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Leadership
Charmain Mohamed | Executive Director
Charmain is a respected and experienced human rights advocate and activist, who has lived and worked in Asia
for most of the past 15 years. She has worked for the UN, Human Rights Watch and the Norwegian Refugee
Council, both in emergency contexts and on long-term issues, in countries such as Indonesia, East Timor, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and, most recently in Palestine. She holds a Masters in Human Rights Law from the School of
Oriental and African Studies in London and a BA (Hons.) in Southeast Asian Studies and Indonesian Language
from the University of Hull. Charmain is fluent in English, Indonesian and Malay.
Shen Tingting | Director of Advocacy, Research and Policy
Shen Tingting has been a prominent HIV/AIDS and human rights advocate in Beijing, China, and has been
working with marginalized communities since her college days. In 2007, Tingting co-founded the Korekata AIDS
Law Center with Li Dan, and until 2012 she was the deputy director of its parent organization, Dongjen Center
for Human Rights Education and Action, where she founded and managed an outreach program for sex workers
in Beijing. Tingting received her MA in Social Welfare from Renmin University of China in 2009, and served as a
visiting research fellow at Asia Catalyst from March -August 2012.
Gisa Dang | Director of Capacity Building and Community Initiatives
Gisa Dang is responsible for developing and implementing the strategic direction of the Capacity Building and
Community Initiatives program. Gisa has created and conducted dozens of customized workshops for grassroots
NGOs in organizational management and advocacy skills. She has led ongoing coaching of the groups we've
trained to ensure integration of fundamental skills into organizational processes. Since joining Asia Catalyst in 2009,
Gisa has spoken at top global events such as the International AIDS Conferences in Vienna and Washington DC,
and the International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific in Bali and Busan. Gisa holds an MA in Sinology and
Political Science from University of Cologne, Germany and is fluent in German, Chinese, and English.
In April 2015, Asia Catalyst staff and supporters
gathered at Ethan Cohen Fine Arts in New York to
discuss human rights, activism, and art in Asia.
Brian Bonci | Director of Finance and Operations
Brian joined Asia Catalyst in 2011. He received his BA in Political Science and Women's and Gender Studies from
Pace University, where he was a Jeannette K. Watson Fellow. Brian previously worked on political campaigns and
volunteered with LGBT and HIV/AIDS advocacy organizations in New York City and Cape Town, South Africa. He has
also advised international exchange students in Tunisia and taught English in Central America. Brian is fluent in English
and Spanish.
Our Board
Charmain Mohamed, Asia Catalyst’s Executive
Director, poses with Yvonne Y.F. Chan, the
Chair and Treasurer of Asia Catalyst’s b