Phet builds and oversees EngageMedia’s strategy, develops fundraising opportunities, creates and sustains partnerships and collaborations, and provides top-level oversight of finance, operations, programs, and technology.

Phet brings decades of experience in information, communications, and technology for development, and Internet governance. Prior to joining EngageMedia, he served 15 years as a Senior Program Officer at the International Development Research Center (IDRC). At the IDRC, his portfolio included work on access to connectivity, access to knowledge, digital rights and the right to privacy, field building for communications policy, platformisation and the future of work, and Artificial Intelligence for development.

While based in Asia, his scope included Africa and Latin America, also. Prior to his post with the IDRC, he led ICT for development initiatives as a programme specialist with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), including work on fostering the Free and Open Source movement in the Asia-Pacific.

Phet brings vast stakeholder engagement experience, including engagements with national level policy- and decision-makers, researchers, and advocates for social justice in the networked society.

Born in the Lao PDR, Phet immigrated to Canada in the late 70s. He is a Canadian national.

Phet holds a BA in Economics, from the University of Carolina, in Chapel Hill. He is currently undertaking a Master of Arts – Interdisciplinary Studies, at the Athabasca University.