Panelists (In alphabetical order of last name)
Prof. Bai Xue is Professor at the Department of Applied Social Sciences and Director of Research Centre for Gerontology and Family Studies at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She also serves as a non-executive director for HKMC Annuity. Prof. Bai’s research focuses on three interrelated areas in social gerontology: 1) intergenerational relationships and care arrangements in ageing families, 2) active ageing and subjective well-being in later life, and 3) social policy and social care in ageing societies. Prof. Bai’s work has been widely published in renowned international journals, including The Gerontologist, Ageing & Mental Health, Ageing & Society, and Health & Social Care in the Community. Currently, she is an appointed member of Social Welfare Advisory Committee and Elderly Commission advising the HKSAR Government on ageing-related issues and social welfare policy matters.
Professor Sophia Chan is currently Senior Advisor to the President’s Office at The University of Hong Kong, Professor and Director of HKU Primary Health Care Academy and Policy Convenor of the HKUMed Primary Health Care Collaboratory. She was appointed by the HKSAR Government to be the Secretary for Food and Health (SFH) from 2017 – 2022. During her tenure as the SFH, not only has she been fighting the COVID-19 pandemic over 2.5 years, she had also made exemplary efforts and policy initiatives in protecting and promoting the health of the population through major policy initiatives such as embarking on a new journey in primary health care by developing District Health Centres (DHCs) in all 18 districts in Hong Kong. Professor Chan is one of the leading Nurse Scientists locally and internationally and was named among the world’s top 2% most cited scientists in her specialty areas by Stanford University in 2020. She has always been the top-funded researcher in HKU School of Nursing and has led many external competitive grants including GRF, HMRF, and commissioned grants from the Government, Hong Kong Jockey Club and key foundations and organisations locally and internationally. She is a pioneer and founding directors of a number of signature research and training programmes in tobacco dependency therapeutic interventions, and her findings has transformed smoking cessation services and tobacco control policies.
Professor Rebecca Choy is a business entrepreneur turned serial social entrepreneur. She was a pioneer of the convention and exhibition industry in Hong Kong since the early 1980s. Before running her own business, Rebecca worked as editor of a series of books on China. Rebecca received her Bachelor of Social Sciences from Bristol University (UK) and MBA from The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Since changing her career path over 18 years ago, Rebecca has devoted her full effort to promoting social innovation and social entrepreneurship in Hong Kong and Greater China, integrating the civic, business, social philanthropy, government, academic and professional sectors together to develop a collaborative eco-system to solve societal issues. She has initiated and orchestrated the following movements to bring about positive change: Golden Age Movement, Education Innovation Movement, and Business Innovation Movement.
Rebecca is also the Co-Chair of Social Enterprise Summit; Co-Founder & Vice-Chair of Education for Good; Co-Founder & Convener of Ednovators, Co-Founder of Dream Impact Hong Kong and Co-Founder of B Lab (HK & Macau). She sits on the Advisory Panel on Silver Economy of the HKSAR Government, Steering Committee Member of the Social Capital Institute of the CIIF, Adjunct Professor of Hong Kong University, Department of Social Work & Social Administration, as well as Advisor and Executive Members of a dozen NGOs and social enterprises, including Our Hong Kong Foundation, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Committee on Social Responsibility & Sustainable Development), Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Tung Wah College, Institute of ESG Benchmark etc.
Over the years, Rebecca spares no effort in training young and Golden Ager (aged 45+) social entrepreneurs. Rebecca has published 9 books, 2 academic articles and took part in various researches and surveys. She was awarded the 2021 Hong Kong Outstanding Active Ageing Women Award, 2022 Greater Bay Area Outstanding Women Philanthropist Award and Ten Social Entrepreneurs of China 2023-2024.
Angela Lau is currently the Head of Health Proposition at the Proposition and Healthcare Office at AIA Hong Kong and Macau. She leads strategic ecosystem partnership, digital health innovation and value-added service development, to redefine holistic health proposition for customers. With a track record of turning insights into actionable strategies, Angela is dedicated to bridge insurance, preventive care and technology– empowering individuals to live healthier, longer, better lives.
Angela joins AIA Hong Kong and Macau from Swiss Re in China, where she was the Director, Head of Solutions Group responsible for the proposition on health, medical, Insurtech and data solutions. She has been heavily involving in promoting thought leadership to influence key stakeholders in the industry, including a publication on smart ageing in China. Her previous experience also cover exposure in Australia, China and Taiwan, with a wide spectrum of expertise in actuarial, product, business development, marketing and sales. Angela is an Actuary of Institute of Actuaries of Australia and graduated from Macquarie University in Australia.
