Executive Team

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

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 from 2005-2007. 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 Program (UNDP), the Department of Health, the Department of Budget and Management, the San Miguel Group of Companies and the Liberal Party of the Philippines.

Her work experience spans a wide range of activities, including project management, volunteer recruitment and organising, strategic communications and advocacy work, election automation and quality assurance.

She has 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, environmental and education policy.

He has held both teaching and research positions in the UP School of Economics. He has handled research 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 Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the UPECON Foundation, the UP Engineering Center and the Philippine Dealing System Group of Companies.

He 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 – Manila/Makati; the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology; and the University of the Philippines Diliman.

As a student leader, Rutcher’s extracurricular activities included serving as president of the Department of Associate in Health Science Education of JHCSC; vice president of the Junior Economics Society of MSU-IIT, and a volunteer of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, and the Catholic Center Campus Ministry.

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 through 2008.

Mike’s public sector career includes serving 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 institute reforms in 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 InciteGOV (International Center for Transformation, Innovation and Excellence in Government).

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

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 FPPC, focusing on the provision of overall administrative and program support to the central team.

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

Jesm is an admin 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 from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Manila, Jesm earned her degree in Information, Communications, and Management Technology in 2013.

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.
Abbey’s 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.

Rob is an economist who specializes in the planning, delivery, and management of infrastructure projects, with a focus on public transit projects and policy.
Rob’s 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 to ensure successful project implementation.
As a member of the Privatization and Special Concerns team of the Philippine Department of Finance, Robert led contract review of the Integrated Transport Systems Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Projects, the Manila LRT Line 2 Operations and Maintenance PPP Project, and a package of projects for the upgrading, operations, and maintenance of major Philippine airports.
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.

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 the 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.