Describe your journey in ADB as a Young Professional.

I joined the ADB’s urban and water team in South East Asia Department in late 2014.

Having worked with the World Bank’s water and environment team in Africa for five years

prior, I was excited about applying the skills and experiences I’d had working on water

projects in a largely East African context to a rapidly growing and urbanizing region.

My first year with ADB was incredibly rewarding. I worked on designing and developing

urban development projects encompassing wastewater, solid waste management and flood

protection in border towns in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Viet Nam, and a project focusing on

developing three “secondary cities” in Viet Nam. I also analyzed the potential for a large-

scale water investment program in the Philippines.

I also contributed to ADB’s knowledge work. I co-authored a paper on estimating

greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for our urban projects, which argued that city-wide GHG

inventories are good not only for understanding environmental impacts but also as a

planning tool for cities and as a means for leveraging investment and climate financing. I

wrote an insert for a forthcoming ADB book, titled “GrEEEn Solutions for Livable Cities”,

where I discussed recent global experiences in urban water systems and considered what

lessons they offered for South East Asian cities.

During this time, I’ve found that the ADB is large enough to do work at a scale that has a

tangible impact, and also small enough to feel the pulse of the institution and where it is

headed. As a YP, I have found management and colleagues to be friendly, supportive, and

open to new ideas. I think Manila’s relative geographic isolation also helps to foster a strong

sense of community, both in and out of the office.

“As an environmental

engineer with a passion

for development, the ADB

gives me a platform to

have meaningful impact

through my professional

work.“

What excites you in your current role?

A few months ago, I started my second-year rotation with the strategy and policy

department, which is working on developing ADB’s new corporate strategy, looking forward

to 2030.

Between the recently agreed sustainable development goals and the Climate agreement

signed in Paris, 2015 was a big year for the global development agenda. The question of

how ADB will position itself to contribute to these shared goals in the Asia and Pacific

region, particularly given the emergence of new development finance institutions, is critical

and fascinating. For me, it’s been a great opportunity to get a bird’s eye view of the region

and the organization, and be a part of a historic moment in its evolution.

I am also working on initiatives to make the project data we release to the public more

transparent and user-friendly, which—as a previous user of such data as a graduate

student—has been a rewarding process.

Visit http://www.adb.org/site/careers/adb-young-professionals-

program for more information on the Young Professionals

Program.