Prof. Kar-kan Ling is a professional town planner. He was the Director of Planning of the HKSAR Government (2012-2016), President of the Hong Kong Institute of Planners (2007-2009) and Director of the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited (2017-2023). He was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star in 2017 and InnoStars Award 2021. He is now the Interim Vice President (Campus Development and Facilities) and Director of Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). He serves the community as the Chairman of the Hong Kong Housing Society and Chairman of the Country and Marine Parks Board. He is also the Adjunct Professor of the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Professor of Practice (Planning) of PolyU.
Regina Luk worked as a social worker in an Integrated Centre for the Elderly and as a secondary school teacher from 1978 to 2019. In March 2006, her father's sudden death from a heart attack impressed upon Regina the inevitability and impermanence of life. When her mother experienced severe abdominal pain and was admitted to the Cardiac Ward in May 2006, Regina gained a deeper understanding of life and death during the last three years of her mother's life. After her mother passed away in April 2009, Regina began to consider who would care for her in sickness and old age.
Considering the certainty, inevitability, and unpredictability of death, Regina believes death education should be compulsory for everyone. She explored the topic of death and the afterlife from various perspectives, including theology, philosophy, spirituality, and history. Upon retirement, Regina realized that "Care of the Soul" had become her life's mission in the latter part of her life.
Regina embraces an open attitude toward death and actively prepares her own "End Well, Live Well" plan. She dedicates herself to educating people about Advance Care Planning, promoting the "3 instruments of peace": Will, Enduring Power of Attorney, and Advance Directive. She organizes a Celebration of Life ceremony (funeral) as a rehearsal to say goodbye to relatives and friends and plans her funeral arrangements.
Inspired by Plato’s description of “The most important thing we can do in life is work for the well-being of our souls”, Regina aspires to live a soulful life, fully alive, demonstrating the best of humanity through passion, compassion, empathy, service, and commitment to improving the lives of others.
Dr Edith Mok has been in the ICT industry for half a century holding leadership positions in global and local organizations, namely Dow Chemical, PolyU, AT&T and HKJC. In the peak of her career in 1997, she was hit by a major stroke (intracerebral hemorrhage) during which she lost her movement, speaking and thinking capabilities to a large extent.
Her rehabilitation took more than 5 years. She used different dimensions of learning to recover to optimum functioning. She earned her Doctor of Business Administration with PolyU in 2003 and Master of Social Science (Behavioral Health) with HKU in 2009.
From 2004 onwards, she turned into the Academic Segment as Supervisor of MBA and MSc Dissertations for 8 years; and later as External Examiner of a UK University for 3 countries from 2012-2015. From 2005 onwards, she was spearheading the IT Certification System with the Hong Kong Computer Society (HKCS), and Reciprocal Recognition of Professional Qualification of Hong Kong Institute of Engineers and HKCS. From 2009 onwards, she was intimately involved in Accessibility for People with Disability through her engagements with the Hong Kong Society of Rehabilitation and various Government agencies.
She received several recognition and awards such as Distinguished Fellow from the Hong Kong Computer Society in 2010; Outstanding Woman Professional from HKWPEA in 2011; MH (Medal of Honor) from HKSAR Government in 2014; Outstanding 3rd Age Person Award, and Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award in 2015.
As Discipline Lead for Nursing, Professor Neville is responsible for the strategic, academic, and operational leadership and management of the discipline, and is tasked with advancing nursing at a local, national, and international level. He is committed to developing research capability and capacity in nursing with a particular focus on early and midcareer researchers. His research platform focuses on ensuring communities promote healthy ageing and are appropriate places for older citizens to age in. Professor Neville is an executive member of the University of the Sunshine Coast Healthy Ageing Cluster where he leads a programme of research on age-friendly communities utilising authentic co-design principles. His latest work is a co-design project that validated the ‘Age Friendly Cities and Communities Questionnaire’. A key output from this research was the development of a protocol for government and councils to utilise when assessing the age friendliness of their communities. Professor Neville’s work influences policy, practice and education and has resulted in the development of publicly available resources for communities to use to support being accredited by the World Health Organisation as an Age Friendly Community. His reputation as a nurse and gerontological researcher has resulted in a number of local, national and international appointments, including as a Fellow and life member of the College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ). Professor Neville is also an Editor for the Journal of Clinical Nursing and an Associate Editor for the Australasian Journal on Ageing, where he manages manuscript submissions through the review process to publication. He is also a strategic advisory board member for the Minister for Seniors Age-Friendly Communities Taskforce, as well as a member of the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Grant Assessment Committee. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Nursing at the Western Sydney University and Edith Cowan University and a Research Associate at the Auckland University of Technology Centre for Active Ageing.
