Meet the CAF Committee for 2026

President - A/PROF Vanessa Chan 陈爱华

Vanessa is an Associate Professor with UTS Institute of Public Policy and Governance. A leading expert in local government, strategy and public administration, she has a decade in executive management, including General Manager of Ashfield and Inner West Councils. Vanessa sits on Boards in both social enterprise and government sectors.

Vice President - Jon-Claire Lee 李光弼

Film, TV, Stage Producer, Director, Actor; MFA & BFA from New York University; President of JCL Productions P/L, Sydney Talent Company & Sydney Playhouse; Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance Australia MAVA Committee; Member.Rotary Club of Sydney, Board Member and Chair (Youth Committee); Member of Screen Producers Australia, Australian Directors Guild, Australian Writers' Guild, USA Screen Actors Guild.

Secretary - Henry Hao Luo  羅昊 PMP, JP

Henry Hao Luo’s impactful work benefits the local community by addressing language barriers and fostering integration. Fluent in four languages and a certified project management professional, his efforts include organising educational events, supporting non-English-speaking residents, and promoting inclusivity. His achievements include the 2023 Australia-China Community Service Award, patronised by His Excellency Graham Fletcher, the Australian Ambassador to China, and featured on SBS Mandarin. He was also nominated for the 2024 Westfield Local Hero Award, reflecting his commitment and lasting impact.

Treasurer - Julia Li, FCPA, JP

Julia Li, Finance Director at Family Planning Australia, has 20 years of experience in financial and corporate governance across private and public sectors. Passionate about women's empowerment and social equality, she actively contributes to these causes through her work and community engagement.

Public Officer - Shirley Gao 高莺

Shirley has extensive experiences in corporate and nonprofit sectors. She is a senior executive at SMC Corporation, a Singapore-based tech firm. She also serves on the board of the Foundation for Australian Studies in China and the advisory board of the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney.

Committee Member - Dr Luan Thiam ANG 洪联添

Retired Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist. Formerly, Departmental Head in a public hospital, Obgyn Lecturer in a medical school with a few published papers. CAF President from 1994 to 1999, during which the name of Australian Chinese Forum was changed to Chinese Australian Forum to better reflect who we are.

Committee Member - Simon Chan AM

Simon Chan AM is the Director of Art Atrium and Director of SCA Architects, Chair of VisAsia Committee at Art Gallery of NSW, Director on the Board of the Australian National Maritime Museum Foundation, Council member of the Power Institute Foundation at University of Sydney, Board member of Multicultural NSW Advisory Board, Director of Aboriginal Benefits Foundation, Committee Member of the NSW Government Chinese Garden of Friendship Advisory Committee, Board member of the NSW Government Geographical Names Board, Advisory Management Committee member of IAC at Western Sydney University and Woollahra Council Art & Culture Advisory Committee member. Simon was the recipient of the inaugural NSW Premier's Multicultural Award for Arts & Culture in 2013 and was appointed as a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia in 2023 for significant service to multiculturalism, to the indigenous community, and to the arts.

Committee Member - Anthony (Tony) Pang OAM

Tony has been volunteering for over 33 years and served in many government agencies and community organisations, He has campaigned for the welfare of Asian community, helping migrants from multicultural backgrounds settle in Australia, and campaigned to strengthen racial legislation. In 2024, Tony was recognised for his services with the Lifetime Community Service Medal by the NSW Premier.

Committee Member - Dr Minglu Chen 陈明璐

Dr Minglu Chen is a senior lecturer in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Sydney. Her research and teaching focus on Chinese politics. Minglu has been a frequent commentator on China-related issues in both Australian and international media outlets.

Committee Member - Benjamin Chow AO 周明棟

Benjamin is a Civil Engineer and spent over forty years in the property development industry.  He is currently Executive Chairman of Mindax Limited. Benjamin served on many boards and committees including ACCF, ACCA, National Museum of Australia, Council for Multicultural Australia, Bond University Council, Sydney University Nerve Research Foundation, Sydney Medical School Foundation.

Committee Member - Heidi Han JP 韩雅琦

Born in China and educated in New Zealand and Australia, Heidi is an experienced multicultural media and communication professional in Australia, excelling as a bilingual journalist and specialist in cross-cultural communications. She has over a decade of impactful experience in community media, SBS, The Australian, and consultancy roles for major CALD marketing campaigns, events, and cultural policy. Heidi has worked with organizations including the City of Sydney, Cultural Perspectives, and NSW Health, and with advertising and PR agencies such as Publicis and M&C Saatchi. She was a fellow of the Asialink Leadership Program and the Dr John Yu Fellowship and served as a committee member for the Australian Chinese Charity Foundation for over 12 years. Currently, she serves as an Advisory Board Member for the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney.

Committee Member - Henry Yukun Song 宋玉昆

Henry Song is an experienced professional and entrepreneur with years of experience across the financial market, energy, telecommunications, and Internet industries. He plays key roles at companies in investment management, renewable energy, and FinTech. Beyond his professional pursuits, Henry is actively engaged in local community activities and has contested the local government election in Ku-ring-gai. As a Chinese migrant, Henry is dedicated to promoting political awareness within the Chinese Australian communities. Serving as a member of the management committee of the Chinese Australian Forum (CAF), Henry is appointed as the Membership Officer.

Committee Member - Patrick Voon 温友龍

Career accountant trained at PKF Chartered Accountants Group and worked with Australian ASX listed companies inclulding ACI and Hooker Corporation. Became CFO at Gardner Smith Group before establishing his own CPA firm in 1986. He has been active with CPA Australia's continuing professional development program and not for profit associations. He has held the positions of President, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Officer of the Chinese Australian Forum and treasurer of ACBDA. He also participates in local community street care programs under the auspices of Ku-ring-gai Council.

Committee Member - David Yaming Zhang

David Zhang has been a CAF community member since 1992, appreciating CAF's contributions to the Chinese community and learning organising skills as a newcomer to Australia. He holds a Master of Engineering from Dalian University of Technology and a Master’s degree in Robotic Engineering from UNSW. In 1995, he founded Mosman IT Computer Pty Ltd in Mosman.

After a busy period focused on family and business, David returned to CAF five years ago. He has since supported activities such as anti-discrimination efforts, election debates, COVID-19 campaigns, loyalty testing, federal election panels, and the AUKUS discussion. Additionally, he has contributed to the Civic Program for citizenship education and provided IT support for CAF.

David believes in equality, harmony, and prosperity for the Chinese community, coexisting with the wellbeing of society as a whole. He hopes CAF can foster better Australia-China relations, benefiting Chinese Australians and beyond.

Committee Member - Hayden Chen

Committee Member - Wendy Huang

Wendy Huang is the Publisher and Managing Director of the Chinese Herald (澳洲日报）and 1688 Media Group, one of Australia’s most established Chinese-language media organisations. She oversees both print and digital media operations, providing strategic leadership across editorial, publishing, and community engagement initiatives. Ms Huang is an Advisory Board Member of the National Foundation for Australia–China Relations (NFACR) and a Board Member of the Independent Multicultural Multimedia Association (IMMA). She actively engages with Chinese-Australian communities and supports initiatives that highlight and strengthen their contributions to Australia’s multicultural society.

Committee Member - Nicholas Leung

Committee Member - Sharon Li