We are thrilled to introduce three dynamic professionals who have recently joined the Grow Asia Regional Team—Erica Sale, Chahana Ramesh, and Dicky Zulkarnain. Their diverse experiences and passion for sustainability, climate action, and food & agriculture will greatly contribute to advancing Grow Asia’s mission of building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable food systems across Southeast Asia.
Let’s get to know them better!
Erica Sale
Regional Manager, Programs, Grow Asia
Erica is an accomplished development professional with extensive experience working at the intersection of governance and resilience. Her expertise spans local governance and security sector reforms, women’s economic empowerment, digital finance initiatives, and agricultural research. Over her career, she has developed and implemented impactful programs while fostering strong partnerships with government agencies, donor organizations, and civil society groups.
Erica’s work has allowed her to collaborate with various implementation partners and manage programs across the Philippines, in wider Asia, and the United States to tackle development challenges and explore innovative solutions. She’s excited to bring her skills and perspectives to the dynamic landscape of sustainable agriculture and food security at Grow Asia.
A few fun facts about Erica: If she could have dinner with anyone, it would be Agatha Christie, her favorite pioneer of mystery and crime fiction. Erica admires Christie’s creativity and storytelling prowess. Also, if she were a vegetable, she would be a potato—versatile, resilient, and globally significant, most importantly they have a relatively lower carbon footprint, and require fewer resources like water and land compared to other major crops!
Chahana Ramesh
Regional Manager, Communications, Grow Asia
Chahana’s passion for storytelling and sustainability shapes her approach to communications. She began her career in public relations, working with clients across healthcare, education, and lifestyle sectors before pivoting to sustainability-focused communications. She holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Management (MSc Sustainability) from the National University of Singapore.
Her experience spans large-scale climate action campaigns and purpose-driven messaging strategies aimed at influencing behavior and policy. At Grow Asia, she’s excited to amplify impactful narratives and advance sustainability communications that inspire positive change in food systems.
If she could, Chahana would love to have dinner with Jacinda Ardern, whose empathetic and authentic leadership she deeply admires. Her admiration for resilience and compassionate governance informs her approach to impact-driven communications.
Dicky Zulkarnain
Regional Manager, Programs, Grow Asia
Dicky brings a wealth of hands-on experience from his five-year tenure at Barry Callebaut Indonesia, where he developed and led sustainability programs for cocoa farmers. His initiatives focused on implementing certification standards, connecting farmers with quality agricultural inputs, and enhancing community livelihoods through various empowerment programs.
A passionate advocate for rural development, Dicky joined Grow Asia to broaden his impact across diverse commodities and regions. He is particularly excited about leveraging multi-stakeholder collaboration to co-create scalable solutions that accelerate sustainable agriculture.
One of Dicky’s proudest achievements was leading a cocoa farm rejuvenation program that inspired long-term farmer engagement.
His favorite memory? His master’s program, where he made lifelong friends and explored diverse cultures. His enthusiasm for collaborative problem-solving and inclusive growth makes him a valuable addition to the team.
With Erica and Dicky in the Program Team and Chahana supporting efforts in the Communications Team, Grow Asia is geared for an exciting year ahead. Their fresh perspectives, specialized expertise, and collaborative spirit will strengthen our efforts to drive systemic change in sustainable agriculture and smallholder empowerment.