Multicultural Advisory Committee

Rong is a Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking Corps Officer (Pastor) at the Salvation Army in Burwood, where she actively supports vulnerable community members. She brings a deep understanding of the systemic issues faced by multicultural communities, such as poverty, homelessness, and discrimination. Rong is passionate about fostering diversity, inclusion, and belonging, and has experience in advocacy, program development, and community outreach. With strong connections across multicultural groups, Rong plays a key role in developing inclusive initiatives that promote equity and social cohesion in Burwood.

Yiming (Stephen) is a community leader and Board Member of CASS, a major multicultural services organisation. Fluent in Mandarin and English, he has extensive experience in aged care, ICT, and not-for-profit governance. Yiming (Stephen) is particularly passionate about bridging the digital divide for seniors and volunteers his time to teach digital literacy to Chinese-speaking migrants. His leadership and volunteer work reflect a strong commitment to empowering older multicultural Australians and fostering inclusive access to technology and services.

Elizabeth is a Korean community leader and the President of Asian Australian Women Association Incorporated since 2018 and a board member of Wellbeing Strathfield Incorporated. In 2024, she was honoured as Strathfield’s Woman of the Year in recognition of her contributions to the community. Professionally, she is a lawyer and law lecturer, and she is widely known for her tireless advocacy for women’s empowerment, multiculturalism, and diversity. Elizabeth has led and supported numerous community initiatives, including English and computer literacy classes, domestic and family violence prevention programs, and health and wellbeing projects, all aimed at building a more inclusive and supportive society. Elizabeth has also been awarded Community Service Award from the Hon Matt Thistlethwaite, MP of Kingsford Smith.

Trilochan is a passionate advocate for the Nepalese community and a returning MAC member. He is involved in social work through the Nepali Committee for Social Network and plays a key role in helping Burwood Council strengthen its connection to the Nepalese population. Fluent in Nepali, he brings grassroots insights and a strong desire to promote inclusion and representation for his community.

Bob is the leader of the Burwood Business Chamber and Burwood Asian Business Partnership. He is an experienced CPA and Tax Agent in Burwood. Fluent in both English and Mandarin, Bob brings expertise in business operations and multicultural community engagement. As a returning MAC member, he is committed to representing the interests of local small business owners, especially those from CALD backgrounds, and fostering productive dialogue between Council and the business community.

Hwa-Sur is a Korean-English bilingual community leader and President of the Dae Hahn Cultural School (DHCS), which runs weekly cultural programs for seniors. A returning MAC member, she has contributed significantly to liaising between Council and the Korean community. Her work focuses on building safety networks, disseminating critical information, and fostering wellbeing among Korean seniors. Hwa-Sur brings a strong commitment to representing the needs and voices of multicultural residents, particularly older migrants.

Lisa is a policy specialist at NSW Government with an interest in human rights and international relations. She specialises in social policy to support and advocate for the society’s most vulnerable groups and has advised on issues relating to domestic and family violence and child protection. She is fluent in Korean and English. Having studied and worked in various countries including Korea, Japan and Indonesia, Lisa understands the challenges migrant communities face and is committed to fostering a multicultural community in Burwood that celebrates its diversity and holds each other up.

Ronna Guzman is a multilingual multicultural ambassador fluent in Filipino and English. She represents the Filipino community as President of the Philippine Australian Multicultural Association Inc. and Board Director of the Multicultural Communities Council of New South Wales. With over a decade of experience across youth empowerment, aged care, disability support, and emergency services, Ronna manages a home care provider supporting culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) seniors and people with disability in the Burwood area. Her strong local ties, lived experience as a carer, and cross-sector leadership make her a good advocate for inclusive service delivery, social participation, and community empowerment

Lalita Fernandes is a proud Australian of Indian heritage and Goan origin, bringing a rich multicultural perspective shaped by 23 years living and working in Hong Kong before settling in Sydney. She taught for over two decades in primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong and Sydney, including as an ESL specialist, and volunteered teaching adults with disabilities.

Lalita has served on the Board of the Goan Overseas Association of NSW and is a voluntary Scripture teacher at Croydon Park Public School. Her professional background spans banking, hospitality and government services, where she was recognised for outstanding customer service.

A passionate musician, she sings with Strathfield Choir and actively contributes to her local church and community.