Kenneth Chern

Kenneth Chern is Professor of Asian Policy at Swinburne University and Executive Director of the Swinburne Leadership Institute. A former diplomat, he served as US Consul General in Perth, Deputy Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, and Deputy Director of the Southeast Asia Desk at the Department of State.

Professor Chern also served in Beijing, Taipei, Hong Kong, Manila, and Cebu, and in Washington at the China, Japan, and Australia/New Zealand Desks. At the White House, as Director of Asian Affairs in the National Security Council, he helped organise the inaugural APEC leaders meeting hosted by President Bill Clinton. He won awards for his work in human rights, counterterrorism, and public diplomacy.

A speaker of Chinese, Vietnamese and French, Chern taught for ten years at the University of Hong Kong. He holds a BA from Brooklyn College, and an MA and a PhD in history from the University of Chicago.