Sylvia is a junior qualitative researcher with a special interest in studies on poverty, rural development, children and youth empowerment, community empowerment, and tourism development. In SMERU, Sylvia is actively involved in various research projects that cover issues of poverty, inequality, and vulnerable groups (including children, people with disabilities, the elderly, and widows). As a qualitative researcher, she is entrusted by the senior researchers to develop research designs, conduct data analyses, create policy recommendations, and be involved in client engagement. Currently, Sylvia is responsible for leading the team for qualitative data analysis of the Study on Regional Poverty Reduction Plan (RPKD) Drafting.

Prior to joining SMERU, Sylvia worked as a public policy researcher and consultant at SPIRE Research and Consulting. She was tasked with leading the collection and analysis of qualitative data on market value chain in postdisaster areas and designing economic empowerment programs for people with disabilities. Sylvia also once worked at the KRA Group as a consultant in charge of managing stakeholder relations and designing strategic communication approaches for the company’s sustainability.

Apart from that, Sylvia was also actively involved as program facilitator in various nongovernmental organizations (NGO) that focus on refugee and child empowerment. She was part of Health, Education, and Learning Program (HELP) as an independent researcher and volunteer teacher, and Roshan Learning Center, where she served as a volunteer for an education program for woman and child refugees from the Middle East, Africa, and Myanmar. Previously, Sylvia was a volunteer at Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI), where she translated letters of children from Eastern Indonesia for their foster parents.