Mabuhay! My name is Kyle, and I’m delighted to be your next CAUTHE Student Representative!!

I’m a Filipino PhD candidate and academic at the University of Queensland, Australia. My research explores the lived experiences of informal tourism workers in Palawan, Philippines. I use decolonial, relational, and indigenous frameworks to understand how they experience work, dignity, and hope in precarious, often invisible forms of tourism labour.

Alongside my research, I bring over ten years of professional experience as an Assistant Professor, Market Researcher, and Foreign Language Teacher in the Philippines and Taiwan. I also contribute to the academic community through editorial roles, serving as Media Editor for Tourism Management Perspectives and Associate Editor for the Journal of Philippine Tourism and Hospitality Studies.

As your CAUTHE student rep, I’m excited to implement the ‘KyleGBT‘ platform to grow student membership across Australasia, bridge existing gaps through a student network with strengthened communication and feedback channels, and help student members thrive with accessible mentorship, academic resources, and engaging social media content. I’m also passionate about creating spaces for connection by striving to organise inclusive, low-pressure activities focused on networking and enhancing well-being.

I’m excited to work with the CAUTHE Executive Committee to support, inspire, and uplift our student members through the wins, the wobbles, and everything in between.