Dr. Nguyen Thi Hai Van graduated from the Department of Environmental Science of Hanoi National University of Natural Sciences and got her M.Sc from Wageningen University (Netherlands). She joined PanNature in September 2008, right after her graduation from university. Van has worked as the coordinator of the Policy Program with intensive focus on studying and analysing contemporary laws and legislation on environmental protection and natural resources in Vietnam. From September 2016 to December 2017, Van served as the Policy Program Manager. Since May 2019, Van officially took the position of Deputy Director.
Van got her Ph.D degree from the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) in December 2021. Her thesis focused on social aspects of forest change in Vietnam.