Dr. Vella Atienza, an accomplished scholar in the fields of Development Management and Governance, currently holds the position of Associate Professor 7 at the Institute for Governance and Rural Development within the College of Public Affairs and Development at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). With a wealth of experience spanning over two decades, Dr. Atienza has made significant contributions to academia and research, focusing particularly on local and regional collaboration, environmental governance, agricultural governance, and waste management in the Philippines and across Asia.

In her role at UPLB, Dr. Atienza not only imparts knowledge through teaching courses such as Local Governance and Development (LGD) and Development Management (DM) but also plays a pivotal role in administrative duties. She has chaired and served as a member of numerous committees, demonstrating her commitment to academic excellence and institutional development.

Recognized for her outstanding contributions, Dr. Atienza has been honored with prestigious awards such as the One U.P. Faculty Grant Award in Development Management and an International Publication Award from the University of the Philippines. Her extensive publication record includes over 50 papers and articles, along with presentations at more than 35 local and international conferences.

Among her recent research endeavors, Dr. Atienza has led projects focusing on regional cooperation of local governments in ASEAN, waste management, and inter-municipal cooperation. Currently, she spearheads a collaborative project between the Local Government Academy and UPLB, conducting a baseline study on governance systems among ASEAN Plus Three countries.

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Asia Pacific Studies, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), Beppu-shi, Oita-ken, JAPAN,
• Master of Management, Major in Development Management, Institute of
  Development Management and Governance (IDMG), College of Public Affairs (CPAf), University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB)
• BS in Forestry, College of Forestry, University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB)

Field of Specialization

• Asia Pacific Studies
• Development Management and Governance
• Forestry and Natural Resource Governance
• Environmental Governance/ 3R Policies