Our Team
Vivek Mahbubani
Vivek Mahbubani is a Hong Kong-bred bilingual stand-up comedian performing in both Cantonese and English. Having been crowned the Funniest Person (in Cantonese) in Hong Kong in 2007 followed by his victory in the English category at the Hong Kong International Comedy Competition in 2008, Vivek has had the opportunity to take his comedy act all over the world including Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Australia, Canada and USA.
In 2018, he was one of the recipients of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons Selection in Hong Kong, an annual prize that started back in 1970 to showcase the city's outstanding next generation!
On top of making everyone laugh, Vivek uses his comedy to inspire youth to be proud of who they are and never shy from chasing their dreams.
Gabriella So
With worldwide stage and screen acting experience Gabriella So is a theatre in education practitioner with a keen focus on education and guidance. After graduating summa cum laude from UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television in Los Angeles, California, Gabriella has held workshops at both Cornell University and Harvard Business School to foster more inclusive communities throughout the campuses.
The first educator to integrate English language learning through drama at Ocean Park, Gabriella is committed to research on pedagogy in early childhood education. A volunteer assisting SEN young-learners, she actively explores the transformative potential of drama.
James Gannaban
James Gannaban has lived through the darkness of alcohol and drug addiction. Exposed firsthand as to how excess and a permissive lifestyle are glorified in Hong Kong, he counts himself lucky that an overdose, stint in a jail cell, and an extended stretch in rehab finally led toward the light.
He has been sober since 2015 and has made it his life’s mission to share experience, strength and hope to individuals and their families going through addiction and recovery.
Rebuilding from rock bottom with better ingredients, he’s now a freelance writer, yoga teacher and marketer.
Andrew Jones
Emeritus Chairman
Founding Board Member Since 1991
Andrew is Founder and Guardian of Sanctuary Resorts, a Social Enterprise creating Responsible and Sustainable Tourism experiences where people can balance their Body, Mind and Spirit, in an environmentally friendly space. He has over 40 years of corporate and senior management experience in prestigious hotels, resorts, and management companies around the globe. Andrew was KELY’s first Hon. Treasurer, later becoming Chairman.
David Simpson
Chair of the Board
Board Member Since 2018
David first joined KELY Support Group in 1997 as an Outreach Worker and is now delighted and honoured to help out on The Board. During his time at KELY, David helped start up the KELY Circus School (now KELY Juggling Circle) and was a recipient of the Outstanding Anti-Drug Worker Award, awarded by the Action Committee Against Narcotics.
Currently, David is Co-Founder of Team Building Asia, providing experiential training and events to corporates in the Asia-Pacific Region.
Benita Chick
Vice Chair of the Board
Board Member Since 2022
CEO and Founder, Encompass HK
Benita is passionate about working with youth. She started her career at Outward Bound HK, then she worked in Youth Arch Foundation as a Program Director and later a Community Outreach Director at MWYO to formulate the first ever Youth Development Policy in HK.
She has been a strong believer in community outreach, and has mentored youth in RESOLVE Foundation, HKUST Headstart Program, and a former admission interviewer at Li Po Chun United World College. She is currently a Board Member of Youth Arch Foundation, Education Director at Pink Alliance and a part-time Lecturer at the University of Hong Kong. Benita founded Encompass HK in 2018 to realize her vocation for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through education and consultancy.
Andy Ng
Honorary Treasurer,
Board Member Since 2022
Trained and qualified at PriceWaterhouseCoopers as a qualified accountant, Andy proceeded his career in investment banking for 15 years working for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co., Deutsche Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland in regional management roles. He then moved on creating his own family business.
As an integral part of his plan to give back to the community, Andy dedicated himself in youth development, mentoring and career guidance for catholic parishes and HKUST students as a key community give-back plan.
Other public services includes Finance Committee member of Caritas Hong Kong and Honorary Treasurer for an elderly service centre in Upper Wong Tai Sin.
