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#APCS2024
2024 ASIA PACIFIC CHEMSEX SYMPOSIUM
Speaker Biographies
Dr. Nittaya Phanuphak
Nittaya Phanuphak is Executive Director at the Institute of HIV Research and Innovation (IHRI) in Bangkok, Thailand. Dr Phanuphak received her MD from the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand, and her PhD in Medicine from the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
She has deep interest in the establishment and sustainability of the Key Population-Led Health Services (KPLHS) which empower key population lay providers who are members of key population communities to design and co-deliver sexual health, mental health, rights, and other harm reduction services to their peers.
She provides ongoing research support to various implementation science and clinical trial studies as principal investigator or site-principal investigator. She has served as Chair, Co-Chair and member of several WHO Guidelines Development Groups and Strategic and Technical Advisory Committees. She has published over 270 peer-reviewed articles. She is also the International AIDS Society (IAS) Governing Council Representative of Asia and the Pacific Islands, the Deputy Editor of the Journal of International AIDS Society (JIAS), and the Associate Editor of Sexual Health.
She has deep interest in the establishment and sustainability of the Key Population-Led Health Services (KPLHS) which empower key population lay providers who are members of key population communities to design and co-deliver sexual health, mental health, rights, and other harm reduction services to their peers.
She provides ongoing research support to various implementation science and clinical trial studies as principal investigator or site-principal investigator. She has served as Chair, Co-Chair and member of several WHO Guidelines Development Groups and Strategic and Technical Advisory Committees. She has published over 270 peer-reviewed articles. She is also the International AIDS Society (IAS) Governing Council Representative of Asia and the Pacific Islands, the Deputy Editor of the Journal of International AIDS Society (JIAS), and the Associate Editor of Sexual Health.
Dr. Stephane Wen Wei Ku
Dr. Stephane Wen-Wei Ku currently working as attending physician at Division of Infectious Diseases at Taipei City Hospital Renai Branch. His research interests
include HIV/STI, Chemsex, and sexual wellbeing of LGBTQ+ community and has been actively involved in promoting U=U, HIV self testing, PrEP implementation
and Mpox vaccine rollout in Taiwan. Dr. Ku serves as board member of Taiwan AIDS Society and HIV Education And Research Taiwan (HEART) currently and works extensively with other NPOs/CBOs.
include HIV/STI, Chemsex, and sexual wellbeing of LGBTQ+ community and has been actively involved in promoting U=U, HIV self testing, PrEP implementation
and Mpox vaccine rollout in Taiwan. Dr. Ku serves as board member of Taiwan AIDS Society and HIV Education And Research Taiwan (HEART) currently and works extensively with other NPOs/CBOs.
Gloria Lai
Gloria Lai is the Regional Director: Asia for the International Drug Policy Consortium, a global network of civil society organisations advocating for drug policies that promote human rights and social justice. She has worked for IDPC since 2011 and currently based in Bangkok, Thailand. Prior to this role, she worked as a lawyer then later as a senior policy advisor on law enforcement and drug control for the Australian Government.
Chokwan Kitty Chopaka
Independent Cannabis Advocate and Activist, Thailand.
Kitty is a passionate advocate for cannabis rights and policy reform. Prior to the descheduling of cannabis in Thailand, she dedicated her work to raising awareness, promoting decriminalization, and facilitating knowledge sharing about cannabis use and regulation.
Since the descheduling of the cannabis plant in 2022, Kitty has been actively involved in shaping the legal framework surrounding cannabis in Thailand. As a member of the "Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future" Network, she contributed to the drafting of the People's Cannabis Act, as well as being the advisor to the government's Cannabis Act drafting committee.
Despite the political challenges and uncertainties surrounding cannabis legalization, Kitty has remained steadfast in her advocacy. She has organized numerous protests and demonstrations to safeguard the rights of cannabis users and producers, including a high-profile encampment in front of the government house.
In February 2024, Kitty and the "Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future" Network successfully submitted the People's Cannabis Control Act to parliament, backed by over 10,000 signatures. This act, developed through extensive consultation with diverse stakeholders, aims to establish a comprehensive and equitable legal framework for cannabis in Thailand.
Kitty is a passionate advocate for cannabis rights and policy reform. Prior to the descheduling of cannabis in Thailand, she dedicated her work to raising awareness, promoting decriminalization, and facilitating knowledge sharing about cannabis use and regulation.
