Speakers' Profiles

Our keynote speaker, Professor Trevor Shilton is National Director Active Living at the National Heart Foundation of Australia.  

He is also Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Health at Curtin University and Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Sport Science Exercise and Health, the University of Western Australia.

Internationally Trevor Chars the Advocacy Council of the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH). He is also Global Vice President for Advocacy with the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE). Trevor was the founding National President of the Australian Health Promotion Association (AHPA) and is a Life Member of AHPA.

Trevor’s principal research and health promotion interests are in chronic disease prevention, advocacy, policy and programs relating to physical activity and obesity, tobacco control and social marketing.

He has directed major community-wide initiatives, including social marketing campaigns in obesity, physical activity and tobacco, as well as state-wide and national initiatives in workplace health and school health. 

Trevor has over 30 years’ experience in health promotion practice, policy and research and has published book chapters and over 65 papers in peer reviewed journals. He has given many national and international conference presentations and workshops. He has participated in guideline and policy development in Australia, Canada, Asia and the United States and at global level with the WHO and leading Civil Society organisations.

Dr Tracy Kolbe-Alexander is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland; an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, and an honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town (South Africa).

The focus of Tracy’s research is the role of physical activity in the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases. Using various strategies and approaches to influence positive lifestyle behaviours, she has developed, implemented and measured the effectiveness of these programs in different settings (schools, workplace and community). Much of her research is being conducted in the workplace setting, where she is investigating the effectiveness of workplace health promotion programmes on improving employee health status and lifestyle behaviours. More recently, her research has focused on shift workers, as this group has been shown to be at increased risk for non-communicable disease and are less likely to engage in health-seeking behaviour.

One of her main objectives is to promote the translation of research into practice. Tracy has experience in working with the private sector, NGO’s and local government (South Africa) on various initiatives which aims to promote physical activity, especially to those from previously marginalized communities. 

Tracy serves on the International Society of Physical Activity and Health’s (ISPAH) board, and is Chairperson of their Education Committee. She has previously served as a scientific advisor to the Heart Stroke Foundation of South Africa and on the African Physical Activity Network executive. Dr Kolbe-Alexander was invited to be part of the judging panel for the Global Healthy Workplace Awards in 2013, 2014 (African Judge) and 2019 (Asia-Pacific Judge).

Dr Sjaan Gomersall is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and Affiliate Senior Lecturer at the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at The University of Queensland.

Her research interests are focused on measuring and influencing physical activity.  She has developed and evaluated several methods of measuring physical activity, including both consumer and research device based methods as well as self-report methods using a use of time approach. Sjaan has assessed physical activity and developed and evaluated physical interventions across a broad range of populations and settings including adult cancers survivors in the community, children and adolescents in school, university students and older adults at risk of falls. Sjaan is a passionate advocate for physical activity and is committed to striving for translation of evidence into practice.

Sjaan serves on the International Society of Physical Activity and Health’s (ISPAH) Board and is the lead for IT Systems. She has previously served as a Communications committee member for the International Society for the Measurement of Physical Behaviour (ISMPB) and leads and contributes to school, faculty and university level committees focused on the development of early career academics. 

Dr. Chiang Hock Woon is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Sport Singapore, the national agency for the promotion and development of sport in Singapore. He is part of the senior management at Sport Singapore which leads the agency in its efforts to realise Vision 2030 – Singapore’s manifesto for its people to Live Better Through Sport.

Dr Lim Min Chin was trained in biomedical research in Neuroendocrinology.  After years of diabetes and cancer research both locally and overseas, she transited into the field of preventive medicine. 

She subsequently researched on the strategies for promoting physical activity and obesity prevention at the Strategic Planning Department of the Health Promotion Board (HPB).  At HPB, she was part of the MOH-HPB Obesity Taskforce that went to several European countries to study the strategies for obesity prevention. She was also part of the secretariat that developed the Elderly Health Promotion Strategy Plan (2008-2013).

Min Chin’s work in the field of Elderly Health Promotion then brought her to Republic Polytechnic to help craft the Active Ageing module when the Diploma of Health Management and Promotion (DHMP) was first established at Republic Polytechnic’s School of Sports, Health and Leisure.   She is the Module Chair of the Active Ageing module and continues her research interest in strategies for promoting physical activity and active ageing through final year projects with students. She is a certified Gym Tonic trainer.

Mr Kenneth Mc Geough leads a  multidisciplinary team of seventeen Active Health Coaches. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations and technical components of eight fully functioning Active Health Labs that have implemented a two-way medical referral workflow to establish a case management system for individuals with chronic non-communicable disease. In addition, he engages in ongoing conceptualisation and development of a line services that empower citizens to proactively live better through sport.

