hons) and PhD in Sociology and Politics from the University of Wollongong, Australia, and a Masters in Public Health from the University of Liverpool, UK. She is married with twin daughters.

Ms Ingrid Christensen, a national from Denmark, is currently the Director for the ILO Country Office in Viet Nam, a position she has held since April 2022. She has been holding different positions at the ILO regional, subregional and country offices as well as in the Danish Government. Prior to her current appointment, she was the ILO Country Director for Pakistan from 2016 to 2022, served as Officer-in-Charge of the Afghanistan and Bangladesh and as Senior Specialist on Occupational Safety and Health in the Asia and Pacific Region. In addition, she had 15 years of experience in the Danish Working Environment Authority, Ministry of Employment, which also included short-term assignments for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ms Christensen holds a master’s degree in pharmacy from the Royal Danish School of Pharmacy (now Copenhagen University).

Jonathan Baker is the UNESCO Representative and Head of Office in Vietnam since January 2024. He has over 20 years of experience working for UNESCO both at headquarters in Paris and in the field.
From 2018 to 2024, he was the Regional Advisor for Science and Head of the Science Unit at the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture for Europe, where he managed UNESCO programs in the natural sciences, environment, and climate change. From 2015 to 2018, at the Regional Bureau for Sciences in Latin America and the Caribbean in Montevideo, Uruguay, he was responsible for coordinating the Man and the Biosphere programme, including biodiversity and climate change. From 2009 to 2015, at UNESCO’s sub-regional office for Central America and Mexico in San Jose, Costa Rica, he managed UNESCO's sciences programs, notably in the areas of biodiversity, water and climate change. From 2006 to 2009 he was attaché de cabinet and focal point for the Natural Sciences, strategic planning and the private sector in the office of the Director-General of UNESCO in Paris. From 2003 to 2006, he served within UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme in Paris.
Mr Baker holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Tufts University and a Juris Doctorate from Tulane University Law School.

Kendra Rinas was appointed by the IOM Director General as the Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Hanoi, Vietnam since November 2024. Kendra was previously the Chief of Mission for IOM in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 2018 – 2024, Head of IOM Sub-Office and Regional Resettlement Manager based in Damak, Nepal (2012 – 2018), and held positions in refugee resettlement based in Nairobi (2011 – 2012), Chad (2010- 2011), and Accra, Ghana (2006 – 2010).

Kendra’s experience includes over 19 years of migration management, overseeing programs including refugee resettlement, migration health, responding to forced migration, combatting forced labour, migrant smuggling, human trafficking, and partnering with governments, NGOs, migrants and the private sector on promoting well managed migration.

Kendra holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut, USA and a bachelor’s degree in political science and religion, with a minor in peace studies from Gustavus Adolphus, in Minnesota, USA. Kendra is a national of the United States of America.

Ms. Thao LE is the Country Representative of UNIDO Vietnam Office. Ms. Thao has been working for nearly twenty years in the area of industrial and business development at both grass-root practical and policy levels. She has been working for UNIDO Viet Nam Country Office since 2008 as National Programme Officer and then Country Representative, coordinating and monitoring UNIDO projects and programmes in various areas including private sector/SME development, business environment, industrial and trade competitiveness, energy and environment, eco-industrial park, green industry, agro-processing and value chains, etc.. Prior joining UNIDO, she managed her own business on investment consulting and export/trade promotion for manufacturing sub-sectors.
During her work at UNIDO Viet Nam, Ms. Thao has also involved in researches and policy advice to the Government of Viet Nam on Industrial Competitiveness, Investment Promotion, Green Industry, Science Technology and Innovation.
She got the Executive MBA at the Shidler College of Business, University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA (in 2004-2006). She graduated from Hanoi Foreign Trade University on External Economics.

Matt Jackson (he/him), a UK national, became UNFPA Representative in Viet Nam in August 2023.

Prior to the appointment in Vietnam, Matt was Director of UNFPA’s London Representation Office covering Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom, where he led political engagement strategies, built partnerships across various sectors including technology and fashion industries, and delivered advocacy to achieve results at the country level.

Matt has over twenty years’ experience across international and multilateral fora specialising in sustainable development, gender equality, human rights and climate change.

Prior to joining UNFPA in 2017, Matt Jackson was a diplomat at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) including at the UK Mission to the United Nations in New York as Head of International Development and Climate Change where he negotiated the Sustainable Development Goals. Previous FCO roles include Head of Strategic Programmes focussed on human rights and gender equality; Chief of Staff to the UK Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative on Climate Change; and Head of the Europe Climate Change and Energy and Climate Economic Teams. Matt has also worked for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, and as Team Leader on Sustainable Development at the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Matt Jackson holds an MSc in International Development from SOAS, University of London and a BA (double) in Spanish and French from the University of Manchester.