Since the descheduling of the cannabis plant in 2022, Kitty has been actively involved in shaping the legal framework surrounding cannabis in Thailand. As a member of the "Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future" Network, she contributed to the drafting of the People's Cannabis Act, as well as being the advisor to the government's Cannabis Act drafting committee.
Despite the political challenges and uncertainties surrounding cannabis legalization, Kitty has remained steadfast in her advocacy. She has organized numerous protests and demonstrations to safeguard the rights of cannabis users and producers, including a high-profile encampment in front of the government house.
In February 2024, Kitty and the "Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future" Network successfully submitted the People's Cannabis Control Act to parliament, backed by over 10,000 signatures. This act, developed through extensive consultation with diverse stakeholders, aims to establish a comprehensive and equitable legal framework for cannabis in Thailand.
Eleanor Ong
Eleanor is a dedicated and compassionate psychotherapist, leveraging her strengths to support marginalized communities and advance equity. She focuses on persons struggling with difficulties surrounding trauma and addiction, and works closely with children of families where addiction is present.
Eleanor is also deeply involved in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly in areas of identity, substance use and relationships. Her clinical practice has strongly influenced her research areas of interest, where she aims to bridge the gap between practitioner knowledge and evidence-based research through a person-centered approach.
As a recipient of the NUS Research Scholarship, Eleanor draws on her clinical background to explore underlying factors of substance use. Her PhD research on the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and substance use, is driven by her strong advocacy for marginalised individuals. She seeks to address the systemic barriers these individuals face, including discrimination, limited access to healthcare and social exclusion.
In her current role as Director at The Greenhouse Community Services, Eleanor champions the organization’s mission to revolutionize addiction treatment by promoting data-driven, evidence-based and trauma-informed care. She if particularly focused on meeting the needs of marginalized communities in Singapore and beyond.
As a delegate in international conferences & panels on drug policy reform and mental health in the LGBT community, Eleanor enjoys sharing her insights while engaging in dialogue with and amplifying the voices of those she advocates for. Eleanor looks forward to meeting like-minded people who share a collective commitment to reimagine and reshape systems for a world where every individual has a chance to thrive and contribute meaningfully.
Eleanor is also deeply involved in supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly in areas of identity, substance use and relationships. Her clinical practice has strongly influenced her research areas of interest, where she aims to bridge the gap between practitioner knowledge and evidence-based research through a person-centered approach.
As a recipient of the NUS Research Scholarship, Eleanor draws on her clinical background to explore underlying factors of substance use. Her PhD research on the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and substance use, is driven by her strong advocacy for marginalised individuals. She seeks to address the systemic barriers these individuals face, including discrimination, limited access to healthcare and social exclusion.
In her current role as Director at The Greenhouse Community Services, Eleanor champions the organization’s mission to revolutionize addiction treatment by promoting data-driven, evidence-based and trauma-informed care. She if particularly focused on meeting the needs of marginalized communities in Singapore and beyond.
As a delegate in international conferences & panels on drug policy reform and mental health in the LGBT community, Eleanor enjoys sharing her insights while engaging in dialogue with and amplifying the voices of those she advocates for. Eleanor looks forward to meeting like-minded people who share a collective commitment to reimagine and reshape systems for a world where every individual has a chance to thrive and contribute meaningfully.
Dr. Charlie Witzel
Dr. Charlie Witzel is a Senior Research Fellow at University College London and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Mahidol University, Thailand. His research uses social science methods to understand and respond to health and well-being challenges among LGBTQ+ populations. Charlie currently leads a 6-year programme of community-based research exploring chemsex and other types of sexualised drug use among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in Thailand, and is involved in ongoing projects on Mpox responses and outbreak preparedness in non-endemic settings. His past research has focused on technological approaches to HIV prevention among GBMSM as well as the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on gender and sexual minorities.
Iskandar Azwa
Iskandar Azwa is an Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases and is the Clinical Lead for the HIV service in the Infectious Diseases Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. He is also the Director of the Centre of Excellence for Research in Infectious Diseases & AIDS (CERIA), Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya.
