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UN Women 2021 Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards:
Meet the Regional Judges
Marisa Panyachiva
Partnership and Development Finance Officer, Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator.
Marisa Panyachiva joined the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand in January 2021 as a Partnership and Development Finance Officer. She supports the Resident Coordinator and the UN Country Team by providing substantive support for strategic planning and coordination of partnerships. She also facilitates dialogues with partners, including with Government, the private sector, civil society and other relevant stakeholders, to improve development assistance policies and practice. Marisa began her UN career in 2006 with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and has 15 years of UN experience in supporting programme management at the regional level. A lawyer by background, Marisa was working in the private sector as a lawyer with Baker & McKenzie’s Bangkok Office prior to joining the UN.
Jintana Chanbamrung
Director-General of the Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security .
Director-General of the Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security Jintana graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work. and Master of Social Work (Social Welfare Policy Administration) from the Faculty of Social Adminstration at Thammasat University. She started her career as a social worker at the Department of Public Welfare Ms. Jintana has accumulated her experience in social welfare and human security development both at the local and policy levels. She has pursued leadership roles in formulating social welfare strategies and work plans for specific target groups in multiple government agencies. Her previous positions include Director of the Division for the Promotion of Rights and Welfare of Persons with Disabilities at the Department of Promotion and Development of the Quality of Life of Persons with Disabilities, and Social Development and Human Security in Samut Sakhon; Deputy Director-General at the Department of Social Development and Welfare; and Inspector General at the Ministry Department of Social Development and Welfare; and Inspector General at the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. Currently, Jintana is the Director-General of the Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development, Minister of Social Development and Human Security, which serves to provide recommendations, direct and follow up on the work of promoting gender equality and empowering women in Thailand. The goal of the Department is to empower women in all dimensions and create a gender equal society in collaboration with partners including government agencies, private sector organisations, civil society and international organizations.
Dr. Ram Piyaket
Director of the Office of International Affairs and Global Networkat, Chulalongkorn University.
Dr. Ram Piyaket started his career as a telecom engineer after he received a scholarship to pursue a Master’s and a Doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Minnesota and the University of California at San Diego, respectively. For the past two decades, he has worked extensively in higher education settings both in Thailand and the United States. His involvement ranges from academic program development, human capital development, and enterprise information management. Dr. Ram is currently Director of the Office of International Affairs and Global Network (OIA) at Chulalongkorn University, where he oversees and directs three divisions in support of the University’s key strategies, i.e., Future Leaders, Impactful Research and Innovation, and Sustainability. His office is responsible for international relations activities, academic exchange programs, student and staff mobilities, research and innovation promotions, and global network partnerships.
Kulthirath Pakawachkrilers
President, Thai e-Commerce Association.
Ms. Kulthirath Pakawachkrilers, the first ever female elected president of Thai e-Commerce association in its 17 years history. The Thai E-Commerce Association is an alliance of people in the e-commerce related business in Thailand and their member is mostly startup entrepreneurs. They recently have a new set of committee and this time the new team will be led by a woman and one of their agenda is on empowering women in the e-commerce business.
Thapanee Kiatphaibool
Deputy Governor for Domestic Marketing, Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Miss Thapanee Kiatphaibool.
Born: 1 December 1974Education: Master of Science (M.Sc.) ,University of Surrey, UK.
Performance: Being the holding of Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business : The Creator of Amazing Thailand Safety and Health Administration (SHA) Corporate with Ministry of public health and Ministry of Tourism and Sports.
Pranapda Chirathivat
Founder of Dragonfly360.
Pranapda (Pam) Chirathivat holds numerous management positions in her family business, Siam Motors Group, a diversified group of companies that has dominated the automobile and parts industry in Thailand for over 70 years with an annual turnover of over 8 Billion USD. Pranapda is a Director and Senior VP of Business Development for Siam Motors and President of Siam Music Yamaha and Siam Nissan Sales. Pranapda founded Paroshoot Group in 2005, a fashion retail company that distributes brands that include Christian Louboutin, Berluti, and Missoni. In 2018, Pranapda founded a gender equality platform called Dragonfly360, whose mission is to transform the mindset of society by engaging activists, celebrities and business leaders who believe that the advancement of girls and women allows for the advancement of the economy as a whole. She also holds a BA from Brown University in Business Economics.
Momluang Preeyapun Sridhavat
Chairperson of the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network (AWEN), Thailand.
Mom Luang Preeyapun graduated in Economics and had a Master’s degree in Cultural Management (Interdisciplinary and International Program). She received her Teaching Diploma in Classical Ballet from the Royal Academy of Dance, the UK.
She was a member of the Thai Trade Representative to South America in 2002. As Honorary Consul-General of the Republic of Peru, Chiang Mai, Thailand 2002-present, she has helped to promote trade and cultural ties between Thailand and Peru. She is a former Senator in the Thai Parliament (2011-2014) and is a former Associate Judge for the Juvenile and Family Court, Chiang Mai province (1993-2011). She is the former Chair of Sub-Committee on Thailand 20 Year (2018-2037) National Strategy on Eco-Friendly Development and Growth from 2018-2020. She serves as Vice President of the Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Association of Thailand (BPW Thailand 2015-2019, and 2019-2022) and the UNESCAP Representative for BPW International (2015-present). She also served as Vice President of the National Council of Women of Thailand under the patronage of HM the Queen Sirikit of Thailand 20
She received many awards such as Help Women, Help Themselves Beyond 2000 Award from BPW International in 1999 from Canada, Asia Pacific Women Inspire Award in Art Category in 2002 from Singapore, the Outstanding ASEAN Women Entrepreneur in 2015 from Vietnam, the Avril Binzer Memorial Award in July 2019 from Australia as an outstanding person who has widely promoted dance education and has organized international dance competitions among Asia and the Pacific and lately the Women of Impact Award – Thailand at the Women Entrepreneurship Summit 2020 in Manila, the Philippines.
She founded the Chiang Mai Ballet Academy in 1987 and has been its Artistic Director and Principal since then. She is the Thailand Representative for the Australian Teachers of Dancing, Australia.
*Mom Luang* is a title as part of the Royal Family in Thailand.
2020 Judges
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