MS TRICIA HO

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Former lawyer at Drew & Napier llc

Family law lecturer, Singapore University of Social Sciences

“Families are cornerstone of our Asian culture, a safe base for children to establish a positive attachment and bonding with their parents, building meaningful relationships, radiating across people. We would like to help every Singaporean home to provide their youth with the warmth, love and hope for them to explore the world, and the buffer to fall back and be encouraged on as they shape a positive future.”

Dr Wong is married with 3 grown up children. He is a clinician, educator and researcher in Child & Adolescent and Family mental health. A senior consultant psychiatrist and with the National University Hospital, Associate Professor at the Department of Psychological Medicine at NUS and NUH.

He is the immediate past Head of Department of Psychological Medicine at NUH and NUS, Founding and immediate past Center Director of the NUS and NUHS Mind Science Center, which develops and implements evidence-based programs promoting emotional resilience and optimization of cognitive performance among the youth, adult and elderly in the community. He held the inaugural chair of the NUS Lin Jo Yan and Yeo Boon Khim Professor in Mental Health and Neuroscience (2020-2025) which contributed to the academic research in school age children mental health epidemiology study in Singapore, and neurodivergent conditions.

He was the President of the College of Psychiatrists, Academy of Medicine Singapore and currently serves as the Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists Board of Directors and Treasurer to advance clinical psychiatry training in the Asia Pacific countries.

He is a strong advocate in establishing competent parenting practices among parents of disruptive children through the Incredible Years program and also working towards establishing a stronger presence of informed parenting of Asian adolescents in Singapore.

DR JOHN WONG

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Associate Professor; Head and Senior Consultant Psychiatrist,  Department of Psychological Medicine,  Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore,

Board of Director, Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists

“I look forward to being a member of the Families for Life Council where I can continue to contribute to my vision of a healthier, happier family.”

Dr Elly has been practising family practice in private since 2001 starting with a family clinic in Woodlands, followed by another in Jurong West two years later.

Her interest in health education does not stop at her clinic itself as she involves herself actively in the community in both areas providing health talks and health screenings. On the national level, she appears frequently on Malay TV Programmes such as “Klinik Kita”, “Tanya Doktor”, “Jus”, “Berita on Suria” , “Sihat Oh Sihat “ and “Detik” as a health expert and ambassador.

On the radio, she is a well-recognized voice on Warna 94.2FM when it comes to discussing health matters. She also contributes to Malay magazines like “Sutra”, “Manja” and the Malay Newspaper “Berita Harian” on health issues.

She is currently a member of the Muslim Healthcare Professionals Association. She is also one of the founders of Geng Sihat SG, a community outreach group made up of health and allied health professionals who aim to promote and create awareness about healthy living.

Having a daughter who was diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder with a passion for music also prompted her to set up a music school , Madison Academy of Music to help nurture her daughter and other children through music.

MRS JOANNA PORTILLA

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Co-Founder, The Collective Effort LLP

Ustaz Muhamad Nuzhan currently serves as Head of Dakwah Department at Jamiyah Ar-Rabitah Mosque. He is a well known Naib Kadi, and marriage mentor who actively provides pre- and post-marital support to couples since 2014.

Ustaz Nuzhan also champions the Bersamamu programme to nurture strong and stable marriages and families. He was awarded the ‘Anugerah Asatizah Cemerlang 2024’ by PERGAS for his contribution in Islamic scholarship and community leadership.

Ustaz Nuzhan regularly leverages digital media and podcasts, and founded a platform (The Nun’s Production) to engage the community on marriage, family and life issues.

MRS SHER-LI TORREY

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Founder, Mums@Work (Singapore) & Director, Career Navigators Singapore

“A healthy and respectful relationship between a couple is the foundation of building a strong family. Young couples may often find it challenging managing the expectations of their parents, society and even themselves. Through the council, I hope to work with community partners to help create and improve existing resources available to young couples navigating their relationship journey.”