His research interests include HIV Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) implementation research and stigma reduction interventions among key populations and evaluation of novel second line HIV treatment strategies in resource-limited settings. He is the site Principal Investigator (PI) for several international collaborative HIV clinical trials which have shaped HIV guidelines locally and globally. Much of his recent work has focused on increasing community access to HIV prevention biomedical interventions and implementation of differentiated service delivery models of HIV care & prevention, including m-health and pharmacy-led service delivery models. He has been a member of several WHO Guidelines development groups on HIV treatment and prevention since 2020.
Iskandar Azwa also serves as the current President of the Malaysian AIDS Council.
His research interests include HIV Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) implementation research and stigma reduction interventions among key populations and evaluation of novel second line HIV treatment strategies in resource-limited settings. He is the site Principal Investigator (PI) for several international collaborative HIV clinical trials which have shaped HIV guidelines locally and globally. Much of his recent work has focused on increasing community access to HIV prevention biomedical interventions and implementation of differentiated service delivery models of HIV care & prevention, including m-health and pharmacy-led service delivery models. He has been a member of several WHO Guidelines development groups on HIV treatment and prevention since 2020.
Iskandar Azwa also serves as the current President of the Malaysian AIDS Council.
Wipaporn Natalie Songtaweesin
Natalie is an infectious diseases pediatrician at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. She received her MBBS from St George’s, University of London and received her training in Pediatrics and Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Chulalongkorn University. She currently serves as a lecturer and researcher at the School of Global Health and the Center of Excellence for Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Vaccines and at Chulalongkorn University. Natalie’s research interests include HIV prevention and treatment in children and adolescents, sexually transmitted infections, hepatitis C, mental health integration to HIV care, development of models of care to address implementation-related challenges in adolescent healthcare delivery.
She has previously received funding and training from International AIDS Society CIPHER Grant in 2017, an NIH R21 in 2018, and an NIH D43 in 2019 in research areas of HIV prevention, mobile health technologies and mental health integration to HIV care, involving collaborations with Duke University and Columbia University.
Natalie has served on the scientific committees of the International Workshop of HIV &
Adolescence since 2019, the Asia-Pacific Conference on AIDS and Co-infections (APACC) since 2020 and the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) Adolescent Committee since 2023.
She has previously received funding and training from International AIDS Society CIPHER Grant in 2017, an NIH R21 in 2018, and an NIH D43 in 2019 in research areas of HIV prevention, mobile health technologies and mental health integration to HIV care, involving collaborations with Duke University and Columbia University.
Natalie has served on the scientific committees of the International Workshop of HIV &
Adolescence since 2019, the Asia-Pacific Conference on AIDS and Co-infections (APACC) since 2020 and the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) Adolescent Committee since 2023.
Rena Janamnuaysook
Rena Janamnuaysook is a Program Manager for Implementation Science at the Institute of HIV Research and Innovation (IHRI) in Bangkok, Thailand, where she co-established Tangerine Clinic as the first transgender-led clinic in the region. She manages and provides technical guidance for the development and implementation of HIV research and programs for key populations in Thailand and in Asia. Her current implementation research projects are focusing on the community-led same-day antiretroviral treatment initiation, key population-led test and treat for viral hepatitis C, and the Southeast Asian transgender cohort study.
She was a co-founder of the Thai Transgender Alliance, the first transgender-owned human rights organization in Thailand. Rena was a member of WHO Guidelines Development Group on long-acting injectable cabotegravir for HIV prevention and currently is a member of WHO Guidelines Development Group on the health of trans and gender diverse people.
She was a co-founder of the Thai Transgender Alliance, the first transgender-owned human rights organization in Thailand. Rena was a member of WHO Guidelines Development Group on long-acting injectable cabotegravir for HIV prevention and currently is a member of WHO Guidelines Development Group on the health of trans and gender diverse people.
Adam Bourne
Professor Adam Bourne is Director of the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University in Melbourne. He leads a large program of research into the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQ+ populations, including multiple projects on alcohol and other drug use as well as studies about intimate partner violence and mental health. He has published dozens of papers focussed on chemsex among gay men and was lead author of the first ever study on this topic from London in 2014. Professor Bourne is Co-Chair of the Ministerial LGBTIQ+ Taskforce and serves on several other government committees that address LGBTIQ+ health and wellbeing.
Carol Strong
Dr. Carol Strong is an associate professor at the Department of Public Health at National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan.
She earned her PhD in Health Behavior from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, where she developed a strong foundation in behavioral sciences. Her research interests focus on understanding the complexity of human behavior, particularly through rigorous methodological and statistical approaches.
