 Padmini Saxena
Country of birth: India
Communities represented: Indian, Australian
Languages spoken: English, Hindi, Punjabi
Padmini Saxena is an Indian-Australian educator with a Master’s in Political Science and Education. Having moved to Perth in 2005, she has spent the last 20 years teaching in public schools.
As a CAHS Community Ambassador, Padmini draws on her personal and professional experience to support migrant families, facilitate cultural awareness, and promote access to health services.
She has led initiatives such as Diwali celebrations, Hindi classes, and protective behaviours sessions, and has supported domestic violence victims through the Indian Society of Western Australia.
A former Cultural Ambassador with the City of Canning, she is passionate about inclusive education and health outcomes for children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) and Aboriginal backgrounds.
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 Alia Abdi
Country of birth: New Zealand
Communities represented: Somali, People with Disability
Languages spoken: English, Somali
Alia Abdi is a passionate advocate for inclusive healthcare, representing people with disabilities and CALD backgrounds.
Born in New Zealand and living with cerebral palsy, Alia draws on personal experiences to inform her advocacy work.
She has been recognised with awards including South Metropolitan TAFE’s CALD Student of the Year (2021) and the 2024 Real Storytellers Festival award.
As a CAHS Community Ambassador, she champions equitable healthcare and accessible environments for all children and families, especially those facing systemic barriers.
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 Obang Girma Othow
Country of birth: Ethiopia
Communities represented: Anywaa/Anuak
Languages spoken: English, Anuak
Obang Girma Othow is the Secretary of the Anywaa Community in WA and a dedicated community leader. With experience as an interpreter, educator, and school chaplain, he has worked closely with newly arrived refugees and children.
As a CAHS Community Ambassador, Obang brings insight from personal experience navigating neonatal services for his preterm twins.
He also serves on the Multicultural Advisory Group at The Kids Research Institute, advocating for cultural safety and improved access for underrepresented families in child health services.
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 Elvie Yap
Country of birth: Malaysia
Communities represented: Chinese
Languages spoken: English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, Malay
Elvie Yap has with over 20 years of experience supporting CALD communities through ethnic media and public services.
Originally from Malaysia, she is multilingual and holds a degree in Communications. Elvie has worked with local, state and federal governments, not-for-profits.
As founder of Culture Care WA, she has delivered over 80 community programs promoting health and cultural literacy.
As a CAHS Community Ambassador, Elvie is committed to bridging health access gaps for migrant families.
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 Phuoc Dai Vo
Country of birth:
Communities represented: Vietnamese
Languages spoken: English, Vietnamese
Phuoc Dai Vo, also known as “Vo,” is a Vietnamese community advocate and language teacher.
He works part-time in External Affairs with the Vietnamese Community in Australia (WA) and volunteers teaching Vietnamese to school-aged children.
Vo is passionate about supporting young people to thrive and finds fulfilment in empowering the next generation.
As a CAHS Community Ambassador, he is committed to connecting CALD families with health services and encouraging strong community engagement.
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 Aline (Ali) Arruda
Country of birth: Brazil
Communities represented: Brazilian
Languages spoken: English, Italian, Portuguese
Aline Arruda is a Brazilian-born sustainability officer and library administrator at the Town of Cambridge.
With a background in law, early childhood education, and environmental education, Aline is deeply connected to her community.
She founded a Brazilian Cultural Centre and has led many multicultural events. As a mother of two, she has firsthand experience with CAHS services for her son who was born prematurely.
Through her role as Community Ambassador, she supports multicultural families to confidently access and navigate the health system.
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 Mai Hoang
Country of Birth: Vietnam
Communities represented: Vietnamese
Language spoken: English, Vietnamese
Mai Hoang is a Director Solicitor at Virtuoso Legal. She has a Master of Laws (Majoring in Family Dispute Resolution Practice) and is also a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner.
In May 2022, she was one of three co-founders to officially establish the Vietnamese Women’s Association in WA (WAVNWA). The objectives of WAVNWA are to assist the settlement and harmonious integration of migrants, mainly Vietnamese women and their children, irrespective of age, religion, and ethnic background.
As a CAHS Community Ambassador, Mai Hoang would like to support the women and their young children in understanding and accessing the health care system. She is passionate about assisting women and young children experiencing domestic family violence and overcoming the impacts of separation.
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 Fatima Faqiri
Country of Birth: Afghanistan
Communities represented: Hazara, Afghan
Language spoken: English, Hazaragi, Dari, Persian
Fatima Faqiri is a long-time advocate for equity, inclusion and culturally safe services. Born in Afghanistan, she brings over 16 years of experience in community advocacy, women’s empowerment, and youth and family support.
Fatima is the founder of the Hazara Women Support Network and currently serves as Deputy Secretary of the Federation of Hazara Councils of Australia. She previously worked as a Community Development Officer at the City of Canning and is currently also a Cultural Ambassador for the City of Stirling.
As a certified interpreter, Fatima works directly with community members and sees firsthand the challenges they face in accessing health and social services. She is committed to ensuring that diverse families, especially from refugee and migrant backgrounds, feel heard, respected, and supported in the healthcare system.
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Rachael Burns
Joshua Patrick
Elif Salis