Yuvan brings with him almost a decade of experience working in the intersections of business and government. He currently works as a Public Policy and Government Relations manager in a technology company. Prior to this, he worked as a policy manager at EDB and had numerous roles in risk, audit and finance in Citibank.

Outside of work, he is extremely passionate in developing youth leaders. He believes youth are the leaders of today and has committed almost two decades in developing their leadership capabilities.

He continues his passion for youth leadership through his roles as a Council Member at National Youth Council (NYC), Advisory Committee Member at Youth Corps Singapore and Chairperson of SINDA Youth Club (SYC). For his commitment to youth leadership, he received the Silent Heroes Award for Most Inspiring Youth in 2018. He was also selected for the NCSS 40-Under-40 programme in 2021.

 
Yuvan holds a Master’s in Management and Bachelor of Social Sciences from Singapore Management University.

“Mother Teresa once said, “The way you help heal the world is to start with your own family.” Strong families are the foundation of cohesive communities and a resilient nation. I believe that open and intentional communication plays a vital role in strengthening families and supporting them through life’s transitions. Drawing on a background in communications and community-building, I am passionate about contributing to a national movement that supports families across life stages and deepens meaningful engagement around family life in Singapore."

Emily Poon is an experienced leader with over 20 years advising organisations on reputation management, leadership engagement and stakeholder relations across Asia Pacific. Her work spans multinational companies, public sector organisations and small and medium enterprises, including initiatives targeted at families and multi-generational audiences.

Emily was most recently the Asia-Pacific President of Ogilvy Public Relations, where she led multi-market teams, drove regional growth and organisational transformation. Her experience includes advising senior leaders and boards on strategic engagement and issues management, as well as building communities through sustained stakeholder and public engagement.

Emily is an advocate for more family-friendly workplace practices and better work–family life integration, recognising the important role that employers and organisations play in supporting strong families. She serves on advisory boards in higher education and industry. Emily is married and is a mother of two.

"What is a family? Even by distilling its most common elements such as marriage, child rearing, biological bonds, intimacy, mutual support, pooling of finances, and living within the same household etc, family is a concept that is multifaceted and complex. It is closely connected with our dearest hopes and aspirations, and at times, our biggest challenges and regrets. Given how family can significantly shape our lives, it is important for us to discover how love and care can pave the way for a fulfilling family life."

Tricia's research interests centre around family law, sociology of law and children. Her current research areas include how family and marriage are defined in Singapore, how family law in Singapore can best develop and how the family justice system can help families in distress. She is currently pursuing a PhD at UC Berkeley on Therapeutic Justice in the Family Justice System in Singapore.

Tricia combines her legal practice experience with her academic background to come up with sensitive, yet practical solutions, to family problems. She also spends her time volunteering with various committees centred on improving the lives of different groups of families in our society. She is glad for an opportunity to volunteer with the Families for Life Council as she strongly believes in promoting resilient and healthy families in Singapore.

Tricia is happily married and does not have any children (yet).

MR TAN YAP KIN

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Executive Director, Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC)

MS EMILY POON

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Institute of Directors

DR VINCENT NG

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Dean, School of Social Work & Development, Singapore University of Social Sciences

MR CHAN JUUN KIT

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Senior Associate, Singapore Economic Development Board

DR ELLY SABRINA

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Director of Banyan Clinic Pte Ltd

ABOUT FAMILIES FOR LIFE

“Families are the bedrock of our society. They shape how we grow, how we see the world, and how we care for one another. Families come in many forms, and through the FFL Council, I hope to advocate for all families, recognising both their unique and shared challenges, while bringing people together to build a caring and resilient society.”

Juun Kit is actively involved in community work and believes strongly in the importance of a vibrant, caring, and supportive community. He volunteers extensively within the Queenstown Grassroots Organisations, serving in various capacities across the Citizen’s Consultative Committee (CCC), Youth Network (YN), and Residents’ Network (RN), and works closely with residents and fellow volunteers on community outreach and engagement efforts.

