Staff

Executive Director/Editor-in-Chief

THY Try is an Executive Director/Editor-in-Chief of Open Development Cambodia (ODC). In 2011, he joined ODC as an advisory board member, and later on, he became a chairman of the board. As an Executive Director/Editor-in-Chief, Try plays an important role in increasing public access to current and historical data and information about Cambodia’s development trends in an online ‘open data’ platform, compiling freely-available data from a wide range of public sources. Prior to joining ODC, Try worked for the National Network on Extractive Industry Social and Environmental Impact (EISEI) as a coordinator of Development and Partnership in Action (DPA) for four years. He also spent two years with ADHOC as a human rights investigator and another two years with Indochina Research Limited (IRL) in social and commercial research. He also holds multiple degrees and training-related certificates.

IT and Website Advisor

Huy Eng graduated with a double major in Computer Science from Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), and International Study from Institute of Foreign Language (IFL). She has been working for ODC since it was firstly established in 2011. With several years of experience in web development, she takes the leading role in developing an online information resource for Cambodia’s development community. She guides oversee and manages works of the IT team to ensure accuracy and technical competence. In addition, she advises and provides technical support to other team members in addressing any IT-related problems.

Information Technology and Website Manager

Mardy’s main responsibilities are managing and overseeing ODC platform and network infrastructure. He is in charge of involving in and monitoring the development and maintenance of ODC platform under collaboration from other ODC team. Moreover, he is responsible for providing technical guidance and support as well as identifying, preventing, and mitigating IT-related issues of the network infrastructure and project implementation.

Mardy is a graduate from the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) majoring in Computer Science and holds a Bachelor of Education in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from the Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL).

IT and Website Manager

Sakal is responsible for the role of developing and maintaining the ODC digital platforms and other associated platforms.

Sakal holds a Software Development Diploma from ITStep Academy. Before Joining Open Development Cambodia (ODC), he was a Software Engineer with 3+ years of hands-on development, design, and coding in a VTech Co., LTD providing technical solutions for international clients.

Web Development and IT Officer

Vichra is mainly responsible for ensuring the well-functionality of IT network systems and infrastructure, including hardware and software. Moreover, his primary responsibility is on digital security control, system upgrade, and other IT-related support. Additionally, he supports website development and maintenance.

Vichra held a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Cambodia in 2018. Before joining ODC, Vichra had more than five years of experience with private and non-private sectors in IT support.

Research and Web Content Manager

Vatana has been proactively working for ODC since 2016 in the position of Editor-Researcher and Research and Content Officer. With years of extensive experience, Vatana has been recognized for the leading role in coordinating and supervising the content and web development teams in online resources expansion. In late 2020, she was enthusiastically promoted to Research and Web Content Manager.

She receives many responsibilities to ensure the work plan and project goals are accomplished in her current role. She takes the lead in site design and development, oversees the daily operations of the content teams and website, and prioritizes the project activity plan. Vatana also works collaboratively with the ODC team to monitor the web traffic and maintain the editorial standards, ensuring the website meets the timeliness, accuracy, completeness, and user-friendly performance.

Ahead of joining the ODC, she worked as a Research Assistant under the framework project (LWR-ID/2009/046) of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and some research schemes at the university. Vatana held an Engineering’s Degree in Water Resources Engineering and Rural Infrastructure from the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) in 2014.

Social Development Editor – Researcher

Chanphalla is a Social Development Editor – Researcher of Open Development Cambodia. His main responsibilities are daily news summary, conducting research, producing social development related contents, translating, editing and other reporting tasks.

Chanphalla is an International Relations (IR) graduate of Institute of Foreign Language(IFL), the Royal University of Phnom Penh in 2017. Before joining ODC, Chanphalla worked as Future Forum’s young research fellow on which he has conducted various projects. His latest research project concentrated on STEM education in Cambodia.

Natural Resource and Land Editor – Researcher / Project Coordinator

Chhuonvuoch is a Natural Resource and Land Editor – Researcher / Project Coordinator of Open Development Cambodia. She holds a Bachelor of Environmental Science from the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) ​and Bachelor of Arts in Teaching English to Speaker of Other Languages from Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia (PUC), as well as Master’s degree in Disaster Management (International Program) from Naresuan University (NU), Thailand, in 2021. Before joining ODC, she has published conference and scientific journals on various academic research platforms as well as worked as an Associate Team Leader in an EIA Company.

