The Board of Directors for SAA:SEARCH:

Michael Leaf

Dr. Michael Leaf is the former Director of the Centre for Southeast Asia Research (CSEAR) at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada, an Associate Professor in the UBC School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), and a Research Associate of the UBC Centre for Human Settlements (CHS). The focus of his research and teaching has been on urbanization and planning in cities of developing countries, with particular interest in Asian cities. Since his original doctoral research (PhD Berkeley, 1992) on land development in Jakarta, Indonesia, Dr. Leaf has been extensively involved in urbanization research and capacity building projects in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, China and Sri Lanka. The courses he teaches at SCARP cover the theory and practice of development planning and the social, institutional and environmental aspects of urbanization in developing countries.

Kersti Krug

Dr. Kersti Krug, PhD, MBA is Assistant Principal in the College for Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of British Columbia. Her research and teaching interests include nonprofit and social marketing; interdisciplinarity; organizational culture, leadership, and change; and arts administration.  She brings significant professional and senior management experience in universities, museums, and government.

Abidin Kusno

Dr. Abidin Kusno is Associate Professor at the Institute of Asian Research at the University of British Columbia. He is the author of Behind the Postcolonial: Architecture, Urban Space and Political Cultures in Indonesia (Routledge, 2000) and Penjaga Memori: Gardu di Perkotaan Jawa (Gatehouses in Java: A Political History) (Ombak Press, 2007) He is completing a book on spatial politics and historical memories in the post-Suharto Jakarta titled Appearances of Memory and New Times in Indonesia to be published by Duke University Press.

Rick Barichello

Dr. Richard Barichello is the director of CSEAR (Centre for Southeast Asian Research) at UBC. He is also a Professor at the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of British Columbia. His geographic regions are Indonesia and Vietnam. Some of his Research Areas include, but are not limited to: trade and economic relations, industrial and agricultural policy. Past Positions include: Senior Advisor, Customs and Economic Management Project, Harvard Institute for International Development, Jakarta, Indonesia 1986-88.

Chansokhy Anhaouy

Chansokhy was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 1962. In 1981, he immigrated to Canada. He joined the Vancouver School Board in 1989 as a Multicultural Liaison Worker, and since 2006, he has been a Coordinator of Volunteer Interpreters for the Vancouver school district. His professional development and career trainings include: Immigrant settlement and adaptation, community development, cross-cultural counseling, conflict resolution, mediation, group facilitation, social-psycho traumas, anti-racism, youth gangs in schools, working with refugee children and working with children of special needs. In 2005, Chansokhy held a volunteer position at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, as a Personal Assistant to the Secretary of State with the International Organization Department. His roles and responsibilities were to assist in liaising with inter-governmental ministries, non-governmental organizations, the United Nations and foreign embassy officials. Here, he assisted in responding to complex social issues relating to foreign affairs and human rights, while undertaking a wide range of operational and administrative tasks relating to foreign affairs and in research of human rights law. Chansokhy lives in Vancouver with his wife, and has founded a not-for-profit organization for children in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

Terai Short

Terai Short is a practicing Archaeologist. In 2007, she graduated from Simon Fraser University. Her focus is upon artifact conservation, ancient art and heritage politics. Recently, she participated in a wet-site excavation, working under the Katzie First Nations group, in once of the largest and most significant sites in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia. During her time with the Katzie assisted in the development of a laboratory, which was created to house the nearly 4,000 year old water logged organic artifacts. At present, she has returned to Simon Fraser University and is pursing graduate studies in the realm of archaeological conservation. Terai Short is a member of the BC Association of Professional Archaeologists, The Canadian Archaeological Association, The Society for American Archaeology and the Canadian Association for Physical Anthropologists. At present, Terai lives in Vancouver with her husband and son.

Sarah Youngblutt

Sarah Youngblutt has had a long-standing interest in Southeast Asian culture, which has culminated in several trips across the region. In 2001 she undertook Pacific Rim studies in Vancouver and later received a diploma from Langara College. Soon after, her interests shifted to Asian Culture and Prehistory and in 2007, she completed a BA in Anthropological Archaeology from UBC with a special interest of Underwater Archaeology. In 2009, she extended her diploma to include a second BA in Asian Area Studies with a specialty in Sanskrit language. At present, she is enrolled in an a Masters program of Asia Pacific Policy Studies out of the Institute of Asian Research in UBC, in the thematic stream of social and economic change. Her specialization remains in Archaeological Heritage Politics. Sarah Holma is a member of the BC Association of Professional Archaeologists, The Canadian Archaeological Association, The Society for American Archaeology and the Underwater Archaeological Society of BC. At present, Sarah lives in Vancouver with her husband and three children.