Ms Sharon Ng has held several senior roles that spanned across the insurance and healthcare industries in Singapore for almost 20 years.  Since joining AIA Singapore in 2016, she has introduced several healthcare initiatives, including milestones such as, being the first in the market to collaborate directly with more than 450 specialists, implemented targeted preventive screenings and tele-medicine as part of their medical insurance product benefits.  These initiatives help to transform AIA Singapore from a traditional insurance payer to partnering customers in their life-long health journey.  In her latest role as Head of Vitality, she is looking to expand AIA Vitality as a lever to move beyond healthcare to health and as the greatest proof point in delivering the AIA’s brand promise in helping customers live healthier, longer, better lives.

 

As a former Olympian (1984 Los Angeles) and Asian Games medalist, Mr Onn Jin Teik’s illustrious 28-year professional career spanned both private and public sectors in various industries and resided in USA, China, and Singapore.  He is a trusted, people-centric senior executive who specializes in business turnaround and mega project startup.

In Sports, he served as CEO and COO, Singapore Sports Hub; CEO, Singapore Sports Council; Advisor, Asics Asia Pte Ltd.  He led the national events portfolio which helped Singapore win Gold medal for Sport City Award @International Sports Event Management Awards 2010 and runners up for Ultimate Sports City @Sport Accord Convention 2010.  He also delivered a milestone achievement of 210 events, 3 million event attendees, and over 15 million total footfall at Sports Hub in 2018.

Other leadership roles include: Secretary-General, Singapore Swimming Association; Vice President, Olympians Singapore; Member, Singapore National Olympic Council; Board Member, Singapore Sports School; Vice Chairman, Singapore Totalisator Board; Assistant Commissioner of Charities (Sports), Ministry of Community Development Youth & Sports; Steering Committees (e.g. F1 Singapore Grand Prix, 2010 Youth Olympic Games); and Chef de Mission, 23^rd Southeast Asia Games (Manila).

In Non-Sports, he served as: Group Executive Vice President and China CEO, Hyflux Ltd; Head Customer Solutions & Innovation (Food & Nutrition), National Starch & Chemical (Asia Pacific); Management, DuPont USA and DuPont Singapore businesses; and Board Member for Republic Polytechnic, Public Hygiene Council, Tan Kah Kee Foundation, and Health Promotion Board.

A Chemical Engineering graduate with MBA from Brigham Young University USA, Jin Teik was a violinist in the Singapore Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Health Promotion Board (HPB) was established in 2001 as the driver for national health promotion and disease prevention in Singapore. HPB’s efforts in healthy lifestyle promotion and disease prevention have made a significant impact on Singapore’s health landscape over the years.

Ms Alice Ong heads the Incidental Physical Activity Department in HPB, and is responsible for planning, developing and executing programmes that help Singapore residents incorporate physical activities into their daily routines so as to prevent obesity and improve health outcomes. Alice has been leading the National Steps Challenge^TM, a nation-wide pedometer-based physical activity initiative, since the Challenge was initiated in November 2015. In its fourth season now, the National Steps Challenge^TM has reached out to 1 in 3 Singaporeans and has demonstrated sustainable and measurable changes in physical activity levels among its participants.

Alice has more than 10 years of experience in public health and health promotion. Her previous portfolio includes workplace health outreach and tobacco control. In 2010, she was in charge of the National Smoking Control Programme (NSCP) which utilises a multi-pronged strategy to combat tobacco use. Prior to leading the National Steps Challenge^TM, she was involved in the strategic alignment of Occupational Safety and Health and Well-being and Health Promotion at work, across the public sector, company and service industry.

As a Research Fellow in the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at NUS, Dr Nicholas Petrunoff contributes to a programme of work called PANDA - Physical Activity and Nutrition Determinants in Asia. The goals of this programme are to better understand physical activity and nutrition behaviors in an urban Asian setting, and to inform policy and interventions which promote health and prevent non-communicable diseases. An important focus is the interplay between individuals and their environment and the use of mobile technology to continually monitor lifestyle behaviors and their determinants. Nick also teaches in subjects including Physical Activity and Public Health. Nick is excited to be contributing to physical activity research and education in South-East Asia.

Adj. A/Prof Benedict Tan graduated in 1991 with a medical degree from the National University of Singapore and obtained his Masters in Sports Medicine in 1997 from the world-renown Australian Institute of Sport. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medicine Singapore and the only Singaporean physician who is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. Dr Tan is the Chief of Sport & Exercise Medicine (SEM) at Changi General Hospital. The Department has the most SEM practitioners in Singapore and runs Singapore’s largest Sports Medicine Centres – Singapore Sport & Exercise Medicine Centre @CGH (SSMC@CGH) and Singapore Sports Medicine Centre @ Novena (SSMC@Novena)

In 2018, SingHealth established the SingHealth Duke-NUS Sport & Exercise Medicine Centre (SDSC), headed by Dr Tan. The SDSC aims to provide integrated, multidisciplinary and seamless care that pushes the frontiers of clinical service, research and education in the field of SEM across the SingHealth cluster.

