Our team

Ed has been working for CRCC Asia since 2013. Originally from the UK, Ed spent 8 years living and working in Asia and has a passion for travel and different languages and cultures. Ed has completed studies at the University of Nottingham, Tsinghua University and the LSE. In his spare time Ed enjoys skiing and hiking in the mountains, keeping fit and discovering new food.

Van grew up in Hanoi, Vietnam and graduated from Hanoi University with a Bachelor degree in Accounting. She had then moved to Ho Chi Minh City to follow a career path in education and spent 6 years there working for different education organizations with various age groups and study objectives. Van always believes in providing a high-quality service to customers, as well as maintaining long-term and trusted relationships with partners and colleagues.

Van enjoys traveling, meeting and talking to people. In her free time, she spends time on studying Korean as she believes languages are such powerful tools in work and life.

In her role with the CRCC Asia Shanghai office, Simona coordinates budget projections, manages payments, and oversees other accounting processes required our internship programs in Shanghai. Simona is a fresh post-graduate from Ecust. She majored in Accounting for her Bachelor’s degree and decided to learn something new by studying International Politics for her Masters degree.

She has internship experience in different departments of foreign companies and domestic start-ups, such as HR, Admin. and Procurement; She is a self-described extrovert, tends to think about things from a different perspective, and is always willing to communicate with others to ensure a successful experience of planning activities between companies.

Mi was born and raised in Vung Tau, a beach city in Southeast Vietnam before moving to Ho Chi Minh City attending University of Social Sciences and Humanities in International Relations. Despite staying for only a short period, the studies had provoked her curiosity in cultures around the world and eagerness to learn and see things from different viewpoints. At 20, she moved to Finland pursuing BBA degree in International Business whilst fulfilling her dream to explore different parts of the country and travel around Europe.

Mi started her career at CRCC Asia as an intern supporting 2019 Ho Chi Minh City Summer Program where she met a lot of young internationals and gained valuable experience. After graduation, she decided to return to Vietnam and dedicate herself to bringing in the best international experience for students around the world.

Mi loves cooking and baking in her free time and has a deep passion for Korean cuisine and culture.

Jollie was born in Hong Kong but now based in Cambridge, UK. She has experience working as a student recruitment team leader, managing a team that is responsible for recruiting international students on MA programs on behalf of University partners. She enjoys working within the higher education/ University context, and interacting with students/ University Partners.

Jollie has a strong sense of duty and responsibility to society as a world citizen. She has a strong belief to help the underprivileged. After completing her Bachelors degree, She spent months in Cambodia contributing to a voluntary childcare program. She was also involved into different volunteer programs in Hong Kong.

Delaney grew up in a small town outside of Chicago, Illinois, USA and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison for both her undergraduate degree in Theatre and Italian, and her graduate degree in Global Higher Education. She has worked in the international education field for the past 4 years, primarily in education abroad programs from the US to other host countries. As a study abroad student herself in Italy for an academic year, Delaney found a deep passion in supporting students through their international education journeys and decided to pursue a career in the industry because of her experiences abroad.

Born in HCMC, Vietnam, Kelsy has been studying, working and traveling across South East Asia and Europe. Accumulating 7 years working in the Business fields from various industries from Private to NGOs sectors in Netherlands, Denmark, Barcelona and Vietnam, she strongly believes in sustainably profitable partnerships for all joint stakeholders both at work and in life.

In the long-term, her life-long passion is to help close the gap between higher education’s knowledge and applicable business practices.

On a daily basis, she aspires to living by contributing added-value to the goals she sets her mind and puts her heart on.

In her spare time, you can spot her thinking out loud in English, chatting in Dutch, negotiating in Vietnamese, learning German and listening to French, Spanish while doing yoga or traveling.

An analytical, pragmatic, and intensely curious September Virgo. A perfectionist at heart. A dedicated and hardworking ISTJ who values traditions, structure, and consistency. Can sometimes be a blast—with mercurial wit, dry humor, and a bit of a wild side. Would like to regard my own self as a hodophile, an explorer, and a learner of life.

I recently graduated from RMIT University in HCMC, Vietnam with a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism & Hospitality Management. I have a passion for travel, culture, and particularly education, in every aspect of it. Before coming to CRCC Asia, I worked for a few study abroad offices at universities such as RMIT University Vietnam and HCMC University of Technology (also called as Bach Khoa University).

