Our Team
The CHIAs team consists not only of the staff members working in our offices, but also of the hundreds of community workers and volunteers throughout Laos. The contact details of our office staff can be found below. Use the search and filter options to further narrow down the results.
CHIAs’ List of the Executive Board Members
Madta Khamthavone
Chair of the Association
Alanya Borliboun is a dedicated practitioner and inspiring leader with over 15 years of extensive experience in HIV, nutrition, and development. She is a passionate inclusion advocate, focusing her career on empowering and supporting marginalized and excluded populations.
Alanya applies a rights-based approach centered on accountability, voice, empowerment, and non-discrimination, consistently promoting inclusiveness, equity, and equality. For the past 12 years, she has worked as a women’s peer counselor at an ARV clinic in Vientiane, specializing in HIV, health, and women’s rights. Her experience encompasses grassroots community engagement as well as strategic roles at the regional and national levels.
Currently, Alanya heads the CSO Health Sector Working Group in Lao PDR. She has also represented women’s self-support groups and led income-generating initiatives such as sewing cooperatives for women living with and affected by HIV and TB. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management and Administration from the Institute of Technology and Business in Lao PDR.
Madta Khamthavone
Vice Chair of the Association
Metta Khamthavone is a pioneering transgender woman and a prominent advocate for LGBTI rights in Laos. She has been recognized regionally with the Community Hero Award from Rainbow Skype Network in Thailand. As one of the first 15 HIV/AIDS counselors trained in Laos, she was trained by USAID and the Linkages Training Team. She has been a dedicated community-based supporter, advocating for HIV awareness and services among transgender women, including community HIV testing and self-testing initiatives. Metta has also served as an AIDS hotline counselor for many years.
She played a key role in program management and was a lead implementer for the Global Fund’s HIV, TB, and Malaria response efforts from Round 6 to the current grant in 2019, focusing on prevention in southern provinces of Laos. She piloted community-based HIV testing in southern provinces and coordinated activities for the Linkages project, which aimed to improve prevention, treatment, care, and support among men who have sex with men and transgender women.
Currently, Metta is a member of the national coordination mechanism for HIV/AIDS in Laos. She holds a Diploma in Information and Technology from the Southern University in Champasak Province.
Chintana Somekhan
Board of the committee of Association
Chintana Somekhan holds a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology and a Master of Science in Public Health. She is a licensed Medical Technologist, equivalent to a Medical Laboratory Specialist. With over 15 years of experience, she has served as a project and program manager for various health initiatives in Laos, focusing on HIV/AIDS, STI, tuberculosis, maternal and child health, nutrition, family planning, reproductive health, and capacity building for health professionals and providers across both public and private facilities. Her work aims to enhance skills and ensure compliance with the Department of Health’s standard protocols and guidelines.
Chintana has been actively involved with the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) since its inception in 2006, mentoring and developing activists and advocates for treatment access and lifesaving drugs, as well as mobilizing resources for advocacy activities at the country level. She has also served as Country Program Manager for AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), an international NGO, and is currently the Country Coordinator for UNAIDS in Laos.
Thipmangkone Soulinthong
Inspection of the committee of the Association
Thipmangkone Soulinthong is the Head of the Secretariat for the Lao CSO Coordinating Office (LCCO). With eight years of experience in communication and community development, he has dedicated his career to advocating for the voices of civil society organizations (CSOs) in Laos.
Since 2013, Thipmangkone has been entrusted and selected by Lao CSOs to represent and coordinate their efforts, particularly in facilitating their participation in various national and international forums, such as the ASEAN People’s Forum (APF) and the national Round Table Meeting process.
He is mandated to promote increased cooperation, solidarity, and capacity building among CSOs to contribute effectively to the socio-economic development of Lao PDR.
Additionally, Thipmangkone served as the Secretariat for the ASEAN People’s Forum (APF) in 2020. He holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the National University of Laos.
Phaylin Keutla
Inspection of the committee of the Association
Phaylin Keutla holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Justice and Community Development (2016) and is currently serving as the Executive Director of Takienglao Association, a nonprofit organization in Laos. Her work focuses on program implementation related to gender-based violence, community development, human trafficking, youth cultural exchange, social enterprise, sustainability, and energy & environmental policy.
She earned a Master’s degree in Technology Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia.
Having grown up in an ethnic minority community, Phaylin moved to Vientiane to pursue her education, driven by her determination to overcome challenges and expand her opportunities.
She enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, tennis, and backpacking, with a passion for exploring nature.
Viengakhone Souriyo
Executive Director
Viengakhone Souriyo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, a Master of Science in Public Health, and an MBA. With over 20 years of experience, he has served as a director for various health, community rights, and gender programs in the Lao PDR. His work primarily focuses on vulnerable and marginalized populations related to health, climate change, human rights, and gender diversity. He has extensive experience in policy advocacy, mainstreaming health and gender considerations into national health policies and strategies, and promoting quality service provision that is compliant with national standards.
Currently, Viengakhone is the Vice Chair and Head of the Lao CSO Coordination Committee, an organization selected by Lao CSOs to represent and coordinate their participation in various national and international forums, such as the ASEAN People’s Forum (APF) and the Round Table Meeting (RTM) process. His efforts contribute to the
socio-economic development of the Lao PDR. He is also a member of the Lao Country Coordination Mechanism (Lao CCM) and leads the implementation of the Global Fund project aimed at promoting community rights, gender equality, and improving access to universal health coverage and social protection services for key populations. Additionally, Viengakhone is an active member of the National Gender-Based Violence and Gender Network in Laos. He also plays a key role in establishing the Lao Disaster Preparedness Partnership (LDPP) for the civil society sector and has contributed to LDPP’s successful entry into the ASEAN Preparedness Partnership (APP).