Following the loss of her Dad Neil Jess faced challenges in seeking mental health support within the UK’s public system, where she was told wait times are long unless you are in a crisis. She found TNN UK’s free peer support groups by chance and realised that all she needed was for someone to say that they had, at one point, felt the same, and it would get better.

In the summer of 2021, Jess moved to Hong Kong from Manchester and was curious to see if people here faced the same issues she experienced in the UK. With encouragement from volunteers and local charities, Jess launched an effort to contribute to mental health support in Hong Kong, creating the TNN Hong Kong chapter. Jess is also passionate about suicide prevention and is an Associate Tutor in Suicide First Aid.

Outside of work, Jess loves to run and has run five marathons including The Hong Kong Trail.

Director Equity and Inclusion

Désirée is a Cantonese and English peer support group host. With a background in human rights research and advocacy, she is also the Director of Equity and Inclusion on the TNN HK board. Having personally experienced struggles with depression, suicidal thoughts, and grief, Désirée was immediately drawn to the charity's mission of providing accessible mental health support to those in need. Désirée is deeply passionate about creating a secure and supportive environment where individuals can gather to share their experiences, connect with others who empathise, and receive the care and compassion they deserve. Fun fact: She is obsessed with cats and can speak five languages.

“After the loss of our dads, Jack and I decided we wanted to speak to more people about our grief. In 2018 we launched the first Good Grief meeting, and have been welcoming people to groups ever since! I’ve worked in the hairdressing industry for over 20 years, and have found the connection with my customers the thing that I enjoy the most. It’s the same energy that I feel with TNN, having a space to connect with others, sharing our experiences and finding commonality. Alongside my work I enjoy riding and racing road bikes, climbing and take an avid interest in local and global events, politics and economics.”

Clinical Advisor

Chris was born and raised in Hong Kong. He is mixed heritage, Filipino and British. He holds a Master of Psychology qualification where he specialises in Behaviour Change. His motivation to get involved with TNN is both professional and personal. At 14 he lost a very close family member and a very good friend which impacts him still to this day. During his time as a Senior Mental Health Practitioner he managed the safeguarding of many high and immediate risk cases, and unfortunately experienced client losses during that time. Having gone through those experiences motivated him to get involved with TNN, to support others and to help alleviate that feeling of loneliness that he felt throughout life.

Treasurer

Steven Lam is a Chinese American working in Hong Kong. He came from Corporate Treasury world, and have over 20 years of Wall Street, private equity, consulting and money management experiences. He is also a licensed Insurance broker, Certified ESG Planner, and a local CFO for a start up company in Hong Kong. He has a passion for counselling, and believe mental well being is often overlooked by many people in the city.

Clinical Advisor

As the Assistant Charities Manager at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Cindy oversees philanthropic projects, focusing on effective governance, project execution, and stakeholder coordination. Her role involves planning, managing NGO and university collaborations, and conducting social issue research. Her previous experience as an Assistant Social Work Officer in the Social Welfare Department provided her with valuable insights into family and child welfare, enhancing her skills in counselling, case management, and program development. Passionate about social welfare and mental health advocacy, Cindy finds her work aligns with The New Normal's mission, driving her commitment to contribute to transforming how society approaches mental health. Outside of work, she has a keen interest in pottery and enjoys DIY projects.

Marketing Operations Advisor

Anna was drawn to TNN because she had never spoken about the loss of her father 25 years earlier. Going to the peer support groups gave her a fresh perspective and new ways to communicate about this defining event in her early life. She became a meeting host to facilitate the space for others. She helps organisations and individuals to amplify their impact in her marketing & communications agency and she enjoys running and exploring Hong Kong’s hikes.

Trustee, Finance, CPA

Working as a finance professional, Fion is motivated to contribute her expertise to help out finance-related matters with TNN, hoping that the support groups could reach those who need support! Professionally, she is a member of the HKICPA and is currently working under the financial planning and analysis team to support the stable growth of business, she mainly looks after budgeting, forecasting and investment opportunities. Out of work, she loves to swim and run regularly!

Legal Advisor

Toby advises on legal and governance affairs on TNN’s Advisory Board. Being admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and awarded the mainland Chinese legal professional qualification, he currently practises as a finance lawyer. He received his legal education in Hong Kong, London and Beijing. Toby has always been passionate about bringing a positive impact to society. He actively engages in various community and voluntary services, including serving as a member of a number of committees and working groups under the Law Society of Hong Kong. Toby feels that working with TNN particularly gives him the unique opportunity to support its distinctive cause - lending a hand to those who are going through their difficult moments in life, which he finds meaningful as this is the sort of help everyone might need at certain times.

Trustee, Finance CPA

Jason is supporting TNN as part of the finance committee. Jason was inspired to join TNN because at some point in our lives, we al experience personal loss and pain, and we hope there is someone we can lean on. And so Jason believes in TNN’s cause. He is a certified accountant working in the finance field. Outside work, Jason is a marathon runner and unprofessional photographer.

Clinical Advisor

Dr. Julian Ngai is a doctor currently training in Public Health. Having graduated from King's College London in 2018, he has worked for the National Health Service in the United Kingdom and also for the Hospital Authority in his hometown of Hong Kong. Julian is passionate about ensuring proper access to mental health resources and is excited by the work that TNN has been doing in how they support the community. As a lover of being active, you will likely find Julian on the football pitch or planning (and occasionally training) for his next running race.

Trustee

Olivia is originally from the UK, and moved to Hong Kong in 2017. After the shock of suddenly losing someone very close to her that year, she wished there were the kind of support groups that TNN is now providing in Hong Kong; places for talking freely about overwhelming grief and being met with lots of empathy and shared experiences. Olivia works in journalism, as an editor on the New York Times International Edition, and is also a board member at Mind HK, the mental health charity. She cares deeply about making sure people in Hong Kong have as many good pathways to mental health care as possible, having seen so many people struggle with this.