Executive Team

Julia has almost two decades of experience in the fields of government, non-profit and the academe. Prior to her stint at the Policy Center, Julia served as Chief of Staff to President Benigno S. Aquino III and Head of the Presidential Management Staff from 2010 to 2016.

Julia has also served in other government positions: she was a senior staffer at the Philippine Senate from 2007-2010 and Executive Assistant to the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development from 2001-2003.

Julia was a Program Officer at the Asia Pacific Philanthropy Consortium and a lecturer at the Department of Political Science at the Ateneo de Manila University from 2005 to 2007. She also served in different positions at the Ayala Foundation, Inc. in 2000 and 2005.

Julia holds a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, which she attended as a Fulbright Scholar; and a BA in Communications from the Ateneo de Manila University.

She is a member of the Expert Network and the Forum of Young Global Leaders at the World Economic Forum; a member of the Board of Advisers at the Philippine Business for Education; and a Senior Adviser at the Albright Stonebridge Group.

Erika is an operations expert with experience in international development, public sector organisations, and political organising.

She has worked with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Department of Health, the Department of Budget and Management, the San Miguel Group of Companies, and the Liberal Party of the Philippines. Erika’s career spans a wide range of activities, including project management, volunteer recruitment and organising, strategic communications and advocacy work, election automation and quality assurance.

She holds a degree in Sociology from the University of the Philippines, where she graduated cum laude in 2007. She also holds a career service eligibility from the Civil Service Commission.

Donnie is an economist who has worked in the areas of health, education, and environmental policy. He has held both teaching and research positions in the UP School of Economics. He has handled projects involving data from various public and private organisations such as the Department of Energy, the Department of Health, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, Manila Water Company and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative. He has worked at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, UPECON Foundation, UP Engineering Center, and the Philippine Dealing System Group of Companies.

Donnie holds a double degree in Applied Economics and Commerce from the De La Salle University Manila, where he graduated with honors in 2009. He is currently completing his MA in Economics from the University of the Philippines Diliman.

Rutcher is an educator, economist, statistician and data analyst. In 2012 he earned his degree on BS Business Administration (Business Economics) from the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology, where he graduated as a cum laude and a CHED Congressional Scholar. He is also a Master’s degree candidate at the University of the Philippines Diliman.

He has held positions at the Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish and the ABS-CBN Corporation as well as various teaching posts at the Far Eastern University – Makati; the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology; and UP Diliman.

Kier is a data analyst and a statistician with a specific interest in social science research. He has published several research articles on misinformation, electoral violence, and youth governance in the Philippines.

He is well versed with data visualization, surveys – including survey instrument creation and sampling designs – and statistical modeling particularly for inference and clustering. He obtained his BS Business Economics degree at the University of the Philippines Diliman and is currently taking his Masters of Science in Statistics at the same institution.

Vena is a homegrown tamaraw from FEU Manila, earning her Bachelor in Science degree in Business Administration, Major in Business Management in 2020. She is currently working on various streams of work under the FPPC, focusing on the provision of administrative and program support to the central team, overall.

Vena also supports the coordination work necessary in engaging with the Policy Center’s external partners.

Jesm is an administration and finance practitioner. She has provided efficient and organized administrative support to her previous organizations, ranging from database management, event organization, finance processing and budget monitoring.

An alumna of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Manila, Jesm earned her degree in Information, Communications, and Management Technology in 2013.

Justin is a public policy and higher education professional. Aside from his engagement with the FEU Public Policy Center, he consults for elected officials and non-government organizations while teaching part-time with the UP National College for Public Administration and Governance and the UST College of Commerce.

He obtained his master’s degree in public policy from the Lee KuanYew School of Public Policy and his masters degree in public administration from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Rupert has helped government, nonprofit, and development agencies communicate their initiatives and advocacies.

He has provided communication planning, design and layout, technical and creative writing, and knowledge management support for organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), US Agency for International Development (USAID), The Asia Foundation, Institute for War and Peace Reporting, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). He holds a Journalism Degree from the University of the Philippines.

After 12 years in the government, Jeff now works as a communications specialist in civil society in his continued pursuit of advocating and fighting for equality and human rights.

He previously served as the Partnerships and Linkages Manager of Angat Pinas, Inc. — also known as Angat Buhay, the developmental non-government organization founded by former Vice President Leni Robredo. Before this, he was the Provincial Information Officer of Dinagat Islands under former Governor Kaka Bag-ao. Jeff also served as Communications and Legislative Officer for almost a decade in the House of Representatives.

Mike is an educator, author and development expert. He served as Dean of the Stephen Zuellig Graduate School of Development Management at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) from 2009 to 2016. Previously, he was on the faculty for graduate business and development management of AIM from 1997 to 2005. Mike also served as President of the International Institute for Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), an international NGO with programs in Southeast Asia and East Africa from 2006 to 2008.

Mike’s public sector career includes a stint as Undersecretary of Finance and Administration in the Department of Education (DepEd) from 2002 to 2006, where he conceptualized programmes such as the Brigada Eskwela (National Schools Maintenance Program / Week) and the Library Hubs program. While at DepED, he also organized teams to reform procurement procedures, teacher payroll systems, teacher hiring, teacher training, direct release payments to school divisions, budgeting and the management information system that led to the establishment of the Basic Education Information System (BEIS).

Mike sits on the board of trustees of a number of non-profit, non-government organizations including: Philippine Center for Population and Development, Bato Balani Foundation, Philippine Business for Education and the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, among others. He is a member of the Human Development Network-Philippines, the Galing Pook Foundation and the International Center for Transformation, Innovation and Excellence in Government (InciteGOV).

Mike has authored books on the strategic management of non-governmental organizations, corporate-community relations, and education management.

Rob is an economist who specializes in the planning, management, and delivery of infrastructure projects, with a focus on public transit projects and policy. His key competencies include management of public works projects throughout the project life-cycle; financial and economic valuation of projects; planning and design of public transit projects; and stakeholder communication for successful project implementation.

Rob holds a B.A. in International Relations from Tufts University, an MSc. in Finance from Boston College and an MA in Transport Economics from the University of Leeds.

Abbey is a development worker and urban planner. She is also an advocate of community-based development planning, particularly in the domain of disaster risk reduction and flood management. Her professional experience includes stints with Metropost Magazine, the Office of Senator Loren Legarda, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, The Asia Foundation, and the Australian Red Cross.

Abbey holds a BA in Political Science from the University of the Philippines Diliman, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She also holds an MA in Urban and Regional Planning (Environmental Planning), from the same university, and an MSc in Urbanisation and Development from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Ica is a spatial planner, development worker, and amateur scribbler of things. She has been working on peace processes in the Philippines since 2010, specialising in land and cultural heritage issues and implementation of socio-economic programs in situations of armed conflict, among others. She holds degrees in planning, growth and regeneration from the University of the Philippines and the University of Cambridge.

At present, she is doing consultancy work with The Asia Foundation. She is also a recipient of the British Council’s DOST Newton Agham Fellowship to Cambridge University.