Vivienne Chew has over 15 years of experience in policy advocacy and research, working with diverse groups inside and outside government to develop and implement complex strategies to support migration policy reform in the Asia Pacific region. Vivienne is currently the National Policy and Advocacy Adviser at Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA). She also serves as Chair of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network’s (APRRN) Immigration Detention Working Group.
Prior to joining CRSA, Vivienne worked at the International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA) as a Senior Program Manager, with a focus on their Asia partnerships. Vivienne also worked for over a decade at the International Detention Coalition (IDC), developing and leading the organisation’s work and strategy across the Asia Pacific region. In this role, Vivienne led many of IDC’s research initiatives on immigration detention and alternatives to detention in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and at the regional and global level. She has also undertaken research projects on children’s rights, birth registration, statelessness, and the inclusion of refugees in the formal labour market in Malaysia.
Vivienne holds a Law degree from the University of Cardiff, Wales, and a Master’s degree in International Human Rights from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver. Prior to joining the humanitarian sector, she practiced as a corporate finance lawyer for Clifford Chance LLP in London and Thailand.