Vivian Ip
Roots Tracing Coordinator
Vivian is a registered social worker in Hong Kong. As a teenager, Vivian volunteered for a non-profit organisation serving pregnant girls facing crisis pregnancies and children in need of temporary and/or permanent care. She later joined this organisation, first as an adoption social worker, then supervisor. Vivian is passionate about adoption advocacy and volunteers her time to help adoptees and their families on their roots tracing journey.
|
 Lucas Renzi
Webmaster
Lucas was born in Australia, has spent a few years in Singapore and moved to Hong Kong in 2016. He is a stay at home dad to two children, loves the outdoors, and is an advocate for judo, cycling, collective consumption, and reducing his carbon footprint. Prior to parenthood, Lucas was a primary educator in Singapore and Australia, and a manager and support agent for coworking communities and start-ups in the same two countries.
|
 Vasavi Seethepalli
Volunteer
Vasavi is a professional artist and graphic designer. She has been living in Hong Kong since 2007 with her husband and two children. Having volunteered at the American Red Cross, Rochester Arts Council, SINDA, and now AFHK she feels honored to be part of such great organizations.
|
 Ann Bridgewater Professional Adoption Support Committee
Ann grew up in Hong Kong and completed her high school education in the UK before returning to attend university in HK. Ann received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Hong Kong, followed by a degree in Occupational Therapy at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. After practicing Occupational Therapy for over fifteen years specializing in pediatrics, Ann returned to the University of Hong Kong to complete her Post Graduate Certificate in Psychology and she then subsequently obtained a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology.
Ann has worked extensively with children, adolescents and their families in hospital, private clinical and school settings. She has experience working with children and adolescents with a wide range of developmental difficulties and disorders individually and within small groups. Ann works with families to address their children’s challenges in areas such as social and communication problems, attentional, emotional or behavioral difficulties. Ann has spoken on the topic of child development to numerous groups of educators and parents, both in Hong Kong and overseas. She provides psycho-educational assessments for children and adolescents.
Ann is an accredited facilitator for Group Triple P (Positive Parenting Programme) and Group Stepping Stones Triple P (Positive Parenting Programme for children with special needs) courses. She is trained to deliver the Sequential Oral Sensory approach to eating difficulties and is certified in the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test. Ann is the mother of two teenage daughters and speaks English, Cantonese and Mandarin. |
| |
Cheryl Shanahan
Professional Adoption Support Committee
Cheryl is an Early Years Therapist that primarily supports children under the age of 8, including, infants, toddlers, pre-schoolers and school aged children. Support is offered through Baby Bonding, Toddler Bonding, & Play Therapy. In her therapeutic work, Cheryl uses play as a tool to strengthen attachment and family relationships. Cheryl takes a systemic approach, working closely with not just the child, but with the parents and teachers to ensure a collaborative and consistent approach. She works with Central Health Partners Child Development Team at Southside Family Health Centre.
|
Jenny Wiseman
Professional Adoption Support Committee
Jenny is an Australian born adult adoptee of Vietnamese/Chinese heritage, adopted from birth into an Anglo Australian family. She has been living in Sydney most of her life, where she graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Education (Primary). Jenny has been working as an EAL teacher across Sydney schools for 10 years. Jenny and her husband relocated to Hong Kong early 2017 for her husband’s work. Whilst in Sydney, Jenny was involved with the Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC). She has a passion for sharing her life experiences with others, having overcome many challenges herself. Her particular interests are mental/emotional wellbeing and transracial adoption.
|
|
 Renni Green
Membership Coordinator
Renni is a Korean Adoptee who grew up in the United States. She was adopted at 8 months old. She received her Associates of Applied Science degree in Occupational Therapy Assisting then later switched career fields and obtained her Bachelor's of Science degree in Business Administration. In 2012, after an unsuccessful birth family search, Renni was inspired to connect with others in the adoptee community. Her worldwide adoptee network intrigued Renni to learn more about Asia. When her husband's company presented the chance to live in Hong Kong, they jumped at the opportunity to live abroad. Thanks to the power of social media, it allowed Renni to learn about AFHK. Due to the positive impact AFHK has had on Renni, she wanted to give back and do more by volunteering her time as a Steering Committee member.
|
|
Louise Garnaut
Maria Wong
Becky Holdaway
