Key Members of Emotional Well-Being Institute (EWBI)
Professor Dr A. Basseer Jeeawody, PhD
Founding President and Executive Chairman
Professor Basseer Jeeawody developed the vision and guiding principles of the Institute. His career spans 35 years in multinational operational and strategic leadership, driving innovation. He was Founding President of EWBI (Geneva); Founding Dean for international programs in Health; Founding Regional Health Director for Professional Development (UK); Founding President of Multicultural Council in regional Australia; Founding National Director of the Djirruwang Program addressing social and emotional well-being of Indigenous Australians; Co-Director AusAid funded strategic Distance Education Program in PNG. Dr Jeeawody has served on various Boards: Community Relations Commission Board for Regional Australia; National Co-morbidity Taskforce on drugs use and abuse; a member of 12 experts on the use of focussed national strategy for better outcomes in mental health for medical practitioners; State Government Consultative Committee on Ageing and Disability; Member of Faculty of Health Studies Board; Member of University International Advisory Board; Vice Chancellor Teaching Excellence Award; and a nominee for the Australia Day Citizenship Award. He is cited as one of ‘Geneva’s International Do-Good Citizen’.
Professor Sundram Sivamalai, PhD
President EWBI
Dr Sundram Sivamalai is Citizen of the Year 2021 – City of Ballarat and Foundation Chair of Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council in Victoria, Australia. He currently serves as Director of Ethnic Communities Council, Victoria. Previously, he was Community Representative Commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, a community observer on the NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council), Adjunct Professor at University of Manipal (India), and Associate Professor in the School of Medicine and Dentistry at James Cook University (Australia). Dr Sivamalai was born in Malaysia and is actively involved in international consultancies in cross-cultural education for health professionals and organisations in Japan, Indonesia, China and Malaysia. He has published widely on multiculturalism in Australia, and was awarded the Commonwealth Government Centenary Medal for his work with migrants.
EWBI Global Advisory Board Members
Peter De Lorenzo
EWBI Global Advisory Board Member Strategic Advisor
Peter De Lorenzo is Chief Executive Officer of UnityHealth Pty Ltd and iTherapeutics for Pharmacy Pty Ltd, based in Melbourne, and founder of an integrative medicine gateway – Imgateway.net. He has vast working experience in the medical, corporate and healthcare sectors spanning over 35 years in developing business information and technology solutions for the healthcare industry to meet the educational needs of practitioners and members of the public.
Professor (Dr.) Serge Riviere, PhD
EWBI Global Advisory Board Member, Strategic Advisor 
Professor Serge Rivière was a Laureate of the Royal College of Curepipe in 1965 on the Arts. He earned his PhD at Glasgow University (Scotland, 1980) and a Dip.Ed. at Monash University (Australia, 1982). From 1970 to 2008, he lectured on French and Francophone Literature and Cultural Studies in Scotland, Canada, Australia, France, Ireland and Mauritius (as Visiting Professor at University of Mauritius from 2003-2005). On his retirement in 2008, he was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus of Limerick University, Ireland. He was decorated by the French Government as Chevalier de l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques in 2005.
Dr Kaviraj Sharma Sukon, PhD
EWBI Global Advisory Board Member; Strategic Advisor
Dr. Kaviraj Sharma Sukon, Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK), a PhD and a MBA with distinction, is a visionary leader with a strong combination of operational and strategic leadership skills. He is the Founder Director-General of Open University of Mauritius. He is also the Chairman of the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council, and the Chairman of the Board of the Mauritius College of the Air and Mauritius Museums Council. He holds an honorary position at Imperial College London (UK). Dr Sukon has developed a new method called the Two-parameter Alternative Group Explicit (TAGE) Iterative Method for the Solution of a Tridiagonal Linear System of Equations. He has coined the term “blearning” for blended learning.