Whitney Whisenhunt
Honorary Secretary,
Board Member Since 2020
Whitney Whisenhunt is currently a consultant with Elevate Services where she provides corporate governance advisory services to help businesses with their corporate governance practices. Before joining Elevate Services, Whitney was with BNY Mellon where she served as the Head of Corporate Governance, APAC. In that role, she advised senior stakeholders, directors, and committee members on a wide range of legal, regulatory and governance issues and provided support to BNY Mellon’s legal entity Boards in the region. In 2017, Whitney was selected as a “Woman to Watch'' by The Women’s Foundation, 30% Club. She has also provided pro bono assistance to The Hong Kong Council of Social Service in connection with the preparation of suggested guidelines to be used by NGOs when preparing their corporate governance manuals. Whitney first joined KELY in 2019 as a volunteer with the Board’s Governance Committee.
Whitney holds a Juris Doctor in Law from Temple University School of Law. Prior to returning to the region in 2008, she was a commercial litigation with the US law firm Cozen O’Connor.
Debbie Mannas
Board Member Since 2022
With over 17 years in HR leadership positions across every HR discipline, Debbie is passionate about building and cultivating high performing, diverse and inclusive cultures through creating a vision, building and leading strong teams, working with stakeholders and designing and facilitating great employee development experiences to deliver business outcomes.
Her experiences with talent management and organization development has led her to appreciate individual differences and what it takes to ignite their potential. She is a steadfast advocate for empowering young people to speak up and pursue their dreams.
Understanding the challenges women face in the workplace, Debbie is particularly invested in helping young girls and women fulfill their potential. She was a mentor with the Women’s Foundation and is the Founder of the IMTAC (I’m More Than A Cover) magazine.
Debbie is a strong believer in living a whole and fulfilling life. In addition to her career, Debbie is also a mother, a poet, and a singer/songwriter with two solo albums and a number of singles available on all digital platforms.
Fern Ngai
Board Member Since 2007
Fern has served at the Board of KELY since 2007 and served as the Chair of the Board of KELY from March 2012 to March 2015.
Fern Ngai is a seasoned leader and changemaker with solid experience in both the non-profit and private sectors in Asia. Over her career, Fern has successfully led major change initiatives, and is sought after for her expertise and experience in responsible and strategic leadership, diversity and inclusion, talent development and cultural change.
Fern is the former Chief Executive Officer of Community Business, a Hong Kong based not-for-profit organisation dedicated to advancing responsible and inclusive business practices in Asia. Over 7.5 years as Community Business’ CEO, Fern oversaw the expansion of its products and services, establishment of its Indian subsidiary, and development of the ground-breaking LGBT+ Inclusion Index and annual Awards. In 2019, Fern was recognised by the Hong Kong LGBT+ Attorneys Network (HKGALA) with an award for ‘Excellence in Diversity, Inclusion & Equality’.
Originally from Canada, Fern has over 40 years of broad experience in financial services, technology, change management, and in workplace diversity and community programmes. She held executive roles in the human resources, technology and operations, governance, strategy, and corporate affairs functions at Standard Chartered Bank and was the bank’s first diversity and inclusion champion for Hong Kong. Fern volunteers as chair of the board of KELY Support Group, a Hong Kong charity dedicated to supporting young people, and is an advisor to several NGO’s which work on causes related to diversity and inclusion.
Paul Tchen
Board Member Since 2000
Paul Tchen is the Director of Abbeymei Limited, a boutique consultancy firm which he founded in Hong Kong.
A career hotelier, Paul served for over 25 years in the hospitality industry, including a 25 year career with The Hongkong & Shanghai Hotels, Limited, owner and operator of The Peninsula Hotels. He has held senior executive roles including Group General Manager, Operations; General Manager, Operations Planning and Support; Opening General Manager of The Peninsula Shanghai. He was also the Director of Membership Services and Operations at The Hong Kong Jockey Club.
An experienced non-executive director, Paul serves also as Chair and a Director of Support International Foundation in Hong Kong, is a co-founder of Asian Pacific Islander Empowerment Foundation in the United States and has been a Board Director of KELY Support Group 2000. He is also a former Chair and Board Director of the Sir Horace Kadoorie Youth Development Foundation in Hong Kong, a former Honorary Chair of Shanghai K Charitable Foundation in China and a former Chair and Board Director of Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills in the United States.
