Our Staff
ADRA Laos currently has three teams of committed individuals working with us. The head office is based in Vientiane Capital and our three project teams are based in Xiengkhouang Province and Vientiane Province.
GILLIAN GROLIMUND
COUNTRY DIRECTOR
With more than 20 years community and development experience in Asia and the Pacific, Gill has been the ADRA Laos Country Director since September 2017. She has held senior management and consultancy positions in program and project management, human resources, and community and stakeholder engagement across a variety of sectors including health, agriculture, livelihoods, water and sanitation, roads, and transport.
She holds a Master of International and Community Development from Deakin University, and has served in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. She enjoys travelling, exploring new places, and spending quality time with her family and friends.
SURAJ SHRESTHA
PROGRAM & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ADVISOR
Suraj joined ADRA Laos Programs team in September 2017. He has held senior management positions over the past 15 years with the Australian Government and NGO sector in SE Asia on programs and projects across a variety of sectors. Including health and nutrition, food security, livelihoods, social inclusion (especially gender, disability, and cultural diversity), water and sanitation, and business development.
He is currently undertaking a Masters of Science in Research, holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Rural and Regional Planning, and a Bachelor of Social Science and Community Development in Australia.
Suraj is a dedicated development practitioner who enjoys mentoring and coaching people to see their optimal potential and in his spare times appreciates the opportunity to travel and explore the great outdoors.
PORM KEOSAMONE
PROGRAM Manager
Porm joined ADRA Laos in 2019, he hold the position of Program Officer until 2023, with his ability, and high performance in his area, he was promoted to Program Manager. Previously he worked as an entrepreneur in the education sector and project coordinator for health and community development projects.
He graduated with MSc Project Planning and Management from the University of Bradford, England in 2018 and received the highly prestigious Chevening Scholarship for his postgraduate studies. He completed his bachelor’s degree from Thailand and had also spent two years as an exchange student in Cambodia.
With diverse cultural background, Porm speaks all three main Lao languages (Lao Lum, Hmong, and Khmu) plus English and Thai. He enjoys exploring new ideas, translation, and photography.
SOUDALAT PATHAMMAVONG
Communication Officer
Soudalat graduated from the National University of Lao with a Bachelor of Community and Rural Development in September 2019. Soudalat undertook her student placement with ADRA Laos from February-April 2019 and was then awarded the role of part-time Intern while she completed her studies. She joined ADRA full-time from September 1, 2019 as Program Assistant to assist our programs and project teams and lead marketing and communications. And in 2023 She was promoted to Communication Officer to fully responsible for all ADRA Laos communications.
Soudalat: “I am very thankful that ADRA gives me the opportunity to learn. I really enjoy working and learning from this organization.”
BED PRASAD KHATIWADA. PHD
AGRICULTURE & LIVELIHOOD SPECIALIST
Dr. Khatiwada provides technical advice to ADRA Laos on agriculture and sustainable livelihood related programming. He is an agriculturist with expertise in horticulture production, postharvest management, value chain development, market linkage and food safety/quality assurance.
He obtained his PhD from Australia in non-destructive detection of internal defects in fruit using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) under postharvest quality management of fruit, and worked as a post-doctoral scholar at the University of California Davis (UC Davis) on SmartFresh technology and non-destructive quality assessment of fruit.
With more than 18 years experience working with development organizations including World Vision, ActionAid, and FAO/UN, in research, academics and community development portfolios, Dr. Khatiwada is currently overseeing the quality assurance and logistics management of fresh fruit and vegetables at Brisbane Markets.
Dr. Khatiwada has published more than a dozen publications including journal articles, proceedings, and book chapters. His passion is to write for farming communities and share relevant technical and advocacy issues to help promote sustainable livelihoods, local resource mobilization, and revitalizing the local food system combating climate change and food miles.
VIPHAPHONE SOMPHOU
FINANCE MANAGER
Viphaphone joined ADRA in April 2015 as the Senior Accountant and was promoted to Finance Officer in January 2017 and became Finance Manager in 2021. Prior to joining ADRA she had more than 5 years’ experience as a senior auditor and manager in accounting and finance. At ADRA, Viphaphone is responsible for all financial and accounting management and leadership of the finance team.
Viphaphone holds a Master of Accounting from the Department of Business Management, National University of Lao and received her Bachelors’ Degree in Business and Administration from the Lao American College. She enjoys meeting with people and travelling to new places.
AVOOT SINGHA
ACCOUNTANT
Avoot has been working as an Accountant with ADRA since April 2017 and specializes in providing accounting, assurance (audit), and advisory services to our admin and project teams.
Avoot holds a Bachelors’ Degree in Finance and Banking from Rattana Collage. Apart from numbers, he enjoys playing football during his free time.
KOUNG KOUANGBOUNYALATH
ADMIN AND HR OFFICER
Koung joined ADRA Laos in January 2021 as Admin Assistant and was promoted to Admin and HR Officer in 2023. Prior to working with ADRA she held the position of Program Officer and Admin-Finance Officer where she was a valuable contributor to her team. She conducted IT and human development sessions and screened, selected, profiled, and evaluated student beneficiaries for programs.
Koung graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree of Applied Arts in Social Work from the National University of Laos and gained a Higher Diploma in TVET on General English from Sirimoungkhoun College. After graduation she joined a Development Leadership program, specializing in Community Development and Social Entrepreneurship at the Institute of Formation Fondacio Asia (IFFAsia) in Manila, Philippines and had the opportunity to join the Charis South East Asian Youth Training program in Malaysia in 2019. She enjoys travelling to the project sites and doing different activities.
SAYALATH KAMALA
LOGISTIC/PROCUREMENT OFFICER
Sayalath has worked with ADRA Laos since 2007 and is currently the Logistics and Procurement Officer. Prior to joining ADRA he had 6 years as a general assistant for Importer-Exporter, PV Garment Ltd.
Sayalath studied Accounting at Rattana Business Administration College, and has received training in computer networking, HR and Economics from Laos-Japan Human Resource Development Institute. Say loves gardening.
The ‘Phoukoud Integrated Climate Resilient Agriculture and Improved Livelihoods’ (PICRAIL) Project
(From left to right)
- Davone Vongvane, Livestock Officer
- Khounthanong Vanthanouvong, Project Manager
- Mone Yungsouthivong, Logistic Officer/Driver
- Khamtic Vongkhamin, Agriculture Officer
- Souvaloun Duangdala, Finance/Admin
- Oudone Tavamixay, Water Officer
- Somnuek Phanthavong, Logistic Officer/Driver
The ‘Enhanced Nutrition and Health for Upland Phoukoud Phase II’ (ENHUP II) Project
(From left to right)
- Nathithone Baythaviphone, Finance/Admin
- Soua Lee, Project Manager
- Somxay Inthasone, Logistic Officer/Driver
- Youavang Yabrongtrongvue, Health & Nutrition Officer
- Sisounonh Nanthavong, Logistic Officer/Driver
- Iengphone Onluengsay, Mobilization Officer
- Chanikone Luangoudom, Health & Nutrition Officer
Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Livelihoods Initiative (SARLI)
(From left to right)
- Chanthaly Syfongxay, Project Manager
- Phivan Thoumphala, Finance/Admin
- Bounta Tilachit, Business Development Officer (XKG)
- Sueha Youamivang, Climate Change Officer (XKG)
- Porm Keosamone, Program Officer (VTE)
- Syvanh Sotouky, Climate Change Officer (VT)