Professor Simon Sutcliffe, M.D., FRCP, FRCP(C), FRCR
EWBI Global Advisory Board Member; Strategic Advisor 
Dr. Simon B Sutcliffe is an Adjunct Clinical Professor University of British Columbia (UBC) and an Associate Scientist (BC Cancer Research Centre), and serves on a number of clinical and scientificadvisory committees. He is a graduate of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, England in 1970, Dr. Sutcliffe's training encompasses internal medicine, scientific research, medical and radiation oncology in the UK, South Africa, US and Canada. Dr. Sutcliffe is a clinical oncologist (non-practising), having been President and CEO of Princess Margaret Hospital/Ontario Cancer Institute (1994-1996) and the BC Cancer Agency (2000- 2009). He is currently the President of Two WorldsCancer Collaboration, a non-profit society and charitable foundation - a volunteer organization bridging the disparities in cancer control between the two worlds of the higher and lesser-resourcedworld. Board appointments include Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration, BOLD Therapeutics Inc,Premier Diversified Holdings (including Premier Diagnostics Centre), the International CancerControl Congress Association, Institute for Health Systems Transformation and Sustainability (2010-2016), the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC, 2009-2012), the Michael Smith Foundationfor Health Research (MSFHR, 2000-7), Genome BC (2000-2008) and QuBiologics Inc. (2011-2019).Dr. Sutcliffe was awarded the Queen Elizabeth 50th Jubilee Gold Medal (2003), the Terry Fox Awardof the BC Medical Association (2009), and the Life Sciences B.C. Dr. Don Rix Award (2015).
EWBI Board Members
Dr. Jane Amisi, PhD
EWBI Board Member; Cluster Director - East Africa Region
Dr Jane Amisi is an experienced land administrator currently serving as Assistant Director of Land Administration with a demonstrated history of working in the real estate industry. Jane has a mix of skills in land management and human resource development, strategic planning, and organizational development. Dr Amisi obtained her PhD in Human Resource Development from University of Malaya, Malaysia. She has served in the Kenyan Civil service for 15 years, and as a consultant in human resources and leadership development.
Rod Jackson
Board member; Director EWBI Indigenous Trajectory
Rod Jackson is an Advisory Panel Member of the National Indigenous Knowledges Education Research Innovation Institute at Deakin University, Australia. He is a Member of the Rail Tunnel Aboriginal Advisory Council, the Board of Australian Football League SportReady and Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll Advisory Panel. He is a Reconciliation Advisor to both the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation and the City West Water. Rod is an experienced leader of national and Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations. He is a Respected Person/Elder on the County and Magistrates Courts, and volunteers with the Independent Prisoner Program.
Patricia (Tricia) Greenway
Board Member; Associate Director Self-Care Trajectory; Policy Advisor
Tricia is a sociologist and currently serves as Secretary of the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association. She was an advisor to the Federal Minister for Aged, Family and Health Services where she developed her interest in patient-centred care. She was Senior Policy and Planning Manager at Arthritis Victoria for 10 years. She has also served on different national boards and committees to represent the consumers’ perspective on policy reviews.
EWBI Secretariat
Manorani Guy
EWBI Executive Secretary, Southern Hemisphere
Manorani Guy has 28 years of experience working with and supporting international students in many diverse fields. She is Founder and President of a non-government organisation, Victorian Working Group on International Student Employability (VicWISE), Co-Executive Assistant of Southern Hemisphere for Emotional Well- Being Institute (EWBI), and Director of Student Services of EWBI- Geneva
Vacant EWBI Executive Secretary, Northern Hemisphere
Vacant Executive Director
EWBI Regional Cluster Directors
Professor Raju Adhikari, PhD
Cluster Director of Nepal Region; Director of Global Research Trajectory
Dr. Raju Adhikari has 29 years of R&D experience at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). He has over 100 research publications in peer-reviewed journals and owns 26 patents with over 9000 citations and an H index of 39. He is currently an Adjunct Assoc Professor at STEM Hub, RMIT University, and worked as Director of a start-up company, CRAM-Responsive Materials Pty Ltd based in Victoria. He is the Founder and Chair of the Nepal Science Foundation and Skill Knowledge and Innovation Committee, NRNA. He also serves on the advisory team of the South Asian Communities Ministerial Advisory Council (SACMAC), and Victoria Multicultural Commission in Australia.