Her main responsibilities are collaborating on website design and content development, conducting research, compiling legal documents, policy papers, reports, and other publications related to natural resource development, conducting outreach and promotional activities, and advising and guiding research fellows. She also monitors project, writes related reports, as well as coordinates with the donors, partners, and stakeholders to support the project corporation and project management.

Economics Editor – Researcher

Layheng is an Economics Editor – Researcher of Open Development Cambodia. Her main responsibilities are identifying and summarizing daily news and public announcements, publishing topic pages monthly, conducting research, reviewing and collecting data on foreign investment in Cambodia, leading and supporting projects, coordinating with national and international stakeholders for the project implementation, advising and guiding research fellows and interns, compiling legal documents and other resources related to economy and commerce, translating internal and external documents, assisting ODC team members, and reporting other tasks.

Layheng is a graduate student with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies (International Economics) and Bachelor of Education in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, IFL, RUPP. She has engaged in a lot of discussion, debate and research related to national and international events. Through social experiences, she has improved her presentation, writing, negotiation, and analysis skills. She has also boosted her ability to edit and translate documents through her YouTube Channel.

Program and Partnership Manager

Vimoil is a Program and Partnership Manager at Open Development Cambodia (ODC). She provides strategic oversight and management for the Innovations in Social Accountability in Cambodia (ISAC) project and the research contributions to ODC content, while also coordinating all aspects of the Innovations in Social Accountability in Cambodia (ISAC) project. She is also responsible for developing training programs and training target groups on how to use ODC’s website.

She holds two bachelor’s degrees in economic development and English for translation and interpreting, and Master’s degree in environment, development and sustainability from Chulalongkorn University. Before being a part of ODC, she was a programme assistant at Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI) and an assistant to managing director at a private company.

Communications Manager

At Open Development Cambodia, Chihor is responsible for planning the communication strategy, overseeing the organization’s communication platforms, designing communications materials, coordinating with partners and outreach activities, and managing the Cambodia ICT and Digital Form – an Open Development Cambodia Program.

Chihor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media Management from the Department of Media and Communication, Royal University of Phnom Penh. Prior to joining ODC, he joined the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam) as a media intern, and CARE Deutschland – in Germany – as a Communications and Advocacy intern. He was also a Public Relations volunteer at the Department of Media and Communication. Chihor joined ODC in 2020 as a Communications Officer.

ICT in Education Project Officer

Vatanak is an ICT in Education Project Officer at Open Development Cambodia (ODC). His primary responsibilities are supporting the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the ICT in education project, writing progress reports, publishing promotional material and project success stories, supporting the editor team in compiling project related documents, and working closely with the video consultant and communication team. He is also responsible for conducting Training of Trainers (ToT) for primary school teachers and participating in outreach and capacity-building events.

Vatanak graduated from the American University of Phnom Penh (AUPP), majoring in Global Affairs and minoring in Southeast Asian Studies in 2022. Prior to joining ODC, he was a research intern at the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPTC), conducting research on improving digital connectivity in remote areas in Cambodia. He was a student tutor at his university, an English as a Second Language (ESL) at a private school, and a volunteer English teacher at Phnom Penh Thmey Primary School. He has also developed his professional experiences by actively participating in extra-curricular activities, being elected as a senior representative and president of the Committee for Community Service Program (CCSP), and volunteering as admin, logistics, and social media officer at Model United Nations and Model ASEAN Meeting at AUPP.

Communication Officer

Kheang is in charge of producing ODC’s communication materials as well as assisting with various ODC activities such as trainings, workshops, and meetings with key stakeholders and partners. He also publishes blog posts about ODC’s activities.

Haingkheang earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations (IR) from the Institute of Foreign Languages (IFL), Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) in 2021 and a Bachelor of Arts in Media Management from the Royal University of Phnom Penh’s Department of Media and Communication (DMC) in 2022. Before joining ODC, Kheang worked as a news reporter intern for VOD Khmer and Coconut Media in Bangkok, where his articles primarily focused on social issues and lifestyle.

Data Research and GIS Specialist

Kalyan is a data research and GIS specialist at Open Development Cambodia (ODC). He used to work for ODC since it was firstly established in 2011 until 2015. Later he led GIS technical project of GPS navigation in a private sector. He joined back to ODC in 2019.

He is responsible for leading the team in all data-related research activities, focusing on gathering, organizing, and display data about a particular location in a digital format. He also uses GIS technology to compile, maintain, and update information from a variety of sources for the public’s use and ensure that data across all topic areas are complete, accurate, and up-to-date. He graduated in Land Management and Land Administration in 2011 and holds a Master’s Degree in Natural Resources Management from the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in 2020.