Ms. Nguyen Nguyet Minh is currently the Officer-in-charge for UNODC Country Office in Viet Nam. Since 2012, she has been the lead of Criminal Justice Programme of UNODC in Viet Nam which aims for enhancing criminal justice system response to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups including women and children. She has over 16 years of experience in the development sector, extensive understanding and experience in working with both governmental and non-governmental organizations on social development issues. Before joining UNODC, between 2007 and 2012, Ms. Nguyen Nguyet Minh worked for Oxfam Quebec as Program Coordinator and then as Country Manager. During 2005 – 2007, she was a National Program Officer at the Viet Nam office, Spanish Agency for International Cooperation. During 2000 – 2003, Ms. Nguyen Nguyet Minh worked as a Project officer for the Central Viet Nam Women’s Union.
Ms. Nguyen Nguyet Minh holds an M.A in Politics and Policies and an M.A. in Development Studies (magna cum laude) from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium), a bachelor of international relations from the Viet Nam Academy of Diplomacy (IIR) and a bachelor of law from Hanoi Law University (Viet Nam).

Mr Quinten Lataire has been Country Director a.i. for UNAIDS in Viet Nam since 1 November 2023. Since 2018, he has also been UNAIDS regional focal point for Viet Nam, supporting the UNAIDS office in Viet Nam from UNAIDS’ regional office in Bangkok, where he still works as Regional Human Rights and Law Adviser.

Before moving to Southeast Asia, Mr Lataire worked as Human Rights and Law Officer at UNAIDS’ headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Prior to joining UNAIDS, he worked for the European Union in East Africa (Kenya) and the southern Caucasus (Georgia) on a variety of diplomatic and human rights issues. He furthermore served in different capacities for the International Labour Organisation, the Office of the Belgian Commissioner General for Refugees, and the Belgian Flemish foreign affairs department.

Mr. Lataire holds a Master Degree in Political Science and a Master Degree in Economics at the University of Ghent, Belgium, as well as a European Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratisation at the European Inter-University Centre for Human Rights and Democratisation in Venice, Italy.

Khalidi has over 30 years of experience working in development and policy research at both the national and regional levels, including 25 years with UNDP and the UN Secretariat.

At the regional level, Ms. Khalidi has led the interdisciplinary and strategic planning efforts of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia on the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, and managed the organization’s technical cooperation programmes and policy advisory services to the 18 Member States. She has also led the organization’s partnership with donors, UN agencies and civil society partners.

Ms. Khalidi’s policy work has focused on poverty reduction, inclusive social development, gender equality and good governance. She has also worked as a journalist, a researcher, and a programme manager in diverse country contexts.

Most recently, Ms. Khalidi was UNDP Resident Representative in Syria between 2019 and 2022, where she managed a $50 million programme focused on delivering early recovery and resilience support through the creation of livelihoods opportunities, the rehabilitation of critical social infrastructure, and the promotion of social cohesion.

Ms. Khalidi is a national of Jordan and holds a Master of Arts in Arab Studies from Georgetown University and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Tufts University. She is fluent in English and Arabic with a working knowledge of French.

Rémi Nono Womdim is the FAO Representative to Viet Nam since October 2021. Previously, he served as Deputy Director of the Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy from 2018-2021. He was also the Executive Secretary of Rotterdam Convention-FAO since 2020. Nono Womdim joined FAO in Rome in 2009 to contribute to the Global Horticulture Programme. From 2012 to 2014 he worked as Programme Specialist/Seed Sector Development at NSP-FAO in Rome. He was FAO Representative to Cabo Verde from 2014 to 2018. Among his many achievements, he has led the establishment of various multi-stakeholder platforms, provided advice to and guided the formulation of national policies and strategies for the development of the seed sector and the horticulture sector in Member Nations in Africa, Caribbean, Asia and Near East. He has also led resource mobilization efforts at global and national levels and provided guidance in managing multilateral programmes and multicultural teams for agriculture and rural development.

Nono Womdim started his career in 1988 as Research Associate in the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), while working as Lecturer at the University of Avignon and Pays du Vaucluse, in Avignon, France. Other positions held by Nono Womdim include: Vegetable Specialist/Plant Pathologist at the World Vegetable Center in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania (1994-2001); Director of Research and Development at the Technisem-Tropicasem Group in Savigny-sur-Orge, France, and in Dakar, Senegal (2001-2007); Programme Research Manager and Liaison Officer at the World Vegetable Center in Arusha (2007-2009).

Nono Womdim holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Life Sciences and a Master of Science in Plant Pathology from the University of Paris XI in France.

Silvia Danailov is currently the UNICEF Representative to Viet Nam.

Prior to this appointment, she served as UNICEF Representative in Senegal, and held many senior roles leading UNICEF teams at UNICEF Headquarters, as well as in Haiti, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.

Silvia came to UNICEF with prior experience working on child development/rights issues in Switzerland.

Passionately determined to positively impact the protection and assistance of children and women, she applies her more than 25 years of development and humanitarian expertise towards the achievement of concrete results for the most vulnerable populations.

Silvia has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in International Relations, with a focus on public international law.

A national of Switzerland and Serbia, she is married and has a son and a daughter: Julian (12) and Jodi (8). Apart from working and spending time with her family, she loves to read, play and watch theater, swim, and have coffee at any time of the day.