Ms Li Stephanie Choo serves as the Social Affairs Officer at the ESCAP Sub-regional Office for South and South-West Asia, overseeing its social development portfolio. Currently, she is leading the development of ESCAP research initiatives focusing on gender and transportation, disability-inclusive social protection, and inclusive green spaces in the region. Previously, in ESCAP’s Social Development Division in Bangkok, Ms Choo was the thematic lead for disability-inclusive social protection, employment, and Technical and Vocational Education And Training (TVET), offering technical support to governments in Asia-Pacific. She coordinated the development of the Action Plan to Strengthen Regional Cooperation on Social Protection in Asia and the Pacific, adopted in 2020. 

Before joining ESCAP, Ms Choo was an Education Specialist at United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Myanmar, assisting the government in education policy, planning, and TVET. She holds a degree in Economics and Political Science from Columbia University, USA.