Professor Dr. Drona Prakash Rasali, PhD, FACE
Cluster Director of Canada Region; President of EWBI-Canada
Dr Drona Rasali is an adjunct professor at the School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia and holds Fellowship designation of American College of Epidemiology. He got retired recently from the position of Director, Population Health Surveillance and Epidemiology at British Columbia Centre for Disease Control. Previously, he served as Provincial Chronic Disease Epidemiologist at the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, and as adjunct professor at the University of Regina, Canada. He earned his Veterinary Doctor professional degree from India, and graduate trainings in health related sciences from Australia, the Philippines and UK and PhD degree from Canada.
Dr Ameenah Sorefan
Cluster Director, Indian Ocean Region – Mauritius Hub
Dr Ameenah Sorefan is the President of Association Alzheimer, Mauritius, since 2018, works with local, regional and international partners and organisations; a Board member of Alzheimer Disease International (ADI) (2021-2023). Dr Sorefan is a Consultant Psychiatrist, with expertise in Alzheimer disease and in early diagnosis of cognitive impairment and dementia. Graduated from Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, with Masters in Psychological Medicine and member of the European Academy of Medicine in Ageing (EAMA). As a Consultant and Head of Psychiatry, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Mauritius, lead decentralization of mental health at regional hospitals and in the community, prepared the Mental Health Care Act; implemented the Early Dementia Diagnosis Clinic in public hospitals. Dr Sorefan was Consultant /Adviser on Ageing and Disability; National Coordinator for Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Dementia and Global Dementia Observatory for Mauritius, working with WHO at HQ and AFRO. She co-authored “Reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia: WHO Recommendations”; Frontiers Neurology, Jan 2022. Dr Sorefan is Director and Melvin Jones Fellow (MJF) of Lions Club International of Curepipe, Mauritius
Stephen Chun Weng Yin
EWBI Associate Cluster Director, South-East Asia Region
Stephen Yin is the Head, Business Strategy at Global Business-Evaluation Malaysia and an independent advisory contractor for language and diverse community projects for a public relations company in Melbourne, Australia. He was previously Chief Officer Legal/Corporate Affairs of a Malaysian public company including head of group’s community projects. Stephen is a member of Regional Advisory Council, Victorian Multicultural Commission, Senior Multicultural Ambassador – Mental Health Foundation Australia (MHFA), Multicultural Advisory Committee of TV Channel 31, Knox Multicultural Advisory Committee, Knox Environmental Advisory Committee, Multicultural Ambassador Red Shield Appeal Knox, Salvation Army Victoria Australia, ATO CALD group network including the post of Head, Corporate Affairs of Australia Asia Business Council. Stephen has featured as a community voice in state government departments advisory posters/videos to CALD communities. He is the founder member of the MHFA’s “COVID-19 Project”.
Dr. Smriti Krishna
EWBI Associate Cluster Director, Indian Sub-continent Region
Dr. Smriti Krishna is a research scientist who focuses on the translation of preclinical research into clinical research (human studies) to improve the lives of patients with cardiovascular disease and promoting healthy ageing. Her research has examined the mechanisms that lead to macrovascular and microvascular complications in people living with diabetes, atherosclerosis, and atherothrombosis. She has explored novel regenerative therapies for the management of chronic disease such as abdominal aortic aneurysm, critical limb ischemia and diabetic foot ulcer. Dr Krishna’s work has been published in many leading general and specialist journals. Currently, she conducts her research at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and the Baker Department of Cardiometabolic Health, University of Melbourne, Australia. Dr Krishna is a community-orientated person with a long history of volunteering activities. She is a member of the Australasian Mental Health Higher Education Committee, highlighting the importance of positive mental health for higher degree research students, and is a volunteer for the Heartfulness Institute.
Professor (Dr.) Suraj Thapa, PhD
Interim Cluster Director/Advisor – Nordic Region
Professor Suraj Thapa is Head of Research- Division of Mental Health & Addiction, Oslo University Hospital. He is the Project Leader of NORPART project between Norway and Nepal in collaboration in higher education in mental health. He has specialist training in Adult Psychiatry from Oslo University Hospital. He also holds a PhD from Faculty of Medicine University of Oslo, and a Master of Philosophy in International Health from University of Oslo. Professor Thapa is Interested in and has practised in Trauma Research, Stress, PTSD, Psycho-oncology, Transcultural Psychiatry, Perinatal Psychiatry, Migration and Global Mental Health.