Senior Data Research & GIS Officer /Capacity Building Coordinator 

Pisith works as a Senior Data Research & GIS Officer /Capacity Building Coordinator at Open Development Cambodia (ODC). He satisfactorily completed Engineering’s Degree of Geo-Resources and Geotechnical Engineering (GGE) from the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) in 2019. During the year of his graduation in 2019, Pisith was granted a scholarship for a one-semester exchange program at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand where his thesis was completed for successful graduation in ITC.

At ODC, his work focuses on researching spatial data, on various sectors relevant to development in Cambodia from all reliable sources which provide open data, for handling assembling enhancing and visualizing by using GIS to generate a usable data product for publication in organization web pages. Besides the key role of producing dataset, particularly spatial dataset, he also takes part in conducting training and developing the curriculum of training related to data and GIS for the relevant projects.

Data Research and GIS Officer

Y Puthealy is a Data Research and GIS Officer at Open Development Cambodia (ODC) who carries out quantitative research from public data sources on development, economic and environmental issues for internal and external publishing, together with further critical data analysis and visualization.

Puthealy brings to his position a good background of specialty in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering. Before taking on the Data Research and GIS Officer, he devoted his working experience with mostly related research and projects on Water Resources and Environment, GIS and Remote sensing in water resource management, and QGIS training workshop provision.

Puthealy received his education through Agence Française de Développement (AFD) fund award at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) with a Master’s degree in Water and Environmental Engineering andgranted a prestigious graduate exchange program at École​ Nationale​ Supérieure​ De​ Chimie​ De​ Rennes​ (ENSCR) in 2019. He also holds an Engineer’s degree in Water Resources Engineering and Rural Infrastructure at ITC.

Investment Data Research Officer

Visith is a Data Researcher at Open Development Cambodia (ODC). At ODC, he is responsible for the desk research and data collection on foreign investment from multi-languages sources and translates it. Under the direct supervision of Data Research and GIS Specialist and Research and Web Content Manager, he works closely with several ODC teams in developing online resources on foreign investment and its impact on the development of Cambodia. He is also responsible for providing the Executive Director with written and oral reports, translating and interpreting services to any other team members if needed.

He graduated bachelor degree with a major in English from the Institute of Foreign Language (IFL) and a master degree with a major in Chinese English Translation from Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU). Before becoming a member of ODC, he had been engaged in many interpreting and translating careers.

Finance and Admin Manager

Mr PHY Sakhoeun graduated Master’s degree of Management from Human Resources University in 2012, Bachelor’s degree of English Literature from Build Bridge University (BBU) in 2009, and Bachelor’s degree of Accounting from the National University of Management in 2003. Relevant to working experience, Mr Sakhoeun has thirteen years experiences on Financing, Administration and Human resources with both local and international organizations in Cambodia.

Since the early of 2018, Mr Sakhoeun is a Finance and Admin Manager at Open Development Cambodia (ODC), and works closely with ODC Executive Director under the main responsibilities such as: verifying all the payment documents and accounting transaction before posting to the accounting system, making a financial report for Executive Director and donors timely, preparing the budget proposal to donors, preparing all projects budget monitoring reports and submitting monthly to Executive Director. Besides this, he also facilitates in the process of auditing, monitoring the effectiveness of in-hand budget using, providing technical support to Finance and Admin Officer, coordinating on staff recruitment and orientation, reviewing staff payroll and other related benefits, taxation documents, national social security fund, organization policy and procedure and revising if there are gaps, also doing other tasks which mentioned in the job description.

Senior Finance and Admin Officer

At ODC, Somary works closely with the Finance and Admin Manager to ensure timely and correctly coding QuickBooks Data entry, preparing donor reports, managing petty cash, timely payments to suppliers, payroll, NSSF and taxes, and budget tracking. Additionally, Somary is also responsible for all relevant bank transactions, administrative and human resource works.

Somary graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the National University of Management (NUM) in 2011. Before joining ODC, Somary has around ten years of experience in finance and admin work with local and international NGOs. 

Housekeeper

Kimhuoy is mainly responsible for maintaining the ODC office, a good environment, cleanliness, and a well-organized office. She also assists in drinks and snacks preparation for guests and staff as needed during meetings, training, and workshops and takes care of all the kitchen supplies. Before joining ODC, Kimhuoy used to work at Bayon Airlines for seven years as an airline catering.