Hestin is a PhD researcher at the Institute of Development Studies, UK. She is an experienced international development, humanitarian aid, and digital media specialist with a proven track record across a range of humanitarian aid and media projects. She has more than 10 years of work experience with both humanitarian and media organisations, including World Vision Indonesia, Swisscontact Indonesia, UN ESCAP, and Kompas TV. She has managed various community development projects and humanitarian aid distributions in various places and settings, including child sponsorship projects, economic development projects, market system development projects, and cash voucher assistance projects.

She is very passionate about how digital media, as well as how information, communication, and technology (ICT) could contribute to the development process and social change for the most vulnerable communities in Indonesia. Her current research is on the topic of social protection and ICT (Artificial Intelligence). Hestin is supervised by Becky Faith and Kate Pruce.