Dr. Pramod Dhakal PhD
Member of Global Education Stream, Nepal Cluster Region
Dr. Pramod Dhakal is a Member Global Education Stream, EWBI Nepal Cluster Region. He spearheaded a mission to establish the Nepal Open University, which as adopted by the Nepalese government in 2021. Dr. Dhakal has worked as a Senior Consultant at IBM, Senior Engineer and Scientist at Bell Northern Research Laboratory, and a Research Associate at Carleton University, Canada. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from IIT-Roorkee, India, M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.
Dr. Chintamani Nath Yogi, PhD
EWBI Network Advisor; Critical Member of Nepal Cluster Region
Dr. Chintamani Nath Yogi, from Nepal, is a thinker, a spiritual master, an pducationalist, and a peace activist. He has dedicated 35 years of his service to social welfare for women, children, culture, education, spirituality, and humanity in whole. Dr. Chintamani Yogi is committed to fostering interfaith compassion, dialogue, and understanding through Hindu VidyaPeeth movement to support education of underprivileged and orphaned children while encouraging the values of cultural and religious tolerance. He also established Shanti Sewa Ashram (Peace Service Centre) to help the poor and disadvantaged, and to provide a forum for spiritual and peace-oriented organizations. He was recognised for his outstanding contribution to Nepal by the Honourable President of Nepal with Presidential Award 2078.
Analisa Blake
Director, Community Engagement – EWBI Canadian Cluster Region
Analisa Blake is Director, Collaborative Innovation at the British Columbia Ministry of Health’s Health Innovation Hub. Analisa is a Connector and Strategist at the intersection of public health, community development and technology. She fosters systems change and social innovation for healthy, sustainable, equitable communities. Analisa has a Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Victoria, and has published “The geography of wellness and well-being across British Columbia: A supplement to the British Columbia Atlas of wellness”.
EWBI Trajectory Directors
Professor (Dr.) Abraham Francis, PhD
Co- Director – EWBI Education and Professional Development Pilar
Abraham Francis is an Associate Professor in Social Wok and Human Services at the College of Arts, Society and Education at James Cook University Australia. Professor Francis has worked with many NGOs and in the corporate sectors as a social worker. He has initiated and established many international research projects, supported several international field placements and has been instrumental in establishing international partnerships and research collaborations with universities and organisations in South Asia. Dr Francis is passionate about working and researching in strengths-based practice in Mental Health. He has contributed extensively to the literature on social work practice in Mental Health. Dr Francis received the NAPASWI (National Association of Professional Association Social Workers in India), lifetime achievement for his outstanding contribution to social work Education.
Professor Arun Garg, PhD
Co-Director EWBI Education and Professional Development Trajectory; Director, EWBI Canadian Region
Professor Arun Garg holds a MD from the University of British Columbia (BC) and a PhD from University of Regina. He is a Fellow of Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He is of Indian origin and has over 40 years of experience as a Clinical Pathologist, and extensive experience in Medical Consultation, Strategic System Development, Project Management, Quality System Management; Innovation and Diversity. Professor Garg’s extensive Leadership and Community Volunteer experiences encompassing President of the BC Medical Association, Chair of the Council of Policy and Health Economics of Canadian Medical Association, Chair of Health Authority Medical Advisory Committee, Chair of the BC Institute of Technology Board. He is the Founder of Canada India Network Society (www.Thecins.org). Professor Garg has been actively engaged in building healthy civil society incorporating best of east and best of west through integrative thinking and internal and external interventions.
Karun Karki, PhD
Canada Director, Professional Development and Social Work, EWBI Canada Co-Director, Education and Professional Development Pillar, EWBI Global
Dr Karun Karki is an assistant professor in the School of Social Work and Human Services at the University of the Fraser Valley. He holds a PhD in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada, and a Master of Social Work from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, USA. He also holds a master’s degree in Sociology and English Literature from Tribhuvan University, Nepal. His social work practice and scholarly activities include social determinants of health and wellbeing of minoritized communities, including immigrants, refugees, and LGBTQ+ communities.