Throughout my professional life, I organized business programs with different people in Korea and Europe. Afterwards, I became interested in various fields of careers. One area I am very keen on is self-improvement in my personal and professional life. I'm always looking to challenge myself and are not afraid to learn new things.
I am passionate about exploring the world, traveling, learning a new culture, and meeting new people. I'm also thrived to bring good energy in connecting and interacting with people. I've lived in Australia and Chile for working holidays, studied as an exchange student, and interned in the USA. I've travelled across 25 countries and still have a list to explore more places world widely.
On a side notes, I'm passionate about cooking and treating people with my own-cooked food.

Thao recently came back from Japan after finishing her studies in Strategic Management. Officially the youngest member of the team, Thao likes reading horror novels in her spare time. Besides, Thao envisions that working for CRCC Asia will assist her with improving her competency in the Learning and Development field. Thao will be leveraging both her Japanese language skills and previous work experience in Japan in assisting CRCC Asia Business Development team with outreaching to help move Tokyo and Osaka host company onboarding strategy forward.

Originally from Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam, Hieu started his journey abroad on Long Island, New York where he completed his high school program. Afterwards, Hieu graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Tourism and Events management. Throughout his time as a student in the United States, Hieu got involved in various internship opportunities and was able to explore different backgrounds.

Hieu is an Mediator at heart but can be adventurous at times. He is open to learning and experiencing new things in life. However, Hieu will never decline the opportunity to sit down and recharge. A cat lover, movie enthusiast, and a tea enjoyer is what people would describe Hieu as.

Born in Hanoi, Vietnam, I spent most of my 20s in the US and East Asian countries like South Korea and Japan. I am a language and multimedia enthusiast who is knowledgeable about various cultures and the world's current affairs. I love being outdoors, traveling, and playing ultimate frisbee. At the end of the day, staying in, cooking and cleaning definitely make me feel at ease.

Mishu was raised between Tochigi, Japan and Ontario, Canada and grew up in a multilingual household speaking English, French, and Japanese. She graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication studies and has previous experience working with University students as a mentor and writing advisor. Since relocating to Japan in 2019, she has reconnected with her Japanese roots and has discovered a love for creative writing. In her spare time, she enjoys reading poetry, watching films, as well as exploring the rural areas of Japan. As a Tokyo Program Coordinator, she looks forward to sharing the beauty of this eclectic city and hopes to create a meaningful experience for incoming interns.

Growing up, Jesse spent time on both the East and West coasts of the United States, in Southern California and Central North Carolina. Education and cultural exchange have always been at the top of Jesse's interests along with creative pursuits such as writing, music, and filmmaking. He loves storytelling and believes it plays a crucial role in education and human connection.

Jesse is on his sixth year living in Japan. For two of those years, Jesse lived and worked in a rural town in Kagoshima Prefecture
teaching children ages 3-13. He recently completed a Master's degree in International Culture and Communication Studies at Waseda University and wrote his dissertation on the role of children's media in the identity formation of children.

In Tokyo, Jesse spends his time touring museums, going to film/ musical events, and singing for hours at karaoke.

Michi has been a multilingual influential change agent working for China, the US and Japan in multiple roles. She joined CRCC Asia to support more and more interns to come visit Osaka and gain unique experiences, Michi is a native Osakan. Her passion for cultures and history like "Silk Road" made her traveled around the globe. In her spare time, Michi enjoys photographing, discovering new things and aroma therapy.

I was born in Ha Noi, Viet Nam. After living and working in France for over 15 years, I recently moved back in hope to reconnect with life and culture in Viet Nam. In my spare time, I enjoy listening to rock music, podcasts about mythology and crimes.

Sakshi is an enthusiastic person who likes to talk about education, foreign languages and cultures. As she is passionate about learning languages, she speaks Hindi, English, French and learning Japanese. She thinks that the best way to learn is by travelling. Her love for research and cross-cultural communication brought her to Japan where she is pursuing research to understand academic mobility and the motivational factors of international students. She has worked with people from over 30 countries and has trained thousands of learners ranging from 6 to 61 years. She always tries her best to help students achieve their goals by remaining empathetic.

Having lived and studied in China, the UK, the US, and Japan, Michelle spent most of her student days meeting and connecting with people from different cultures and backgrounds. She is passionate about learning foreign languages, which is what led her to learn Japanese and study abroad at Waseda University during college. Later, she decided to pursue a Master's degree at the University of Oxford in Japanese Studies, where she wrote her dissertation on the adoption and foster care system in Japan. In her free time, she likes to catch up with her long-distance friends, walk around the city, and find nice cafes for coffee and cake.

This is Tien, or you can call me Nerdy Kuzco, and I have an INFJ personality trait. I consider myself as an educator who loves to pursue lifelong learning and career development education. I spend most of my free time studying new things, playing music and cooking. On my way to becoming a career coach, I believe CRCC Asia is one of my first steps to learn and thrive in international education and in my career path as well.

