Vietnam-ISAC
Van Nguyen
Founder & Director
Van Nguyen was born and raised in Saigon into a family deeply connected to the local community. With both sides of her family having served in the military during the resistance war and having been members in local government, Van has dedicated her life to serving Vietnam's development. This heritage instilled in her a profound sense of duty to public service and community empowerment that continues to guide her work today.
Van's academic journey took her from Hoa Sen University in Vietnam, where she developed her foundational understanding of Vietnam's social and economic landscape, to the State University of New York, where she expanded her perspective on international development and cross-cultural collaboration. This binational education gave her unique insights into bridging Vietnamese and American approaches to community development and technological advancement.
During her time in New York, Van worked with a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing job training, employment placement services, and educational programs for underserved communities—helping individuals overcome barriers to economic independence through skills development and workforce preparation. This experience resonated deeply with her belief in grassroots empowerment and reinforced her conviction that sustainable development requires investing in people's capacity to create their own opportunities. The organization's holistic approach to addressing poverty through education, employment, and community support would later inform her own methodology for social impact in Vietnam.
An active member of both the Women's Union and Youth Union, Van participates in community development initiatives, educational outreach programs, and digital literacy campaigns throughout Saigon. Her grassroots engagement reflects her belief that national transformation begins at the community level. She works directly with local residents to identify needs, develop solutions, and build sustainable programs that create lasting change from the ground up.
As an established researcher, Van has contributed to multiple publications on digital infrastructure development and Vietnam's technological advancement. Her academic work examines the intersection of digital technology, education, and national development—focusing on how accessible knowledge can accelerate Vietnam's digital transformation goals.
Through her research, she advocates for inclusive, equity-driven approaches that ensure technological progress—and the opportunities it creates in education, food security, and digital access—are freely available to all segments of Vietnamese society, especially those in marginalized and underserved communities.
Christopher Braccia
Volunteer Advisor
Christopher Braccia is an International Critical Infrastructure Consultant and Researcher specializing in digital infrastructure protection and emerging technology risk assessment. Having lived between Saigon and New York for over a decade, he brings extensive experience in infrastructure resilience, technology sector development, and digital policy frameworks across the Indo-Pacific region. Through his long tenure in Saigon, Christopher has become a proud Saigonese, serving the city with passion and dedication for over twelve years.
Christopher's commitment to Vietnam began in 2014 when he started volunteer teaching work in the country, conducting educational workshops and lectures on technology, language, cultural exchange, history and infrastructure topics. This early engagement grew into a deep, long-term dedication to supporting Vietnam's educational development and digital advancement. He has also served as a lecturer at University of Finance and Marketing (UFM), where he taught courses on technology policy, critical infrastructure, and international studies.
Throughout his professional career, Christopher has worked with major institutions including the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD), contributing to national-level technology security assessments and policy frameworks.
His background includes authoring critical infrastructure risk assessments and developing technology governance strategies for communications and digital sectors. As a Senior Adviser to Vietnam-ISAC, Christopher provides educational workshops and lectures on international best practices in critical infrastructure protection, digital resilience, and emerging technology governance. His expertise helps Vietnamese government officials, students, and private sector professionals understand global trends in infrastructure security, digital risk management, and technology policy, knowledge essential to achieving Vietnam's National Digital Transformation goals.
Christopher's work with Vietnam-ISAC centers on knowledge sharing and capacity building, helping Vietnam develop the technical expertise and security frameworks necessary to protect its growing digital economy and critical infrastructure. Through accessible lectures and publications, he translates complex international concepts into practical guidance for Vietnamese audiences across educational institutions, government agencies, and industry organizations.
His over 12 years of presence in Saigon reflects a genuine commitment to Vietnam's development, and he remains dedicated to supporting the country's vision of becoming a secure, stable, and prosperous digital nation by 2030, contributing his international experience to strengthen Vietnam's infrastructure protection capabilities and digital advancement.