Dr Melika Yassin Sheikh-Eldin, PhD
Manager, International and Community Development Unit, AMES Australia
Dr Melika Yassin is Manager of International, Settlement Partnerships and Community Development with AMES Australia. She is also a board member of the Refugee Council of Australia, a member of the UNHCR Gender Audit team and the Refugee Steering Group on Resettlement at the UNHCR. She has been part of the Australian Delegation and represented AMES Australia at the UNHCR Annual Consultations in Geneva since 2007 until recently June 2022. She was part of the 2008 UNHCR Mission to Sudan, the 2011 UNHCR Refugee Women’s Dialogue in Jordan and the 2013 Resettlement missions to New Zealand, Japan and Sweden. Dr Yassin is also a recipient of “the 100 most influential African Australians” Award, the “Pride of Australia Medal for Fair Go” for her work with Refugees and Humanitarian Entrants and a finalist for the voices of courage Awards from the Women’s Refugee Commission in New York.
Neluka Senanayake
Associate Director, EWBI Cultural trajectory
Neluka Senanayake has worked on many creative residential, recreational, hospitality, defense and mixed use projects in successful firms in Australia, New Zealand, India, Kuwait, and Sri Lanka. Neluka holds a Master of Architecture (Queensland), Post Graduate Diploma in Heritage Studies (Kelaniya, Sri Lanka). Neluka has a keen eye for design and detailing, keeping the core concept intact while handling all the possible challenges in creative projects.
Dr. Nagendra Prasad Luitel, PhD
Associate Director Research, Nepal Cluster Region
Dr. Nagendra Luitel is a global mental health researcher, Advisor of Transcultural Psychosocial Organisation (TPO) Nepal, a leading mental health organization in Nepal. He holds a PhD from the University of Amsterdam on the integration of mental health services into the primary and community healthcare system and he is reducing the mental healthcare treatment gap in Nepal.
Professor (Dr.) Tun Myint, PhD
Director of Research, EWBI Canadian Region
Professor Tun Myint is an inter-disciplinary health professional specialising in medical and public health epidemiology, encompassing health planning, program planning, implementation, and evaluation. He is a specialist in health sciences, global health, health research and development, HIV, reproductive health, and ethnic health. Professor Myint has been working in the health industry for over 30 years in developing and developed countries as a researcher, administrator, advisor, and consultant, in teaching, research, and service settings, government and non-government, UN organisations, NGOs, CBOs, private and public organisations.
Maiyshla Chunwan
Member of EWBI Mauritius Hub, Indian Ocean Cluster Region; Advocate for youth Emotional well-being
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Maiyshla Chunwan is a health promotion professional and well-being advocate. She is the Assistant Secretary for the EWBI Mauritius Hub. She has experience in public health, psychology, social media, community engagement and youth leadership, with a Master’s in Public Health (Curtin University), BSc (Hons) in Biology specialising in Environmental Protection; currently studying at the Dharma Coaching Institute to become a Well-being Coach. As a young leader, Maiyshla is involved with “Mind Matters Mauritius” helping to break the stigma conversations around mental health and well-being; The Vice-Curator of the Mauritian Chapter of the Global Shapers Community Port Louis. Maiyshla strongly believes in the power of young people to drive dialogues, action and change. She champions the belief that by building alliances and developing networks that we can create the groundswell that is necessary to turn the tide in the youth mental health and emotional well-being space around the world.
EWBI Associate Positions
Dr. Eric Loo
Website Advisor
Dr Eric Loo holds a PhD in journalism from Macquarie University, Australia, and an MA in journalism from the University of Philippines. Dr Loo is a retired journalism academic from the University of Wollongong, Australia. Dr Loo has also practised as a journalist in Malaysia and Australia, and a journalism trainer in parts of Asia.
Er. Rupak Lamichhane
Consultant Associate - Webmaster
Er. Rupak Lamichhane, a resident of Nepal, completed his undergraduate studies in computer engineering at Khwopa Engineering College in 2016 and began his professional career as programmer at Chhanakya Software. He is currently employed by Non-Resident Association Nepal as an IT officer (in short NRNA). Along with his professional activities, he regularly takes part in community service projects run by local organizations like Social Eye Of Nation and Youth Bhadgaun. He also actively helped with the Nepal Red Cross Society's rescue efforts during the tragic earthquake in April.