APLMA Team

Dr Sarthak Das is the Chief Executive Officer of the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance. Sarthak joined APLMA from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health where he holds appointments as Research Scientist in the Dean’s Office and Department of Health Policy and Management, and as Senior Advisor for Research Translation and Global Health Policy at the Harvard Global Health Institute. He brings 25 years of experience as a public health scientist, development practitioner, and global health policy advisor. His work spans diverse Asia Pacific settings in countries such as Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Viet Nam, and also in West Africa.

Sarthak graduated from Harvard College with a joint AB in Social Anthropology and Sanskrit/Indian Studies, holds a Master of Public Health from Yale University’s School of Medicine, and a Doctorate in Public Health from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

A native Singaporean, Dr Xavier Chan brings over two decades of experience in global health and development with multidisciplinary training as a clinical pharmacist and data scientist, with experience in geographic information systems, pharmaceutical supply chain and health policy expertise, in both public and private sectors. Xavier is familiar with the Greater Mekong Subregion, having served as the Clinton Health Access Initiative’s (CHAI) first Deputy Country Director in Myanmar as well as the Regional Advisor on CHAI’s Drug Access Team in Southeast Asia, while being based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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He previously served as the Director of Global Public Health Partnerships at the International Pharmaceutical Federation in Geneva, Switzerland and Head of Public Health and Epidemiology for China and Southeast Asia at IMS Health. He has also led market development and strategic partnerships in Asia Pacific for leading medical device, biotech and life sciences multinational corporations such as Medtronic, Illumina and Pacific Biosciences.
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He is a licensed pharmacist in Singapore, with a BSc in Pharmacy from the National University of Singapore, an MSc in Geographic Information Systems from Vrije Universiteit, and a PhD in Public Health and Policy from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicines.

Dr Hawley has 40 years of experience working on malaria, vector borne diseases and public health programs. He worked for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 30 years, where he served as Country Director for Indonesia for eight years (based in Jakarta) and as Chief, Entomology Branch at CDC’s headquarters in Atlanta.  For four years, he was formally seconded to UNICEF in Indonesia to support its work in eastern Indonesia on integrated malaria control.  While at the CDC, he supported malaria control and elimination programs in Nigeria, Malawi, Zambia, Togo, Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia.  He was also resident in Kenya for six years in the 1990s where he conducted operational research on malaria control and epidemiology.

Since 2022, he has supported the Indonesian Malaria Control Program as an advisor and has worked as a consultant for WHO in Indonesia, Timor Leste, Nepal, and Vietnam, for UNICEF in Indonesia, for URC in Myanmar, and for the President’s Malaria Initiative in Washington, DC.

Dr. Hawley obtained his BA from Duke University in Zoology, a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Oregon, and an MPH from Emory University. He has published over 130 papers on malaria and vector borne diseases.

Ms Stella Low is an experienced Finance professional with over two decades of experience in accounting functions. Stella started her career working in a Big Four accounting firm and then went on to work in financial reporting, budgeting, GST and corporate taxation in local companies across various industries. Stella is experienced in local non-profit reporting requirements, serving as Assistant Vice President (Finance) for a developer of sustainability-focused nature attractions, where she worked with a Project team on budget monitoring and ensured completion of all statutory and financial audits. Stella holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from Nanyang Technological University and is also a Chartered Accountant (Singapore) with the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants.

Dr Phone Si Hein is the Associate Director at Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN). He joined APLMA from Population Services International where he worked as Deputy Programs Director managing multiple programmes and was the Myanmar Malaria CSO representative in the Regional CSO Platform. He has over 16 years of expertise in public health and emergency operations with a variety of organizations including UNICEF, International Organization for Migration, Save the Children, and Red Cross in Myanmar. He holds a medical degree from the University of Medicine (I), Yangon and a Master of Public Health from Mahidol University, Thailand.

Dr Harsh (Hersch) Rajvanshi is a public health professional with over a decade of experience in malaria elimination and global health - spanning research, program implementation, policy advocacy, and regional diplomacy. At APLMA, he provides strategic and technical leadership across the Asia Pacific and serves as the focal point for South Asia. Before joining APLMA, he led the Malaria Elimination Demonstration Project in the tribal district of Mandla, India, which achieved a 91% reduction in indigenous malaria cases within 30 months. Harsh has published over 44 peer-reviewed articles and regularly contributes policy briefs, blogs, and thought pieces on malaria elimination and health systems. He holds a BDS, a top-of-the-class MPH in Advanced Epidemiology from Manipal Academy of Higher Education, a PhD in Public Health from Jamia Hamdard, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health, UK.

Ms Shubhla Singh brings over eight years of experience in global health research and policy. Her expertise covers a range of health issues, including tuberculosis, maternal and child health, and nutrition. She specializes in public health research, implementation, and advocacy. Before joining APLMA, she led research, program design, and monitoring and evaluation efforts at Population Services International in India. Shubhla is dedicated to creating impactful partnerships with governments and implementing organizations to advance health and development initiatives both locally and globally. She earned her Master's in Public Health from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore.

Ms Pooja Jain leads the policy advocacy and research work for malaria elimination with a focus on the Melanesia sub-region. Previously, she established the Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion workstream and led the Leaders’ Dashboard, and Monitoring and Evaluation process at APLMA. Before joining APLMA, Pooja worked as a Field Researcher in Pratham Education Foundation and as a Policy Associate for the Government of India where she reviewed education policies and led large-scale quality assessments. Pooja completed her Master's degree in Public Policy at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore and holds a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics.

With over a decade of experience in the Singapore public service, Izzairin has led strategic communications initiatives and managed countries bilateral relations, with focus on addressing social and religious issues. Beyond professional pursuits, he inspires future leaders as an adjunct lecturer at the Singapore Institute of Technology (DigiPen), teaching modules on Professional Communication and Media & Ethics. He is passionate about evolving communication trends and has a deep interest in the dynamics of international order.

Izzairin graduated with a Bachelor of Communication from the Singapore University of Social Sciences and holds a Master of Science in International Relations from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Ms. Shanti Vellu serves as Executive Manager, CEO Office and Board Liaison, expertly steering executive operations and board governance. She provides critical enablement to the CEO, driving priorities, orchestrating complex agendas, and translating high-level decisions into execution. With a sixteen-year foundation in the financial sector, Shanti brings rigorous analytical acumen and risk awareness. Previously, she gained broad commercial perspectives within the global travel industry. Recognized for unwavering discretion, stakeholder leadership, and results, she champions efficient collaboration. She is motivated by service, supporting stakeholders in meaningful ways that advance vital organizational goals.

Shanti holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma in Business Management and Tourism.

Prior to join APLMA, Ms Yee Wern Kho worked with both multinational and public listed corporations, where she served as an accountant for the finance department. In her roles, she has been responsible for checking and recording all transactions for management meetings and auditing purposes. She shows independence on closing activities and provides valuable support in ensuring the accounts are closed in a timely and accurate manner. A consistent, resourceful professional, she is able to handle accounting systems very well, understands complex issues and drives results. Yee Wern holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) Accounting from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. She has 12 years of experience in the area of Finance and Accounting.