As a student and fresh graduate, Juun Kit worked in organisations such as SingHealth and the Children’s Cancer Foundation. These experiences deepened his understanding of the importance of strong family support systems and community care, particularly during times of illness and crisis, and shaped his people-centred approach to service and engagement.

His commitment to service began during his student years, where he held various leadership roles and volunteered across causes including youth leadership and empowerment, as well as inter-racial and inter-religious harmony.

Currently, Juun Kit is with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), where he contributes to work supporting Singapore’s position as a global centre for business, innovation and talent. He holds a Bachelor of Social Science from the Singapore Management University (SMU), conferred in 2024.

MS NOOR IRDAWATY

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Member, NTUC Central Comm & General Secretary Built Environment and Urban Trades Employees’ Union (BATU)

MR LEE CHUNG WEI

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Deputy Chief Executive, People’s Association

Albert co-manages a start-up business in interior design, building and development, besides international trade business of vegetable oils and soft commodities as a broker.

From his senior management experience of the early years in the corporate sector and current businesses in the marketplace, he is actively promoting corporate engagement in the community with the focus on building resilient and caring families that will invariably contribute to productive business growth in companies.

He graduated with a Master’s degree in Counselling, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Sciences, along with a postgraduate Diploma in International Marketing.

Albert is still passionately involved in the social service-community space coming close to 40 years of volunteer work. For this, he gets full family affirmation from his loving wife, three supportive adult children and two granddaughters.

He currently sits on six charity agencies to actively serve the less privileged. He seeks to be the voice and advocate for building strong, resilient and caring families through the grassroots and the community.

Since 2017, he has also been flaming the notion of charity agencies to intentionally collaborate with each other in a sustainable manner. The purpose is to have collective impact by their community engagements in family life development. He has formed a network of volunteers, under Family Nation Association, dedicated to restore and strengthen families with a heart to build a caring and vibrant nation.

"As a mother of four boys aged 19, 18, 16 and 4, I have gained a deep appreciation for the diverse developmental needs of children and the value of strong family support structures. Managing leadership responsibilities alongside the demands of caring for both teenagers and a young child has reinforced my commitment to holistic family well-being, shared caregiving, and resilience. These experiences, coupled with my dedication to service and community, equip me to contribute constructively and meaningfully to the Families for Life Council."

Noor Irdawaty Jammarudin is currently a Member of the NTUC Central Committee which is the planning, policy and executive organ of NTUC that makes decisions and takes action to further NTUC’s objectives to help workers.

As an active unionist, Irdawaty joined the Built Environment And Urban Trades Employees’ Union (BATU) in 2012 and has been serving the union for over 13 years. She was appointed as General Secretary in 2018. As an advocate for workers’ welfare, wages, and work prospects, she believes in servant leadership, empowering others and fostering teamwork to drive growth and a sense of belonging.

Irdawaty was also actively involved in Young NTUC, serving as a member from May 2012 to May 2017, and as the Vice Chairperson (Industrial Sector) from March 2014 to February 2016.

She was also involved in various tripartite committees such as the Tripartite Cluster for the Landscape Industry and the Tripartite Cluster for Cleaners, which put forth recommendations to improve the wages, welfare, and work prospects of workers.

Outside of her union work, Irdawaty has been employed with CPG Facilities Management Pte Ltd for the past 18 years and currently holds the position of Manager, Shared Services (CEO Office). In this role, she oversees accreditation, manages business insurance, and organises company-wide events.

Yap Kin was an educator for over 20 years before joining the Chinese Development Assistance Council as Executive Director in Jan 2022. His work with primary and secondary children in schools previously affirms his belief that strong families are the bedrock of social progression and educational mobility for the next generation. Yap Kin’s interest is now on the influence of families on early years’ development of children and social mobility.

