Meet our team

At the heart of Wellbeing Charitable Trust’s work are co-founders Eva Chen MNZM and Ivan Yeo. Together, they bring extensive experience in community development, mental health and wellbeing advocacy, cross-cultural engagement and programme development. Working alongside diverse communities, they identify unmet needs, build trusted relationships and turn community voices into practical action and lasting change.

Eva Chen MNZM

Public and Community Relationship Lead

Eva Chen MNZM is the Co-Founder and Public Relationship Lead of Wellbeing Charitable Trust, a community-led organisation dedicated to strengthening the wellbeing of migrant, refugee and culturally diverse communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Originally from Taiwan, Eva arrived in New Zealand as an international student at 17. Her own experiences as a migrant mother inspired her to establish culturally responsive parenting programmes after recognising the lack of language-appropriate support available to Chinese families. What began as a small grassroots initiative has grown into a trusted organisation delivering programmes in parenting, mental wellbeing, family violence prevention, emergency response, community resilience and leadership development.

Over the past decade, Eva has become a respected advocate for ethnic communities, working collaboratively with government agencies, local authorities and community organisations to improve culturally responsive services and ensure that the voices of migrant communities are heard in decision-making. She has served on numerous advisory groups, including Auckland Council's Ethnic People's Advisory Panel, Kāpuia – the Ministerial Advisory Group responding to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch Mosque Attacks, and the Electoral Commission's community engagement initiatives.  Services.

In 2024, Eva was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her services to the Asian community, recognising her longstanding commitment to supporting migrant families, promoting mental wellbeing, strengthening community resilience, and championing culturally inclusive practices across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Known for her humility, compassion and unwavering commitment to community, Eva believes that meaningful change begins with listening. Her leadership continues to inspire communities to build trust, strengthen connections and create opportunities for everyone to thrive.

Ivan Yeo

Funding and Strategic Development Lead

Ivan Yeo is the Co-founder of Wellbeing Charitable Trust, where he supports strategic development and initiatives that strengthen wellbeing among migrant, ethnic and underserved communities.

Born in Singapore, raised in Malaysia and based in Aotearoa New Zealand since 2001, Ivan has worked across the mental health and public sectors for more than 20 years. His experience spans mental health promotion, gambling-harm reduction, suicide prevention and postvention, cross-cultural practice, lived-experience leadership and community development. He previously served as Deputy Director and Lived Experience Lead at Asian Family Services.

Ivan is also the founder of Authenticity Studio™, a storytelling and oral-history platform that documents lived experiences relating to identity, culture, migration, resilience, leadership and transformation. Through his podcast, writing and community conversations, he creates spaces in which people can be genuinely seen, heard and understood. Authenticity Studio. He is also a writer for Horizon and serves as Board Secretary of Auckland North Community and Development. Horizon ANCAD

Drawing on his professional expertise and his lived experience as a migrant and member of the rainbow community, Ivan works at the intersection of wellbeing, culture, storytelling and systems change. His work is guided by a commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices and building more connected, inclusive communities where everyone has an opportunity to belong.

Meet Our Board of Trustees

Behind every initiative we undertake is a dedicated Board of Trustees, each bringing unique expertise, lived experience and a shared commitment to strengthening the wellbeing of New Zealand’s diverse communities.

Xiafeng (Sally) Chen - Chairperson

Xiafeng (Sally) Chen is the Chairperson of the Wellbeing Charitable Trust Board of Trustees. She provides leadership and governance oversight to support the Trust’s commitment to strengthening the wellbeing of diverse communities.

Professionally, Sally is a Research Funding Adviser at the University of Auckland, where she provides strategic advice and quality assurance for complex domestic and international research funding applications. She has particular expertise in proposals to major United States federal funders, including the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense, as well as research security and compliance requirements for international collaborations. She currently co-leads the University of Auckland’s US Federal Funding Learning Circle.

With a professional background spanning research development, public policy and journalism, Sally brings a valuable cross-sector perspective to the Trust. Before entering her current role, she worked as a senior journalist and research assistant. She holds a Master of Public Policy and a Master of Laws in International Relations.

Garrett Wong - Treasurer

Garrett Wong is the Treasurer of the Wellbeing Charitable Trust Board of Trustees. A Chartered Accountant with extensive experience in accounting and financial management, Garrett currently works as a Company Accountant at Ross Roadmarkers.

Garrett brings strong financial knowledge, accuracy and practical business experience to the Trust. As Treasurer, he supports the Board’s financial governance, including oversight of budgeting, financial reporting and the responsible management of the Trust’s resources.

His expertise helps ensure the Trust maintains sound financial practices, accountability and transparency while continuing to support the health and wellbeing of migrant families and diverse communities.

Charlie Tang - Trustee

Charlie Tang is a Trustee of the Wellbeing Charitable Trust Board of Trustees and has served the Trust since July 2014. He brings extensive experience in mental health advocacy, lived-experience leadership and engagement with New Zealand’s Chinese communities.

Charlie previously worked with the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand and was involved with Kai Xin Xing Dong, a bilingual public education initiative developed to counter the stigma and discrimination experienced by Chinese people living with mental distress. His work has helped encourage more open conversations about mental health within communities where distress may sometimes be viewed with shame or remain unspoken.

Drawing on his own lived experience, Charlie understands the cultural, linguistic and social barriers that can prevent people from speaking openly or seeking support. As a trustee, he is committed to ensuring that Chinese people experiencing mental distress are treated with dignity, have access to culturally appropriate support and are meaningfully heard and represented.

Raymond Wong - Trustee

Raymond Wong is a Trustee of the Wellbeing Charitable Trust Board of Trustees. He has more than 20 years of experience in emergency management and community resilience, including serving as a Police Ethnic Liaison Coordinator and Asian Liaison Officer with New Zealand Police.

Based in Auckland, Raymond brings extensive expertise in crisis response, risk mitigation, cultural intelligence and strategic leadership. His professional experience has centred on bridging communication gaps between public-sector agencies and diverse ethnic communities. Guided by a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, he brings a constructive, people-centred approach to supporting communities and empowering teams.

Raymond joined Wellbeing Charitable Trust in July 2025 to contribute his experience in mental health and wellbeing, emergency preparedness and cross-cultural advocacy. As a trustee, he is committed to strengthening community resilience, improving access to essential wellbeing resources and ensuring that the voices of diverse ethnic communities are meaningfully heard, supported and represented.

Carol Zheng - Trustee

Carol is a Trustee of the Wellbeing Charitable Trust Board of Trustees. Originally from China and a mother of three children, she brings valuable personal experience and a strong commitment to supporting migrant families and children’s wellbeing.

Several years ago, Carol returned to China with her children. After completing kindergarten in New Zealand, they faced significant challenges adapting to the Chinese education system and keeping up at primary school. The experience affected their physical and emotional wellbeing and left Carol feeling helpless as a parent. She eventually decided to bring her children back to New Zealand.

This experience inspired Carol to become involved with Wellbeing Charitable Trust. As a trustee, she is passionate about supporting migrant parents who may feel overwhelmed or uncertain about where to seek help. She is also committed to raising awareness of children’s mental health and helping children adjust, connect and thrive within New Zealand’s diverse and multicultural communities.

Address

1A 761 Great South Rd Penrose

1061 Auckland

Contact

info@wellbeingcharitabletrust.co.nz