Our Story
Our People
Our Members
Disclosure
President
Vice President
Honorary Secretary
Honorary Treasurer
Assistant Honorary Treasurer
Committee Member
Committee Member
Committee Member
Committee Member
Committee Member
Committee Member
Advisor
Advisor
Executive Director
Administration Manager
Research and Policy Manager
Communications & Outreach Executive
Cassandra Chiu provides therapy to clients struggling with mental health difficulties. When she is not counselling, she is found hanging out on the floor with her guide dog or putting together a beautiful meal for her family and friends. Cassandra wears her advocacy on her sleeve and is on a mission to create a kinder place for future generations of people with disabilities in Singapore.
Theresa Goh
Vice President
Theresa Goh is a Queer Paralympic Swimmer from Singapore. She represented her country internationally for 20 years before retiring end of 2019. She is an advocate for LGBTQ rights especially in Singapore, but also aims to be a voice for other causes that speak to her. Theresa strongly believes in the importance of seeing the ability in a person without erasing their disability.
Daryl Yang
Honorary Secretary
Daryl is a Singapore-qualified lawyer, Fulbright scholar, and socially engaged researcher. Committed to empowering marginalised and minority communities through law, his journey with DPA began 2018 as a research volunteer with its international human rights advocacy. Prior to joining DPA’s Board, Daryl worked with both Singaporean and international civil society organisations to advance queer, feminist and disability justice. In recognition of his contributions to youth engagement, he was featured on Tatler Asia’s Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow List 2021 and The Straits Times’ 30 & Under List 2020.
Leo Chen Ian
Honorary Treasurer
Ian has a rich background in advocacy and championing disability issues. Before transitioning to the non-profit sector, he dedicated five years to academia, specializing in the life sciences with a focus on Molecular Development Biology. In addition to his professional pursuits, Ian is an accomplished kayaker, scuba diver, and sailor. Notably, he represented Singapore in sailing at the 2004 Athens Paralympics.
Yap Qian Yin
Assistant Honorary Treasurer
Qian Yin is a dynamic individual with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting and Finance, showcasing a keen understanding of financial intricacies. Beyond the academic realm, she has made significant strides in the world of sports, a Paralympian, representing Singapore in para sailing. Aside from being a sporty person, Qian Yin is a foodie lover. She loves doing research and hopping around Singapore during her free time to find good food. Additionally, she dedicates time to learning new skills like crochet and Nagomi art as a means of self-healing and personal growth.Â
Alvan was a former staff of DPA handling the advocacy portfolio. He has since moved on and is currently doing public relations work with a start-up focusing on social enterprises. Alvan believes in having a larger disability community coming together with similar experiences and purpose; strength in numbers. In his downtime, Alvan enjoys drawing and taking long walks in places old and new.
Husnah Jamaludin
Committee Member
Husnah Jamaludin has been doing technical support for the past few years, despite not coming from a technical background. She is relatively new as a disability advocate, but has always been passionate about different groups of people being fairly treated and equally represented in society. Husnah enjoys attending performances by her favourite artistes, as well as her favourite local theatre company. She also loves to read, and buying new Fenty Beauty products.
Dr Navin Nair holds a DBA (Doctorate) Degree in Managerial Science from USA, Masters in Human Resource Management from USA & UK. Learning is his passion and he enjoys life to the fullest and upholds the motto “equal rights and opportunities” for all. Playing the piano and keyboard relaxes him and he rarely says no to briyani and awesome desserts.
Patience Lim
Committee Member
Patience, whose career has expanded from teaching to administrative work, finds joy and fulfillment in being a silent advocate for People with Disabilities and taking on new challenges through volunteering and outreach. In her free time, she pursues hobbies such as playing in a band, crocheting, drawing, gaming and reading non-fiction.
Shalom Lim
Committee Member
Shalom Lim is an award-winning disability advocate with muscular dystrophy, a rare developmental condition characterised by progressive muscle loss. He has a Graduate Diploma in Psychotherapy and Counselling and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Security. He aims to champion and spearhead mental health initiatives and social justice causes for disabled persons in Singapore.
Somya Sugandha
Committee Member
Somya Sugandha is an HR profession. Having lived in several countries outside India, has given her a different perspective of the world and a better appreciation for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She has a passion for developing people and seeing them succeed. Somya is committed to coaching and mentoring women and children and making a difference in their lives.
Arsalan is a brand strategist with over twenty years of experience working in Singapore and the US. He has a genuine love for brands and how consumers connect with and form opinions about the brands they use. Arsalan has been serving as an Advisor of the board since 2010. In his spare time, he loves cycling and watching New York Yankees games.
Richard Kuppusamy
Advisor
Richard Kuppusamy served as the President of DPA (September 2017 – October 2023). When he is not heading the Lendlease Digital office or supporting DPA’s inclusion and accessibility initiatives, Richard spends his time gaming and building mechanical keyboards. One of his goals is to champion the needs of people with disability in Singapore. Inclusion to him means no one gets left behind, where everyone has the equal right to live, work, play and do so safely and without judgement or discrimination.
Weng Leong is a veteran in the social services sector and brings with him over two decades of managerial expertise. His experience spans diverse charities, including noteworthy tenures at the Riding for the Disabled Association of Singapore, the Children’s Aid Society, and most recently the Singapore Rugby Union. Weng Leong is passionate in strengthening charities – he believes by building up charities, we build a stronger society.
Armed with a Diploma in IT & Accounting, Anusiah has been serving DPA for over twenty-three years! She is the go-to person for anything and everything related to numbers, IT and admin. She is highly independent and takes pride in her work and has razor-sharp attention to detail. Anusiah likes taking the initiative in getting the work done and enjoys organising events. She loves spending her free time watching documentary series on Animal Planet. Sipping tea on her front porch while listening to the birds chirping in the early morning is her definition of a perfect me-time. She is also a full-time referee to her two children’s endless fights and banters.
Max joined DPA in 2021 and manages the organisation’s various research and policy related initiatives. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and studied human rights for two years in his graduate programme. In addition to being disabled himself (visually impaired since birth), Max brings experience with disability and disability advocacy through his prior involvements with disability organisations especially internationally. In his spare time, Max enjoys music (particularly playing the guitar) and scrolling through Twitter.
Shafiqah joined DPA in mid-2022 in pursuit of her long-standing interest in education and social services. Prior to joining DPA, she worked as a Marketing Officer for a shipyard company and has over five years work experience running events as a hotelier and as a contact centre agent with the ministry. Shafiqah is looking forward to seeing the difference she can bring to the lives of the disability community through awareness, advocacy and outreach. Reading a book whilst living vicariously through the characters, watching some good old TV shows, being in the company of family and friends is typically what you’ll find her doing in her free time.