Dr. Strong’s work spans
multiple areas, including adolescent health, sexual health among men who have sex with men (MSM), and behavioral interventions aimed at improving public health
outcomes.
Dr. Strong is the principal investigator for a project funded by the Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology, where she is working to develop a prediction-oriented
adaptive intervention for adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), aiming to prevent HIV transmission among MSM.
Additionally, she is involved in a project that
monitors and evaluates an integrated health service model addressing sexually transmitted infections, chemsex, and the delivery of PrEP. Her work is dedicated to
fostering evidence-based approaches to improve health outcomes in marginalized populations, with a special focus on health equity and harm reduction strategies.
She earned her PhD in Health Behavior from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, where she developed a strong foundation in behavioral sciences. Her research interests focus on understanding the complexity of human behavior, particularly through rigorous methodological and statistical approaches.
Dr. Strong’s work spans
multiple areas, including adolescent health, sexual health among men who have sex with men (MSM), and behavioral interventions aimed at improving public health
outcomes.
Dr. Strong is the principal investigator for a project funded by the Taiwan Ministry of Science and Technology, where she is working to develop a prediction-oriented
adaptive intervention for adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), aiming to prevent HIV transmission among MSM.
Additionally, she is involved in a project that
monitors and evaluates an integrated health service model addressing sexually transmitted infections, chemsex, and the delivery of PrEP. Her work is dedicated to
fostering evidence-based approaches to improve health outcomes in marginalized populations, with a special focus on health equity and harm reduction strategies.
Rodenie Arnaiz Olete
Rodenie Arnaiz Olete, MSc, RN, is a registered nurse and a dedicated public health professional focusing on implementation science and behavioral research. He serves as Program Manager and Technical Writer for Grants and Research at Sustained Health Initiatives of the Philippines (SHIP) and is currently pursuing his PhD in Public Health at National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan.
With a passion for advancing HIV service delivery, Rodenie advocates for person-centered approaches in healthcare, aiming to improve psycho-socioeconomic support for people living with HIV. He has spearheaded the development of a Supportive-Expressive Group Therapy (SEGT)-based intervention specifically designed for people living with HIV who experience homelessness and unemployment. This pioneering program addresses both psychological and socioeconomic challenges, providing a holistic approach to HIV care.
Rod’s contributions also include leading a nationwide survey, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), that explored chemsex among Filipino men who have sex with men. His research aspires to influence policy and program development, furthering the understanding of the unique challenges faced by MSM engaged in chemsex.
In his current role at SHIP, Rod manages the implementation of a nationwide capacity-building program aimed at training mental health and social welfare professionals. This initiative seeks to establish a healthcare provider network equipped to offer psycho-socioeconomic support for people living with HIV. His efforts contribute to SHIP's broader mission, including the organization's role as a civil society representative in the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC), advocating for the rights of people who use or inject drugs.
With a passion for advancing HIV service delivery, Rodenie advocates for person-centered approaches in healthcare, aiming to improve psycho-socioeconomic support for people living with HIV. He has spearheaded the development of a Supportive-Expressive Group Therapy (SEGT)-based intervention specifically designed for people living with HIV who experience homelessness and unemployment. This pioneering program addresses both psychological and socioeconomic challenges, providing a holistic approach to HIV care.
Rod’s contributions also include leading a nationwide survey, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), that explored chemsex among Filipino men who have sex with men. His research aspires to influence policy and program development, furthering the understanding of the unique challenges faced by MSM engaged in chemsex.
In his current role at SHIP, Rod manages the implementation of a nationwide capacity-building program aimed at training mental health and social welfare professionals. This initiative seeks to establish a healthcare provider network equipped to offer psycho-socioeconomic support for people living with HIV. His efforts contribute to SHIP's broader mission, including the organization's role as a civil society representative in the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC), advocating for the rights of people who use or inject drugs.
Doan Thanh Tung
Mr. Doan Thanh Tung, MPH has more than a decade’s experience working as an HIV, LGBTIQ activist and practitioner in the fields of HIV/AIDS, chemsex and sexualized drug use, stigma and discrimination reduction, community rights advocacy, and mental health care in Vietnam and the Southeast Asia region. Tung is currently the Executive Director at Lighthouse Social Enterprise and serves as Senior Advisor for Program Management at Y+ Global. His work ranges from designing, managing, and implementing various interventions, programs and innovations based on the context and needs of the community, conducting research to design evidence-based interventions and community monitoring, building capacity and empowering other organizations and young key populations communities.
