Dr. Sarah Jane D. Lipura is the lead convenor of the Philippine Studies Network Aotearoa New Zealand. A transnational and multilingual researcher-practitioner, Sarah obtained her doctoral degree in Asian Studies from the University of Auckland (UoA), where she was recipient of the University Doctoral Scholarship, Faculty of Arts Research Grant, and Universitas 21 Doctoral Mobility Scholarship. Prior to coming to New Zealand, Sarah was founding director of the Korean Studies Programme, Ateneo de Manila University, with which she remains transnationally affiliated. As an interdisciplinary scholar, she actively publishes in the fields of international student/youth mobilities, migration and Asian Studies. As practitioner, Sarah passionately pursues initiatives that promote migrant and international student well-being. She also previously worked at the North Asia Centre for Asia-Pacific Excellence, where she developed language and cultural immersion programmes for different New Zealand schools and communities. Sarah is passionate in bridging research and practice through transformative community engagement, which she pursues actively together with her husband and son.