Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi is the first woman Secretary General of the UCLG’s regional section. She has been working in urban development and related fields for more than 15 years. She began her career at Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and afterward at CITYNET in Yokohama. Dr. Bernadia has also been a visiting professor at several universities in Japan and a resource speaker at various international events. In 2015, she was appointed as a member of the Advisory Group on Gender Issues (AGGI) of UNHABITAT. She was selected in 2018 by GovInsider Asia as one of prominent women whose work made an impact in Asia Pacific. 

As the Secretary General, Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi is the chief executive officer of UCLG Asia-Pacific Section. She directs the daily activities of the Section and carries out the decisions of the Regional General Assembly, the Regional Council and the Executive Bureau. Dr. Bernadia received her PhD in Urban Engineering from the University of Tokyo, a Master’s Degree in Atmospheric Physics from Nagoya University, and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the National University of Singapore.