Tung is also an influential speaker and advocate in order to promote the community’ voices through high-profile engagements at key regional and global conferences, including the International AIDS Conference, IAS Conference, APAAC, PEPFAR COP meeting, Asia Chemsex Platform, Harm Reduction International Conference, UNAIDS PCB, Quality Improvement and Stigma Discrimination Regional Meeting etc.
His recognition includes a feature in Vietnam Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ Award, Australian Government’s Young Social Entrepreneur Leader, the Young Achiever Award Southeast Asia Hero Award by the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health and the Global Challenge Winner by MPact for exceptional work as a community young leader, community health worker and LGBTQI activist.
Tung is also an influential speaker and advocate in order to promote the community’ voices through high-profile engagements at key regional and global conferences, including the International AIDS Conference, IAS Conference, APAAC, PEPFAR COP meeting, Asia Chemsex Platform, Harm Reduction International Conference, UNAIDS PCB, Quality Improvement and Stigma Discrimination Regional Meeting etc.
His recognition includes a feature in Vietnam Forbes ‘30 Under 30’ Award, Australian Government’s Young Social Entrepreneur Leader, the Young Achiever Award Southeast Asia Hero Award by the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health and the Global Challenge Winner by MPact for exceptional work as a community young leader, community health worker and LGBTQI activist.
Bo Justin Xiao
Bo Justin Xiao (he/him) is a Chinese Australian LGBTQ+ health advocate based in Sydney. Working in the community health sector in Australia, he brings his intersectional lived experience to his work, leading health promotion programs at ACON for people who engage in chemsex and/or people living with HIV. Bo Justin is committed to advancing trauma-informed and culturally appropriate care, and he centres the voice of people with lived experience in all his work.
As the leader of the M3THOD program at ACON, Bo Justin oversaw a peer-led initiative designed to support individuals engaged in chemsex. The program was developed in consultation with people with lived experience, ACON’s substance support counselling team, and researchers at The University of New South Wales. M3THOD used stages of change theory and incorporated harm reduction education, motivational interviewing, and service navigation to empower participants in managing the frequency of chemsex, reducing related harms, and accessing affirming services. The program addresses areas like trigger management, shame and identity, intimacy, and self-agency, fostering a supportive environment for participants to take control of their health.
Beyond his work at ACON, Bo Justin has actively supported various community organisations in Australia and Asia through program implementation, campaigns, research, and policy advocacy. He has served as a Board Director at the National Association of People with HIV Australia and is an Advisory Committee member for the Positive Asian Network Australia. In these roles, Bo Justin continues to champion the health and well-being of marginalised communities, ensuring that those with lived experience are at the forefront of health interventions, particularly at the intersection of substance use, HIV, LGBTQ+ identities.
As the leader of the M3THOD program at ACON, Bo Justin oversaw a peer-led initiative designed to support individuals engaged in chemsex. The program was developed in consultation with people with lived experience, ACON’s substance support counselling team, and researchers at The University of New South Wales. M3THOD used stages of change theory and incorporated harm reduction education, motivational interviewing, and service navigation to empower participants in managing the frequency of chemsex, reducing related harms, and accessing affirming services. The program addresses areas like trigger management, shame and identity, intimacy, and self-agency, fostering a supportive environment for participants to take control of their health.
Beyond his work at ACON, Bo Justin has actively supported various community organisations in Australia and Asia through program implementation, campaigns, research, and policy advocacy. He has served as a Board Director at the National Association of People with HIV Australia and is an Advisory Committee member for the Positive Asian Network Australia. In these roles, Bo Justin continues to champion the health and well-being of marginalised communities, ensuring that those with lived experience are at the forefront of health interventions, particularly at the intersection of substance use, HIV, LGBTQ+ identities.
