Our Team

Gretchen Ryan

• Social worker with a 40-year career.

• Director of Mother's Choice, supporting children with special needs and strengthening families.

• Trustee of Home Of Loving Faithfulness, providing lifelong care for those with IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities).

• Director at Shepherds College 3-year accredited program, providing life skills, vocational training, and appropriate independence.

• Mother to an adult son with IDD who has achieved Appropriate Independence.

Debbie Chin

• Currently serves as Executive Director, Resource Partner Development at ELIC, with a focus on some of the poorest communities and hardest-to-reach places, where access to quality education and learning support is often most limited.

• Consultant to the Boards of several Mongolian non-profit organisations, supporting children at risk through education, training, and life journey development.

• Brings over 20 years of APAC experience across the consumer, retail, and multinational FMCG sectors, with board-relevant expertise in business transformation, complex stakeholder management, rapid growth, long-term profitability, and operational simplification.

Shannon Hilliard

• Founder and Director of Marvel Ministry at Island ECC, supporting over 100 families with IDD.

• Pediatric Nurse specializing in care and support for children.

• Advocate and mentor actively involved in Marvel Ministry alongside her young adult with IDD. 

Kristen Lewis
Head of Trainer

• Over 13 years working in public, private, international, and local educational settings in the US, South America, and Asia specializing in special education, neurodiversity, teacher development, and post-secondary transitions

• Nation-wide trainer and lecturer at universities, schools, and conferences in Vietnam bringing expertise about neurodiversity, safeguarding, and disability inclusion

• Former Special Education Consultant, Program Development Lead, and Employment Inclusion Specialist for Imago Work (Vietnam) and former Instructor & Teaching & Learning Coordinator at Shepherds College (Wisconsin)

• Holds a Master of Urban Education (Union University), a B.A. in Special & Early Childhood Education (Cedarville University), and a graduate certificate in Teaching Adult Learners (University of Wisconsin-Stout) as well as additional training in trauma, Trust-Based Relational Intervention, special education leadership, and disability theology

Natalie Platon Chan

• Educator with more than 15 years of experience across K-12 education, intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) support, and youth ministry. Brings extensive classroom teaching experience and a relationship-centered, individualized approach to helping students grow academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

• Served in Los Angeles-area schools and youth-serving organizations, including more than ten years at KIPP SoCal Public Schools and roles with the Los Angeles Unified School District, School on Wheels, and City Year Los Angeles. She has taught students across diverse socioeconomic and cultural communities, including Skid Row and Boyle Heights, tailoring instruction to students’ individual strengths and learning needs.

• Experienced mentor teacher and instructional coach, guiding resident teachers pursuing their master’s degrees and equipping emerging educators with practical instructional strategies and adaptive teaching approaches. She has supported teachers in building the confidence and skills needed to create engaging, inclusive learning environments.

• Holds a B.A. in Psychology and B.A. in Spanish from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and a California teaching credential through CalStateTEACH.

Ivy Leung

• ⁠Dedicated educator with 30 years of experience across secondary and tertiary education, specializing in learner diversity, Special Educational Needs (SEN) support, and adaptive curriculum design.

• Spearheaded customized pull-out programs and tailored learning interventions designed to support SEN students and struggling learners in overcoming academic barriers.

• Experienced English Department Panel Head with a strong commitment to holistic student development, cross-cultural exposure through overseas excursions, and AI-assisted inclusive learning platforms.

• Holds a Diploma in Special Education (HKUSPACE), Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics (HKU), Diploma in TESL (CUHK), Certificate of Education (HKU), Master of Religious Education (CBSBC, Canada), and a B.A. from McMaster University (Canada).