The Project ARES core team consists of alumni from various Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) programs who joined forces during the 2025 YSEALI Penang Summit. As the U.S. government’s primary program for empowering young leaders aged 18 to 35, YSEALI provides the training and networks necessary to tackle regional challenges through fellowships, workshops, and grants. The team’s vision for inclusive disaster education stood out at the summit, where Project ARES was selected as one of the collaborative grant winners.
Bless Adriano, the Philippines
Project Lead
Bless is a disability rights advocate and program professional with a decade of experience advancing inclusive education, employment, and civic participation for persons with disabilities in the Philippines. Her work focuses on building youth leadership, developing evidence-based programs, and pushing for disability-inclusive policies. She currently serves as the Program Assistant for Higher Education and Industry Inclusion at Resources for the Blind Inc. and is the Lead Convener and Co-founder of Kasali Tayo, where she continues to champion systemic change.
Marville Espago, the Philippines
Finance
Marville is the Country Manager for the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) in the Philippines, where he leads efforts to improve seafarer welfare and mental health. With over a decade of experience in advocacy and community development, he also chairs the TOMSP Alumni Community Board and co-founded PASSION Projects, a grassroots initiative that has reached over 1,400 students in Ifugao. He brings deep expertise in project management and stakeholder coordination, having worked extensively with government agencies and training institutions to build leadership across the maritime sector.
Chanthala Vinthasai, Laos
Secretary
Chanthala is an experienced development professional and educator with over 15 years of experience across Laos and India. Her expertise spans operations management, social work, and gender empowerment, particularly within internationally funded projects. She currently serves as the Operations and Youth Development Manager at Lone Buffalo, a non-profit English development center, where she applies her extensive background in project coordination and community engagement to support the next generation of leaders.
Iqbal Azis Romadhon, Indonesia
Member
Iqbal is a seasoned professional in the consumer goods sector with a strong track record in business development, logistics, and demand planning. Currently serving as the CS and Supply Chain Manager at Unilever, he combines sharp commercial acumen with technical expertise in data analytics and stakeholder management. His commitment to global leadership is reflected in his background as both a Chevening Scholar and a distinguished YSEALI alumnus, bringing a high-level perspective on operations and problem-solving to the Project ARES team.