Originally from Hong Kong, Dr Mary Ann Tsao was educated in the US, trained as a public health pediatrician in social medicine, and practiced in New York City for many years before relocating to Singapore in 1992 to establish her grandmother’s Tsao Ng Yu Shun Foundation. She is the Chairwoman and Founding Director of Tsao Foundation, a regional, operational foundation dedicated to advancing the well-being of older people and the longevity dividend in an inclusive society. Chartered by her grandmother in 1993, Tsao Foundation is a leader in community-based eldercare and a long-standing advocate for older people. It aims to address issues of population ageing, promote successful ageing, and enhance wellbeing of older people at policy and practice levels through research, innovation and being a catalyst for systems change through its five major initiatives – the Hua Mei Centre for Successful Ageing, Hua Mei Training Academy, International Longevity Centre Singapore, Initiative in Productive Longevity, and Community for Successful Ageing (ComSA).
Dr Mary Ann Tsao has worked with various multilateral agencies, such as WHO Geneva, UNESCAP (UN Economic and Social Commission for the Asia Pacific), and was the immediate past president of the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance. She is also the Chairwoman of the Tsao Family Office and the Vice Chair for the recently established Tsao Family Foundation,
Mary Ann has received numerous awards and accolades, including the Public Service Medal, Public Service Star, and Public Service Star (Bar) from the government of Singapore. In September 2022, she was also named by the UN as one of the first 50 Global Healthy Ageing pioneers, who worked to make the world a better place for older people. She was also recently inducted into Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame.
Katie Wong is a professionally trained social worker with over a decade of experience in elderly services. She currently serves at The Hong Kong Council of Social Service, where she focuses on policy advocacy, project development, and the advancement of gerontechnology to support ageing in place.
Katie plays a pivotal role in promoting age-friendly strategies and service innovations through effective stakeholder engagement and cross-sector collaboration. Her work involves not only driving policy dialogue but also mobilizing resources to bridge service gaps and support the sustainable development of elderly care. With a strong belief in the integration of technology and social work, she strives to translate sector insights into impactful programmes that improve the quality of life for older adults.
Professor Janelle Yorke is a nurse academic who specialises in cancer and other life-limiting illness, with particular research expertise in symptom measurement and management to improve quality of life. She earned her Diploma of Applied Science (Nursing) from University of Western Sydney, Australia and her PhD from the University of Salford, Manchester UK. Prior to relocating to Hong Kong in January 2024 to accept the appointment as Professor Chair in Nursing and Head, School of Nursing at PolyU, she was a senior academic at University of Manchester UK for 12 years, including Inaugural Chair of Cancer Nursing. In addition to her academic role she was appointed Executive Chief Nurse March 2020, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust (a comprehensive cancer centre). Professor Yorke was awarded a Hong Kong Government Global STEM Professor January 2014, the only nursing academic to receive such an honour.
Professor Yorke is an internationally renowned expert in the development and clinical-implementation of electronic Patient Reported Outcome Measures (ePROMs). This work includes symptom specific and quality of life measures that have been translated into more than 50 different languages. She was the Chair the Christie Hospital ePROM group, leading the implementation of e-PROMs into routine oncology clinical care. Her other research areas include the development and evaluation of complex interventions to support patients to self-manage distressing symptoms including refractory dyspnea, cough, fatigue and anxiety. She has held many competitive grants in this area including NIHR, Cancer Research UK, Marie Curie Research and Innovate UK. She is Associate Editor for European Journal of Cancer Nursing (EJON) and was recently elected Secretary of the International Dyspnea Society.
The Endowed Professorship will enable Professor Yorke to further develop digital self-management interventions for people living with distressing symptoms due to cancer, its treatment and other long-term conditions. She is leading a research team to study and implement remote symptom monitoring with linked embedded digital interventions to support patient self-management and informal caregiver support.