Sazali Basri
Dr. Sazali Basri is an Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases physician at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), a leading tertiary referral and teaching hospital in Malaysia. His expertise encompasses a broad range of services, including HIV/STI testing, treatment, and prevention. Additionally, Dr. Sazali serves as a visiting ID physician at the Community HealthCare Clinic (CHCC) of PT Foundation, a community-based organization that caters to key populations with specialized HIV/STIs services. His involvement with the Centre of Excellence for Research in Infectious Diseases and AIDS (CERIA) highlights his deep commitment to HIV/STI prevention and care, as well as his focus on key populations, differentiated services, HIV and co-morbidities, and the optimization of antiretroviral therapy. Dr. Sazali's interests also extend to general infectious diseases, tropical medicine, antimicrobial resistance, vaccinations, and infection prevention and control (IPC). Currently, he is spearheading a community-led initiative, Project COMRED, which aims to reduce harm associated with chemsex in Malaysia.
Dr. Isaac Yu-Hsiung Chen
Dr. Isaac Yu-Hsiung Chen, graduated from the School of Medicine at National Yang Ming University, he underwent psychiatric residency training at Taipei Veterans General Hospital. After obtaining his qualifications as a psychiatrist and addiction specialist, he currently serves as an attending psychiatrist at the Kunming Prevention Center of Taipei City Hospital. He once served as a therapist in the Matrix Model pilot program at the National Health Research Institutes and he also translated the therapeutic manual for the cognitive-behavioral therapy group "Friends Getting Off" for gay men using drugs. His main areas of expertise include addiction prevention and treatment, HIV and STD prevention, HIV-related psychiatric care, psychiatric care for sexual minority groups (including evaluations for gender-confirming surgeries for those with gender dysphoria), and counseling for drug-enhanced sexual practices and sex-drug counseling among men who have sex with men.
Ashwin Thind
Ashwin is a Clinical Director and Clinical Psychologist at PENGASIH Damai. He has a keen interest in Substance Use Disorders, sexually compulsive behaviours, and trauma, working both in residential and outpatient settings.
He serves in an advisory and consultative capacity at a CHC Clinic, a community sexual health clinic under PT Foundation, working on the harm reduction chemsex programs.
Ashwin is a PhD student in public health implementation science and intervention development. His research focuses on developing a psychological harm reduction training curriculum for chemsex
management and enhancing service delivery for Community Health Care Workers.
He also serves on the Executive Committee of the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) Malaysian Chapter. Active in recovery initiatives, he is among the founding members of the Asian Recovery
Network (ARN) and an Executive Committee member of the Global Recovery Network (GRN).
He is an active advocate for supportive drug policies and is part of the Malaysian National Task Force for Drug Decriminalisation. Ashwin is also a Global Master Trainer for UNODC, ISSUP and Colombo Plan.
He serves in an advisory and consultative capacity at a CHC Clinic, a community sexual health clinic under PT Foundation, working on the harm reduction chemsex programs.
Ashwin is a PhD student in public health implementation science and intervention development. His research focuses on developing a psychological harm reduction training curriculum for chemsex
management and enhancing service delivery for Community Health Care Workers.
He also serves on the Executive Committee of the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) Malaysian Chapter. Active in recovery initiatives, he is among the founding members of the Asian Recovery
Network (ARN) and an Executive Committee member of the Global Recovery Network (GRN).
He is an active advocate for supportive drug policies and is part of the Malaysian National Task Force for Drug Decriminalisation. Ashwin is also a Global Master Trainer for UNODC, ISSUP and Colombo Plan.
Surang Janyam
Surang Janyam is the Executive Director of the Service Workers in Group Foundation (SWING), a non-governmental organization in Thailand established in 2004.
Under her leadership, SWING has been a pioneering advocate for the rights and well-being of sex workers of all genders. The organization operates in Bangkok and Pattaya, offering community-led HIV services, life skills training, and non-formal education, along with critical rights protection services.
SWING has played a significant role in Thailand’s efforts to combat HIV, earning recognition both nationally and internationally. In 2016, SWING received the prestigious Civil Society Partnerships Award from PEPFAR in recognition of its impactful work. The organization also received the 2022 Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Promotion, Protection, and Advocacy of Human Rights from the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRC), honoring its significant contributions in promoting, protecting, and safeguarding human rights.
The organization continues to be acknowledged by the global AIDS community as a key player in Thailand’s HIV response, contributing to Bangkok's success as one of the "fast track" cities in the fight against the epidemic.
With over two decades of experience, Surang remains committed to advancing social justice and healthcare access for marginalized communities in Thailand.