He holds BSc in Hotel Management from California State Polytechnic University at Pomona where he was named the 1999 “Distinguished Alumni” of The Collins College of Hospitality Management and was the guest speaker at the 2024 commencement ceremony. He is also the recipient of the 1996 “Young Hotelier of the World” award by the International Hotel Association and HOTELS Magazine.
Vincent Yeung
Board Member Since 2025
Vincent Yeung is a legal professional, mental health educator, and advocate whose career bridges litigation, public service, and transformative mental health initiatives. He holds a degree in Theology from the University of Cambridge, where he first trained as a peer counsellor and supported fellow students — a role that ignited his lifelong commitment to mental health advocacy. He began his legal career specialising in shipping litigation at international law firms before transitioning to public service as a construction lawyer with the Hong Kong Department of Justice. Throughout his legal practice, he volunteered as a peer supporter for colleagues and community members.
Vincent’s dedication to mental health stems from both professional insight and lived experience. After overcoming depression and severe insomnia through hypnotherapy — and with the support of loved ones during a period of profound personal crisis — he resolved to make mental health advocacy his life’s work. This commitment led him to pursue advanced certifications in clinical hypnotherapy, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), eventually founding Mind Matters Academy in 2023. Through the Academy, he partners with corporations, professional bodies (e.g. the Law Society) and charities (e.g. the Samaritans and Po Leung Kuk) to deliver training programmes in suicide prevention, youth mental health awareness, and trauma-informed care.
Mind Matters Academy takes a uniquely collaborative approach to wellness, working with music therapists, art therapists, aromatherapists, and parental coaches to integrate holistic modalities into its offerings. Recognising the interconnectedness of physical and psychological health, the Academy also provides training in Tai Chi and Qigong, fostering resilience through mind-body practices.
A Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health (FRSPH), Vincent is recognised for his contributions to public mental health education and community-based initiatives addressing insomnia. His work bridges legal rigor with holistic wellness strategies, empowering individuals through accessible, evidence-backed interventions.
Beyond his professional work, Vincent is an amateur practitioner of Chinese martial arts and enjoys reconnecting with his creative side through the piano.
Louis Hou
Executive Director
With over two decades of experience in people management across Hong Kong and Asia, Louis’s career reflects a strong commitment to social inclusion and community service. As a former leader at Dialogue In The Dark (HK) Foundation, Louis was instrumental in promoting inclusive employment opportunities for People of Differences (PoDs) and advocating for workplace diversity.
As a passionate advocate for social change, Louis has been involved in leading several NGOs with diverse and meaningful missions. He currently oversees the Child Parent Relationship Therapy Association of Hong Kong (CPRTHK), focusing on parental education, and has successfully managed programmes related to mental health and wellbeing in partnership with schools and other organisations.
Louis’s expertise in the non-profit sector, combined with his dedication to empowering marginalised communities, makes him an ideal fit for KELY’s mission of equipping young people with the skills, knowledge and opportunities they need to thrive.
Godi Li
Deputy Director
Godi brings over 15 years of experience in resource development for both local and international NGOs. She possesses the International Advanced Diploma in Fundraising from the Chartered Institute of Fundraising in UK, complemented by a degree in statistics and a postgraduate degree in marketing. Her commitment extends beyond professional achievements; she is also a licensed playgroup tutor.
Prior to her current role, Godi led regional resource development at The Fred Hollows Foundation and played a key role in formulating holistic fundraising strategies and campaigns. Her dedication to community service is further demonstrated by her role as Vice-president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Hong Kong Chapter, and as a speaker at the International Fundraising Conference (IFC), Asia. Godi was also honored as the first Hong Kong Scholar to participate in the IFC in USA. Her dedication and profound expertise make her an invaluable asset in nonprofit management and community engagement.
Secretary
Weir and Associates
Legal Support
Deacons
Mayer Brown
Auditor
Prism
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