Board of Directors

Michelle has extensive experience in non-profit association event planning and administration. She served on the PTA of the Canadian International School from 2013 to 2018, working as part of the executive team in three positions: President, Treasurer and Secretary. In those roles, Michelle collaborated with a team of parents to plan and fundraise for fun school events for families, such as the Halloween Carnival and the International Food Festival. At Girl Scouts Singapore, Michelle volunteered as a Troop Leader and contributed to our association as Overnight Camp Director and as a twice-serving Treasurer and Secretary as well as the Registrar. Michelle is also a long-time member of the American Women’s Association and she now serves as AWA's Secretary.

Chris is a Vice President with Dow Jones & Company, publisher of The Wall Street Journal, where he is responsible for international media, subscription and institutional partnerships and a member of the APAC senior leadership team.  He originally began his media career at the Associated Press in New York City.

Originally from Miami, Florida, Chris grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia and is a graduate of the King's Road campus of the Singapore American School.  Chris went on to receive his BA from The Colorado College and his JD from the Fordham University School of Law in New York.

Chris returned to Singapore in 2014, where his twin boys have attended SAS since kindergarten.  He is a longtime member of the US Navy League in Singapore and Co-Chair of the board of the Society of Publishers in Asia.

Daniel Moss is columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. Now based in Singapore, Moss returned to Asia in 2019 after almost two decades in London, Washington and New York. Prior to joining the commentary team, he held a number of leadership roles at Bloomberg spanning economics, politics and markets. He ran economics news during the global financial crisis, has testified to Congress and is a contributor to Bloomberg Television. Dan’s first foray into Asia was as bureau chief in Kuala Lumpur from 1996 to 1998, spanning the last year of the boom and the first year of the crisis that followed. He is a graduate of the Australian National University. 

Brian Rogove is a Senior Advisor for Alat, a $100B investment vehicle of PIF focused on diversified global investments that create future jobs in Saudi Arabia. He is also Managing Partner at Breve Holdings and evaluates investment opportunities in the education and hospitality sectors.

Previously, Brian was Founder, Vice Chairman, and Group CEO of XCL Education, growing it from a startup into Asia’s largest private K-12 education platform. Earlier, he founded A-Star-Education, developing a global education portfolio through strategic acquisitions. Brian also served as CEO for Cognita Asia Pacific and founded the Stamford American International School in 2009 and co-led the sale of the company to KKR in 2012.

Brian sits on the Board of American Association of Singapore, GEMS Education, AmCham Singapore, Singapore American School Facilities Committee and Reach Higher, chaired by Michelle Obama. He holds a B.S. in Economics from Northern Illinois University and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Ashok is a Principal with Baker McKenzie, an international law firm, and is Head of the International Capital Markets Practice in Asia Pacific and the Global India Practice for the Firm.  

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Ashok and his wife, Garima, have been based in Singapore for almost 20 years. Ashok grew up in East Lansing, Michigan where he attended Michigan State University for his BA and MBA. He briefly worked as a tax consultant with Arthur Andersen and obtained a CPA before joining University of Notre Dame for law school. He has two kids, both of whom attended Singapore American School (one from K-12) and are now working in Chicago. He is active in the community and has served on the Board of the Singapore American School and the General Committee of The American Club. 

Heidi is an accomplished editor, attorney, and educational leader whose career has spanned content development, legal practice, teaching and school administration. She has degrees from Northwestern University (BS, MS) and Indiana University (JD), and was a Fulbright Scholar. She

previously served as Executive Director of the Francophone Charter School of Oakland (CA) and has held leadership roles across multiple sectors. A multilingual communicator who has lived in seven countries over the past 20 years, including the last 2 in Singapore, Heidi brings a

global perspective to her work and is dedicated to fostering collaboration and making an impact.

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In addition to her current editorial work, Heidi serves as Secretary of the PTA at Stamford American International School, where she has played a key role in founding the school’s Athletic Booster Clubs and leading parent engagement initiatives. Her family, including husband and 2

teenagers, has a home base in Jackson Hole, WY.