Under her leadership, SWING has been a pioneering advocate for the rights and well-being of sex workers of all genders. The organization operates in Bangkok and Pattaya, offering community-led HIV services, life skills training, and non-formal education, along with critical rights protection services.
SWING has played a significant role in Thailand’s efforts to combat HIV, earning recognition both nationally and internationally. In 2016, SWING received the prestigious Civil Society Partnerships Award from PEPFAR in recognition of its impactful work. The organization also received the 2022 Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Promotion, Protection, and Advocacy of Human Rights from the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRC), honoring its significant contributions in promoting, protecting, and safeguarding human rights.
The organization continues to be acknowledged by the global AIDS community as a key player in Thailand’s HIV response, contributing to Bangkok's success as one of the "fast track" cities in the fight against the epidemic.
With over two decades of experience, Surang remains committed to advancing social justice and healthcare access for marginalized communities in Thailand.
Ben Collins
Ben Collins’ experience and expertise make him a significant voice addressing chemsex in the context of HIV and public health. His work focuses on the intersections of substance use, sexual health, trauma, neurodivergence, stigma, intraminority stress and HIV in queer and other marginalised communities. He is co-director of ReShape, an EATG member and serves on committees with EACS and EuroTEST.
Poyao Huang
Poyao Huang is an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Health Behaviors and Community Sciences, National Taiwan University. He works at the intersection of science and technology studies, queer studies, and media studies, with a focus on cultural identities and the material and visual culture of HIV/AIDS in the inter-Asian context.
Stephen Mills
Stephen Mills, PhD, MPH is Asia Regional Director for the USAID EpiC Project at FHI 360. In this capacity, he manages interventions and approaches that try to optimize the HIV prevention, care, and treatment cascade for key populations, especially community-based approaches that reduce stigma and discrimination. He also is involved in the sustainability of these approaches through promoting social contracting and universal health care (UHC) reimbursements from governments to community-based organizations and through the formation of social enterprises that generate program income for these organizations. Steve is a Commissioner in the newly formed Lancet Commission on People-Centered Care for Universal Health Coverage and has served on the Technical Review Panel for the Global Fund on HIV and Equity, Human Rights, and Gender.
Vichet Kem
Vichet Kem is a Program Manager at Men’s Health Cambodia (MHC). His work focuses on HIV/AIDS prevention among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) and Transgender Women (TGW). In this work, he strives to create an enabling environment that reduces stigma and discrimination, empowering these communities to access health services without fear of judgment and to enjoy equal rights. Vichet is passionate about empowering key populations (LGBTQI+) and other vulnerable groups to live healthy, fulfilling lives with equal rights.
Simran Sherchan
Simran Sherchan works as a National Program Coordinator at the Federation of Sexual and Gender Minorities and is an Executive board member of Blue Diamond Society and Clean Up Nepal. She was listed in the 100 influencer women stories of Nepal in 2022 and awarded the Red Ribbon at Miss Pink 2012. Her motto in life is to educate, inspire and empower people who are struggling to find their true gender identity. She has been featured in various public service announcement videos on gender equality and COVID -19 Information.
Nazik Abylgazieva
Nazik Abylgazieva is a queer human rights activist, drug feminist, and country representative in programs and has served as a consultant on the safety of human rights defenders in Kyrgyzstan. She also served as the lead researcher in the qualitative study on “HIV Infection Risks, Use of Health Services, and Unmet Needs of People Who Use Synthetic and New Psychoactive Substances in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.”the Eurasian Women's Network on AIDS. She is an international expert in harm reduction
Trang Nguyen
Trang Nguyen is the Program Manager for Harm Reduction and Addiction Treatment at SCDI, an NGO dedicated to working with marginalized and vulnerable populations. With 10 years of experience in Vietnam’s drug use landscape, Trang has been involved in developing community harm reduction and treatment models to building capacity for community organizations and advocating for policy change. She currently oversees a project providing holistic, community-based chemsex interventions in three provinces across Vietnam.
Stephane
Rena
Adam
Carol
Rod
Doan
Sazali
Ashwin
Iskandar
Eleanor
Stephen Mills
Nittaya
Charlie
Isaac
Justin
Natalie
Kitty
Gloria
Surang
Ben
Poyao
Vichet
Simran
Nazik
Trang
Suniya
Tam
Do Van Dung
Hue
Ming Wei Lin
Thanh
Benjamin
Eshele
Brigtte
Akarin
Myo
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