Minh is a passionate final year RMIT digital marketing student who strives to create quality content relentlessly and hoping to create value for people and life wherever he puts his attention on.

Tung majors in International Relations. He hopes to bring his language skill and outgoing personality to CRCC Asia to facilitate the Buddies Program of summer. He also believes that CRCC Asia allow him to learn the necessary skills and experience in the International Education industry.

Outside of work, he likes to volunteer at drag queen houses. He helps the drag queens setting up the stages and ensuring the shows run safely. He greatly enjoys his hobby because it combines what he loves best: art and community.

My name is Huong, and I’m going to be a new Business Development Intern for CRCCAsia. A little about myself— I grew up in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Right now, I’m studying at Western Sydney University and my major is International Business. I have always been interested in business, so I jumped when I heard about this internship opportunity. What draws me most to CRCCAsia is the professional working environment. During the internship, I hope that this program will help me learn professional business development aspects and develop further. I'm very excited to bring my skills and contribute my value to the company. I look forward to being a part of the team and helping wherever possible. It is my pleasure to work with every member from CRCCAsia.

Nhung is a Business Development Intern in March 2023 who has experienced in the hospitality industry from organizations to local fine-dining restaurants both in Australia and Vietnam, I decided to make a big jump in the Business sector with the aim of widening my views and knowledge in other aspects of the business.

Sarujan is a multilingual and globally-oriented professional with a deep interest in Linguistics and Marketing. Having grown up between Groningen, Netherlands and Lucerne, Switzerland, Sarujan possesses a unique perspective on diversity management and has a fascination for different languages and cultures. In addition to his studies, he has pursued additional interests such as Sadou and English tutoring for Japanese students, which have deepened his appreciation for the arts and cultural expressions of Japan. With a Bachelor's degree in Minorities and Multilingualism and a Minor in International Relations, Sarujan is currently pursuing an MSc in Business Administration, specializing in Marketing and Online Business at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. With his diverse background, exceptional skill set, and global perspective, Sarujan is well-equipped to make a positive impact on our international community.

My name is Huong, and I’m going to be a new Business Development Intern for CRCCAsia. A little about myself—I grew up in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Right now, I’m studying at Western Sydney University and my major is International Business. I have always been interested in business, so I jumped when I heard about this internship opportunity. What draws me most to CRCCAsia is the professional working environment. During the internship, I hope that this program will help me learn professional business development aspects and develop further. I'm very excited to bring my skills and contribute my value to the company. I look forward to being a part of the team and helping wherever possible. It is my pleasure to work with every member from CRCCAsia.

Born in Royan, France. Jessy started traveling the world at a young age. While discovering new cultures, he started to get more interested in Asia with a special curiosity for Japan. His love for filmmaking led him to study marketing with a specialization in the travel industry as a way to express his creativity. Freshly graduated from a Bachelor, he is living in between France and Italy while trying to reach his dream of settling down in Japan. Joining CRCC is for him the opportunity to work closely with the Asian market while helping students all around the World discover it.

Luise Schafer is a senior international executive with 30 years’ professional experience of China. A literate and fluent Chinese speaker, completing postgraduate studies in Beijing in 1983, she is a sought-after commentator on China’s business environment. Her early career included positions at American and Japanese technology firms in Beijing, followed by a Consultancy role assisting British companies break into the China market. A stint as First Secretary, Commercial at the Embassy in Beijing in the 1990′s allowed Luise to lead on a broad commercial portfolio, building UK-China partnerships across a range of key industries and ministries. She successfully led on the visit of the British Deputy Prime Minister in 1996 in the run-up to Hong Kong’s handover and brought to signature an important bilateral maritime treaty opening up huge commercial opportunities to UK shipping.

Latterly head hunted into the Abacus Group, as Vice Chairman of Abacus’s China operations she grew the business and brand significantly over 15 years, in China and E. Asia, and in 2010 delivered on a new, larger greenfield design/manufacturing facility in Shanghai.

Luise is the immediate past-Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and has held a number of other board positions, in the past, including Vice Chair at The 48 Group. She was honored at the Chinese Embassy in London in 2010 with an award acknowledging her deep contribution to Sino-British relations.

Luise was honoured with an OBE in the 2012 Queen’s Birthday Honour’s List for services to British business in China.

Symone D. Sanders is a strategist who served as the youngest presidential press secretary on record for U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign. In recognition of her outstanding achievements, Symone was featured on Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of 16 young Americans shaping the 2016 election. As a CRCC Asia Beijing Program Alumni, Symone has a deep understanding of the intern experience, providing key insight in her role as a Senior Adviser.

