Asami (she/her) is a first-generation immigrant from Japan. She's the founder of Shapes and Sounds and is a registered music therapist with over 17 years experience working in the youth mental health, trauma and community sectors.

Marcus (he/him) is a second-generation Chinese-Australian, however, has lived most of his life in Hong Kong before moving back to Australia in 2017. He is currently a Psychology honours student at the University of Melbourne and is interested in cross cultural and post-traumatic mental health

Smruthy (she/they) is a registered psychologist and was born in India and moved to Australia after founding a mental health organisation in Chennai in 2012. She specialises in working with people with multicultural and diverse identities, LGBTIQA+ and neurodiverse clients. Committed to intersectionality, she uses a trauma-informed, culturally responsive and person-centred practice framework.

Yeo (he/him) is a Malaysian-Chinese musician and audio professional with over 17 years of experience in the music and media industry. His practice has led him through many facets of the creative world as an artist, musical director, composer, podcast producer, DJ and audio engineer. Yeo is addicted to songwriting, grassroots sport and home cooking.

Stef (she/they) was raised in Hong Kong and is a second-generation Australian-born Chinese living in Narrm. They are a multi-disciplinary artist and registered art therapist with experience working with a range of clients from ages 13 to 78 in acute and sub-acute mental health, family violence, and disability sectors.

Tanya (she/her) is a first-generation Chinese-Indonesian Australian who spent her early childhood in the vibrant city of Jakarta, Indonesia, before moving to Australia during her teenage years. She's a Registered Music Therapist with diverse experience across mental health, disability, educational, and hospital settings.⁠

Daleney (she/her) is a second-year student studying Psychology at the University of Melbourne and is interested in pursuing a career in youth mental health. She is Malaysian-Chinese and moved to Australia in 2017. She loves crocheting, listening to music, and trying new food!⁠

Dr Laura Jobson is a Clinical Psychologist and Professor at the School of Psychological Sciences and Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, Monash University. She leads the Culture, Trauma and Mental Health Research Group. Her research explores how culture shapes the experience and treatment of trauma and depression, with a focus on working alongside culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia and internationally. She has published widely, developed innovative and cost-effective interventions for PTSD and depression, and continues to collaborate globally to make mental health support more inclusive and accessible.

Dr Chris Groot is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne and leads the Mental Illness Stigma Lab. His work focuses on understanding and reducing mental illness stigma through research, teaching, public engagement,government consultation, and community partnerships. He has led major national and international projects, including Australia’s first National Stigma Report Card, and advises governments and organisations worldwide on stigma reduction. A co-founder of the Mental Ill-Health Stigma Researchers Australia Network and Co-Chair of the Global Anti-Stigma Alliance, Dr Groot is dedicated to building capacity across the Asia-Pacific to reduce stigma and foster more inclusive communities.

Andrea De Almeida brings over 20 years of experience leading social impact ventures, shaping policy, and scaling movements across government, non-profits, and business. Her expertise spans employment and training pathways, gender equity, mental health reform, social enterprise, sustainability, non-profit governance, and social innovation. She is the founder of A.D.A Advisory and has held senior leadership roles including CEO of B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand, Director of Venture Philanthropy at Social Ventures Australia, and Head of Partnerships and Innovation (APAC) at Purpose. A social impact leader and coach, Andrea works to co-design inclusive solutions for all Australians. Alongside being awarded the Vincent Fairfax Fellowship, she is a sought-after facilitator and speaker, most recently presenting at COP28 in Dubai.

Vidya Narayanan is a seasoned technology and product leader with over 15 years of experience spanning AI/ML, product management, and large-scale program delivery. She is currently the Principal Technical Product Manager at Atlassian, driving innovation in AI/ML platforms, and has previously led global product migration and operations programs at Atlassian, DocuSigns, Amazon Web Services, and Akamai Technologies. Beyond her corporate roles, Vidhya is a startup advisor and mentor, supporting female founders and women in STEM to thrive in the tech ecosystem. With a track record of building cross-functional teams, launching customer-centric products, and shaping organisational strategy, she combines technical expertise with a passion for diversity, inclusion, and social impact.