MR KEITH MAGNUS

COUNCIL CHAIRMAN, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Chairman, Evercore Asia and The Kallang Group

ABOUT FAMILIES FOR LIFE COUNCIL

Sher-li Torrey is the founder & director of Mums@Work (Singapore), which was started in 2010, following the birth of her daughter. As a social enterprise that supports women, Mums@Work runs activities that empower women and support them in their work-family balance choices. A point of information source for flexi-time work or Mumpreneur business-owners, the organisation champions for greater support for women caregivers in the working world. In 2016, Sher-li started a subsidiary of M@W, Career Navigators – with a focus on bringing women back into the workforce in full-time roles. Through this subsidiary, partnerships with more than 400 MNCs have been established.

As founder of Singapore’s first flexible work career portal, Sher-li is a big advocate of Diversity & Inclusion topics, as well as Women-related issues in Singapore. She is a frequent speaker and article contributor to press and TV on women-related topics. A mother of 2 school-going children, Sher-li strongly advocates a work environment that thrives in allowing employees to have better work-family integration.

MR ALBERT LIM

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Director, SG Mecor Pte Ltd

“I hope that more families can experience how “it takes a village to raise a family” includes neighbours and the local community playing a part. At the same time, families stepping forward to contribute to the community creates opportunities for families to grow stronger together.”

Prior to joining the People’s Association (PA) in 2024, Chung Wei served in various government agencies over more than 20 years in the Public Service. Some of these roles involved working on family-related matters. For example, as Divisional Director, Workplace Policy & Strategy, Ministry of Manpower, he worked on the Workplace Fairness Act, which includes protection against workplace discrimination on the basis of marital status, pregnancy status and caregiving responsibilities. He also worked on mainstreaming flexible work arrangements as a means to support better work-life harmony.

PA’s overall objectives are to build social cohesion and racial harmony, bring communities together, expand community participation, and strengthen the trust between people and the Government. Over the years, PA has been a strong supporter of Families for Life. Having volunteered as a grassroots leader himself, Chung Wei firmly believes that building community goes hand-in-hand with building strong families.

Chung Wei is happily married with two children.

“As a kid, I learned to spell FAMILY by remembering it as "Father And Mother I Love You". It is the love from parents to the children and vice-versa that create a conducive home. Family time is sacred time that no matter how busy we are, we must set aside time in priority. A family that eats and plays together, creates many fond memories. I hope that through my involvement in the Families for Life Council, to advocate that Family is the Heart of a Home and that Family is Forever. I hope to create more opportunities for families to celebrate love, foster stronger relationships and to create many beautiful memories with each passing year .”

Joanna is the Co-founder of The Collective Effort, a social enterprise whose mission is to create meaningful impact in the society by empowering and uplifting vulnerable or financially challenged women, children and families. She is also an Educator for the past 30 years working with children from 4 years of age to the young at heart, seniors, a profession that she holds dear to her heart till today.

Joanna has more than 25 years of experience serving the community in various capacities, such as in the Women’s Health Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Health, Family & Community Council of the Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) of the Ministry of Defence, Panel of Assessors for the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations, Business & Professional Women Association, amongst others.

She is also serving in many grassroots organisations of the People’s Association. She was the Chairperson of the People’s Association Women’s Integration Network Council for 10 years, and now as its Patron and the Vice-Chairperson of PA Active Ageing Council. In addition, she is also a licensed solemniser appointed by the Registry of Marriages for the last 18 years and have presided over 4,000 wedding solemnisations. For her dedication to community service, Joanna was conferred the National Day Public Service Medal in 2011. Joanna is happily married with a 13 year old son.

“In today’s world, families are faced with personal and socio-economic issues that are increasingly complex and stressful. I am committed to working towards building greater resilience amongst families, to enable them to better tackle the challenges faced in life. My wish is for every child to receive love and guidance, for every senior to be cared for and able to live with dignity, and for every adult to be equipped with the skills needed to lead a fulfilling life. Most importantly, I hope that Singapore will develop a social safety net that ensures the vulnerable among us are never left behind.”