Olive Ngah is a global business leader with over 20 years of experience in supply chain, operations, and customer service. As Head of Customer Service for DuPont Electronics & Industrial, APAC, she drives revenue growth, digital transformation, and operational efficiency while enhancing customer experience. She holds an INSEAD Executive MBA and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering.

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Previously, Olive served on the Board of the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM), contributing to governance, strategic planning, and membership engagement. Now, as an AAS Board Member, she is committed to strengthening the expatriate and local community.

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Olive moved to Singapore from the greater Philadelphia area with her husband and two daughters, who attend the Singapore American School. Passionate about community engagement, she looks forward to contributing to AAS and fostering meaningful connections.

Tianna Nguyen is the founder of Alensia. She has lived in the USA, Dubai, London, and now based in Singapore.  She has worked at global reputable firms such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Credit Suisse AG Singapore, Invesco, and J.P. Morgan & Co. Her work included PE/ VC, Corporate Finance, M&A, and capital raising advisory; this has also extended to several fundraising negotiations and projects with technology companies involving ESG and impact investments. Tianna benefits from an outstanding network of entrepreneurs in the most exciting economies, helping bridge connections to a complex ecosystem where she is unearthing unique and innovative private investment, or strategic opportunities for investment firms and businesses globally.

She is part of the Milken Young Leaders Circle, a co-founder of Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Singapore and is active with Harvard Global Women’s Empowerment. She studied at The Ohio State University for her Biology and Finance degrees. Tianna also received her Master’s Degrees from Harvard University and Hult International Business School.

Colton Payne is the Marketing Director for Asia-Pacific at Brown-Forman, a leading producer and marketer of premium spirits - including brands like Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve. With extensive experience in brand strategy, digital marketing, and regional leadership, Colton brings a dynamic perspective to the American Association of Singapore's board.

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In his role at Brown-Forman, Colton is responsible for driving marketing initiatives across diverse APAC markets, navigating cultural nuances and fostering brand engagement. He is a dynamic, creative leader who focuses on building teams and inspiring culture to drive growth. His expertise spans developing integrated marketing campaigns, managing cross-functional teams, and leveraging data-driven insights to influence consumer behavior. 

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Colton's passion for fostering community and strengthening ties between the US. and Singapore makes him a valuable addition to the board. He is committed to supporting the Association's mission and contributing to its continued success

Carlos Ruano is an International Education and Digital Policy Specialist. Carlos arrived in Singapore iat the end of 2024. Currently, he is the Chair of the University of Toronto/OISE Alumni Association in Singapore. Previously, he served as Education Specialist at the World Bank, World Food Program, the International Labor Organization and UNESCO. Carlos holds a Doctorate in Sociology and Policy Studies in Education from the University of Toronto (OISE/UT). He also holds a Master of Information Science from the University of Ottawa, and a Master of Science in Human Development from Georgia State University (Atlanta, GA). Carlos has been posted to every continent except Australia, either as employee or as spouse. He is fluent in English, French and Spanish. In his spare time, Carlos enjoys tennis, hiking and Maya Epigraphy. 

Carmen’s career path is as inspiring as it is unconventional.  Originally from Romania, Carmen moved to New York City with the dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer. She achieved this ambition through her work choreographing off-Broadway shows and performing with Connecticut’s New England Ballet Company. After many years as a performer and dance instructor, she retired her pointe shoes and made a bold pivot to a new career in finance—a journey defined by transformation, resilience, and growth. 

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She has now over 20 years of experience in financial services, with extensive knowledge of financial markets. She is a Director at Bank of America, working as part of the APAC Research Marketing team, where she focuses on client engagement and strategic marketing initiatives. Her executive studies at INSEAD in organizational psychology and system psychodynamics have provided her with deep insights into the unseen, unconscious dynamics within organizations. Carmen is passionate about creative leadership, transformational coaching, and driving meaningful organizational change. 

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For over a decade, Carmen has called Singapore home, where she lives with her husband and their two children, both of whom attend UWC Dover.