Dr Tan is the Chairman of the Exercise is Medicine (EIM) Singapore National Centre, and EIM Asia Regional Centre; Chairman of the Sports Medicine Subspecialty Training Committee; Chairman of Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine’s Graduate Diploma in Sports Medicine Advisory Committee; Specialty Editor of Singapore Medical Journal; Past President of Sports Medicine Association of Singapore; and member of the workgroups for the MOH Clinical Practice Guidelines on Obesity, Cardiovascular Disease Screening, and Heat Injuries. Dr Tan is also a member of the SAF Specialist Medical Board, SAF Fitness Advisory Board, and SAF Fitness Science Expert Panel. Dr Tan served as Team Physician for the Singapore Contingents to the 1998 and 2002 Asian Games, and the 1999 and 2001 Southeast Asian Games.

Dr Tan, a former Nominated Member of Parliament (2014-2015), currently serves as a Vice-President of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC); Chairman of the World Sailing Medical Commission; Co-Chairman of National Sports Safety Committee; Sports Patron and Medical Advisor of the Singapore Disability Sports Council; Honorary Advisor of the Singapore Sailing Federation; Advisor to the Singapore Ice Skating Association amongst other appointments in the sports and physical activity sector. He also serves as a director in the grant-giving body, Temasek Foundation Nurtures.

Dr Tan’s original research covers sports medicine and sports science, and has been published in international peer-reviewed journals – among them is the landmark study, “Injury and illness surveillance at the International Sailing Federation Sailing World Championships 2014”, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2016. Apart from sports injuries, Dr Tan's area of interest includes musculoskeletal sonography, extracorporeal shock wave therapy, weight management, physical activity promotion, gait analysis, and performance enhancement.

Dr Tan is the author of the books, “The Complete Introduction to Laser Racing” (translated into Polish, Japanese and Chinese), “Fight the Fat – What You Must Know and Do to Lose Weight” and “Run for Your Life! – the Complete Marathon Guide” (translated into Chinese).

An Olympian, Dr Tan is an Asian Games (1994) and four-time consecutive Southeast Asian Games (1989, 1991, 1993, 1995) Gold medallist in sailing. He is a Hall-of-Famer and three-time Singapore Sportsman of the Year. After competing in the 1996 Savannah Olympics, Dr Tan retired from competitive sailing and now sails (including kite boarding) recreationally. He took up marathon running recreationally in 2002, competing in more than 20 marathons to date, including all six World Marathon Majors (Boston, Berlin, London, New York, Chicago, and Tokyo), and has a personal best time of 2 hrs 56 min. Dr Tan also a regular SCUBA diver and (snow) skier.

In 2018, Dr Tan received the Distinguished Visionary Leader Award at the 8th SingHealth Excellence Awards. The SingHealth Excellence Awards is the highest honour for SingHealth employees who have made outstanding contributions. In recognition of his contributions to the sports sector, the University of Stirling (UK) conferred Dr Tan the Honorary Doctor of the University (DUniv). The Singapore Medical Association (SMA) awarded the SMA Merit Award to Dr Tan in 2003.

Mr Rostam Umar leads the Strategy Group in Sport Singapore, overseeing strategic planning, resourcing, partnerships and communications, research and insights, and fundraising. Prior to that he led the Human Capital, Organisation Excellence and Volunteer Management portfolio. He also served as Chief of Manpower & Games Engagement, Chief of Client Services and the Mayor for the Games Village for both the 28th Southeast Asian Games & 8th ASEAN Para Games. Prior to joining Sport Singapore in 2011, Rostam served in key roles in the Singapore Tourism Board such as the Head of Change Management, Director of Communications and Executive Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development. He contributed to key projects such as the ASEAN Tourism Forum, the development of the integrated resorts (Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa) and the inaugural Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. He also chaired the ASEAN Tourism Crisis Communications Taskforce from 2006 to 2010, ensuring crisis communications preparedness of the ASEAN National Tourism Organisations.

A/Prof Wee Shiou Liang is a Research Director at the Geriatric Education and Research Institute (GERI). Set up by the Ministry of Health in 2014, GERI conducts, guides, and coordinates Singapore’s research initiatives related to geriatric services and age-related healthcare issues.

Dr Wee is passionate and has been active in work to translate evidence into policy and practice to help people remain productive and maintain their health and function. As Faculty of Health and Social Sciences at SIT and Masters of Science in Applied Gerontology at NTU, he is also involved in educating workforce-ready health and social care professionals through integrating learning, industry and community. 

Dr Wee’s areas of interest include aged and integrated care, frailty and health, exercise and nutrition science, as well as health services research, which includes implementation research, program evaluation and outcomes research.