Dr Vincent Ng is the Dean, School of Social Work & Development, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). He was previously the Chief Executive Officer of Allkin Singapore. When he was CEO of Allkin, Dr Ng transformed the organisation into a multi-service agency that enhances and enriches the lives of disadvantaged communities in Singapore.

Vincent has received many accolades in his more than 25 years of experience as a social work professional. He was presented with the Outstanding Social Worker Award by President Halimah Yacob in 2017 for his dedication towards supporting and uplifting vulnerable communities and, was also appointed as a Social Service Fellow by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) in 2015, in view of his professional expertise, leadership and impact of his contributions to the sector.

On top of his responsibilities at AMKFSC, Vincent also sits on several voluntary boards and committees to provide valuable insights from the perspective of a social service practitioner. He currently chairs the Medifund Committee of National Neuroscience Institute, and serves on Social Work Accreditation and Advisory Board, National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) Resilient Fund Committee, Panel of Assessors for National Council on Problem Gambling, and NCSS Leadership Selection Panel.

With a passion for promoting lifelong learning and employability, Vincent is also a member of the Social Service SkillsFuture Tripartite and serves on the School Advisory Boards for both Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Temasek Polytechnic. In 2022, he was appointed as the co-champion for the Alliance for Action on Strengthening Families by the Ministry of Social & Family Development, where he advocates for greater support of single parent families in society.

Vincent obtained his PhD in Social Work from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and holds adjunct appointments at NUS and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). He is a firm believer that strong families are the bedrock for building a vibrant, caring, and resilient society in Singapore, and is happily married to a medical laboratory scientist. They have a teenage daughter.

USTAZ MUHAMAD NUZHAN

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

Head, Dakwah Department, Jamiyah Ar-Rabitah Mosque

“Families are the nucleus of our society. From a strong family, the individual is able to draw love, strength, support, establishes self esteem, and learns to love and respect each other and their elders. From strong families, our nation draws strength from individuals who are able to contribute to our communities, our social cohesiveness, and a civic consciousness of the importance of building a nation with a strong moral foundation."

Keith Magnus is Chairman of Evercore’s Asia business and a member of the firm’s Global Management Committee. He has almost three decades of experience in global investment banking and strategic advisory, and brings more than 20 years of senior management leadership experience, having built, rebuilt, and led leading investment banking businesses across Asia. Over the course of his career, he has advised boards, shareholders, and governments on major strategic, mergers and acquisitions, and capital transactions across the Asia-Pacific region.

Prior to Evercore, Mr Magnus held senior leadership positions at major global financial institutions, including Deutsche Bank, UBS, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, where he was responsible for leading regional businesses, developing teams, and navigating complex market and institutional transitions.

As Chairman of the Families for Life Council, Mr Magnus is a firm believer and advocate of strong family values, he works closely with the Ministry of Social and Family Development to grow the national movement to strengthen families in partnership with community and stakeholders, inculcate pro-family values across all life stages, and provide a credible community voice on family trends and issues. He brings to this role not only professional experience, but also personal perspective as a parent. He is deeply committed to strengthening families as a foundation for national resilience, social cohesion, and civic responsibility.

Mr Magnus also serves as Founding Chairman of The Kallang Group Pte. Ltd. having been appointed in December 2022.

Mr Magnus is trained in law and accountancy, and holds the double degrees of Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Economics. He is married with three children aged 21, 19, and 16, and brings both professional experience and lived family values to his public service roles. He is deeply committed to Singapore’s long-term social cohesion, institutional strength, its economic success and global standing.

MR YUVAN MOHAN

COUNCIL MEMBER, FAMILIES FOR LIFE

National Youth Council member & Chairman of SINDA Youth Club