A communicator with a passion for juvenile justice, Symone is the former chair of the Coalition of Juvenile Justice Emerging Leaders Committee and former member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice. While serving on the committees, Symone worked to bring millennial perspectives to policy conversations. Now, Symone draws from her experience on the national stage to provide perceptive analysis and results-oriented problem solving on political and social issues. Through her work, Symone challenges the conventional wisdom that strong communities are only defined by what we have in common. Instead, she outlines the way our differences contribute to effective social movements and impactful media narratives.

Symone has been featured on NPR, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC, BET, TV One and currently can be seen on CNN as a Political Commentator. She has been profiled in the Washington Post, the New Yorker, ESSENCE Magazine and ELLE.

Ed’s passion for travel and Asia started early – at age 8, his mother sent him to Greece unaccompanied to stay with a Greek family.  At 12, he started to learn Japanese, later switching to focus on Chinese which became his Major at Cambridge University. He still managed a GCSE in Japanese, and also speaks conversational Thai and fluent Spanish.  He later achieved a Masters of Science in International Management from the University of London (SOAS).

He has lived in several countries throughout Asia (and spent his honeymoon in Vietnam), and has a real passion for the culture, food and language of the many places he has visited.  He enjoys sharing his knowledge of worldwide cultures, and considering how they might improve the employability and global confidence of today’s students and graduates.

Ed co-founded CRCC Asia in 2006 and has been heavily involved in various M&A projects, company due diligence and strategic analysis.  He has been published in print and in media such as Businessweek, The Sunday Times and the BBC. Ed has undertaken voluntary roles at the Young Icebreakers, part of the 48 Group Club, improving understanding between China and the UK, and he has also been a trustee at the Karen Hilltribes Trust, working to improve education, sanitation and health in Northern Thailand. Ed is currently studying for an executive MBA at Cass Business School in London.

After practising as a corporate lawyer with CMS in London, Marcus Shapiro pursued a 25 year investment banking career with Charterhouse Bank, Crédit Commercial de France and HSBC in London and New York, and ran his own M&A advisory firm, Amethyst Corporate Finance, prior to immigrating to Canada in 2014.  Since then, he has pursued a variety of roles assisting growth companies achieve their objectives, including serving as Chair of fintech company, Katipult Technology Corp (TSXV: FUND), and serving on the Advisory Boards of Bit Stew Systems Inc. (sold to GE for $200mm), NovoBind Livestock Therapeutics and SHM Controls, and he is currently Chair of the Advisory Board of Sikeleli Africa Safaris.  In addition, he has operated as a Trustee of the West Vancouver Memorial Library and as a Director of the West Vancouver Library Foundation, among his voluntary roles.

Tom was born in Thailand in 1967 and educated in Singapore, Pennsylvania and England. He has an MA degree in Oriental Studies (Chinese) from Cambridge University and wrote his Master’s dissertation on “China’s Oil & Gas Development Strategy”.

Tom began his career at the emerging Markets Group of Wall Street investment bank, Wasserstein, Perella & Co. In 1991 he moved to China where he established several businesses in oil & gas, property, telecommunications and investment. He is the owner of Kirkwood & Sons LLP, a board member of Sino Geophysical, a shareholder in Yeepay and an adviser on energy matters to KW&Co.

Tom is fluent in written and spoken Mandarin Chinese and his interests include family time, oil and gas exploration, geophysics, fly-fishing, ice hockey and tennis. Tom and his wife Kate have been involved in co-sponsoring China’s first private charity for the blind (The Bright Angel Fund) and are active supporters of the Peace Corps and Special Olympics in China.

J. David Armstrong, Jr. is the sixth president of Broward College, one of the largest and most diverse institutions in America, with 63,000 students across 11 campuses and centers in South Florida. With more than 33 years of experience as a state and national leader in higher education and economic development, President Armstrong recently celebrated ten years leading the College.

With a strong commitment to the community, a business owner’s understanding of the evolving workforce landscape and the changing role of higher education, President Armstrong has led a redesign of the College to focus on new programs that better address skills gaps for students and employers. Several workforce bachelor’s degrees, for example, have been added in the fields of information technology, nursing, supply chain management, education, and aerospace science.

President Armstrong serves in a variety of positions with non-profit, workforce and educational organizations. He is currently the co-chair for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Six Pillars Economic Program and serves on the Board of Directors for the Broward Workshop, the Broward College Foundation, and the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), Fulbright Scholar Program. He is also past chairman of Leadership Florida and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance.