Hema works at the intersection of education, equity, literacy, and social impact, with extensive experience supporting children and youth from disadvantaged communities across Malaysia, the United Kingdom, India, and Nepal. She leads and develops research-informed education initiatives, including Projek BacaBaca, a reading intervention for children from low-income communities, and The Night School Project, a teacher development programme for educators in refugee learning centres. Her work focuses on widening access to meaningful learning, strengthening teacher capacity, and building sustainable education models for underserved communities. Outside work, Hema enjoys yoga, reading, travelling, and discovering stories of people, places, and cultures.