Beyond The Glass Ceiling: BFFL Speakers

Meet our Beyond The Glass Ceiling: BFFL Speakers

Kathy Xu Founder & Director of The Dorsal Effect	Kathy Xu runs The Dorsal Effect, an eco-enterprise that provides alternative livelihood through tourism, for shark fishermen in Lombok, Indonesia. She conducts facilitation work for students on service-learning trips to Lombok, to get them to think deeply and widely about the complexity behind shark fishing issues. Being an adjunct lecturer in critical thinking in a few Institutions of Higher Learning in Singapore has broadened her perspective on various social and environmental justice issues. She obtained her Master’s in Science Communication, a joint program between the National University of Singapore and Australian National University, about 2 years ago and is passionate about conservation communication.
Opera Tang Drag Artist, Singapura Queens	Opera Tang is a Singapore drag artist who has garnered acclaim for her unique performances that blend traditional iconic Singapore symbols with contemporary drag culture. She is the central figure in the documentary Baby Queen which follows Opera’s journey as a drag performer, shedding light on her artistry, personal life and challenges navigating the intersection of queer identity and conservative cultural norms. With the unwavering support from her 93-year old Ah Ma, a former seamstress who has been instrumental in shaping Opera’s craft and personal journey, Opera dares to be herself.
Julie Chua Director of Integrated Production (MullenLowe Group)	Julie is the Director of Integrated Production at Mullenlowe Singapore, where she leads a talented team in crafting compelling integrated campaigns for a diverse portfolio of clients. With over 25 years of experience in the film and advertising industry, Julie has a proven track record of delivering award-winning campaigns, large-scale productions and integrated content from pre-production through to post-production. Throughout her advertising career, Julie has worked on global brands like Coca-Cola, Hewlett Packard, Sony, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, GSK, Qatar Airways, Ferrero, Hotels.com, Bose, UPS, etc. At Mullenlowe Singapore, Julie is known for her collaborative approach, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence. Julie’s commitment to creative excellence and digital innovation continues to drive the success of Yeti Studio that she has helped set up in the agency 5 years ago. She is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of production quality and cost efficiency for every project. Julie holds a holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (RMIT).
Yulianna Frederika Founder of Lepak Conversations	Yulianna Frederika is the founder of Lepak Conversations, a research and advocacy platform that facilitates accessible dialogue on Malay/Muslim issues through educational content on Instagram and offline community events. It tackles pertinent social issues like Muslim women’s issues, rental flat residence, and most recently, Malay men’s mental health.
Shamima Rafi Community Engagement Manager at AWARE	Shamima is the Manager of Volunteer & Community Engagement at AWARE, driving initiatives to combat gender-based violence. With a background in event design, strategic partnerships, and a past life as a zoo consultant wrangling animals and humans alike, she brings a unique flair to her work. Adept at collaborating with diverse stakeholders, from grassroots groups to government agencies, Shamima advocates for secular human rights and contributes to a human rights film festival—merging her passion for social justice with the power of storytelling.
Nadia Kishlan Creative at Redhill	Nadia is a creative multi-hyphenate with over a decade of experience in roles within media, events, & comms industries. She uses her platform to invite her followers to practice introspection & consider how they can be better caretakers of our planet. Her 3 purpose pillars (Connection to Self, Connection to Land, Connection to Community) inform her advocacy work as part of Cloop, Centre for a Responsible Future, and the farming circles she’s a part of.
Tracy Joy Phillips Creative Director at PPURPOSE / Deeply Curious Co	Tracy’s career revolves around a preoccupation with the five C’s – culture, creativity, causes and cultivating communities. From a decade heading up marketing & PR at Zouk, to being a culture consultant for lifestyle media and brands. She runs programming & advocacy agency, Ppurpose, alongside passion projects like Deeply Curious Co. dedicated to helping people on their self-discovery journey. A commitment to a more self aware society led her to add developmental coaching to her resume, focusing on inner unfoldment for outer transformation since 2021.
Ash Founder of Ahimsa Sanctuary	Ahimsa sanctuary is all about mindful eating and unconditional love. Ayurvedic practices are adopted in creating our delicious and healthy food & drinks. We also hold space for mindful movement! We have about 5 yoga classes a day that focuses on mindfulness and breath! We are also a community space with cool and fun events with everyone sharing their offerings here! parties with functional cocktail, ayurvedic self-care retreats, doggy therapy and more!
Kahmy Sustainability Advocate & Storyteller	Artist. Adventurer. Advocate. Kahmy pursues both sustainability and the creative arts, with a young career in private and public organisations tackling sustainability from angles across supply chain, capacity building, nature-based programs and decarbonization. She spends her daytimes at a MNC and her evenings & weekends creating art, telling stories and inviting communities to be more empathetic to themselves, each other & our shared planet.