Christian Yu Perez

Founding & Executive Director

Chris has twins with special needs; her son has classic autism and cerebral-palsy, and his twin sister has Global Developmental Delay (GDD).  In their attempts to help their children, Chris and her husband have attempted most conventional therapies, with little progress until they stumbled upon The Son-Rise Program® in 2012.  When Chris tried “joining” her son in his world of autism, she felt the instant connection: smiles and laughter.

Since then, both Chris and her husband have undergone advanced training at the Autism Treatment Center of America. This program has turned their lives around, from great despair, not understanding what the future held for their special-needs twins, to abundant happiness and limitless potential!

Chris and her husband are both passionate advocators of the program.  Chris has a blog (www.twinsonrise.com) through which she has gathered a following of parents searching for answers. She is also the Embrace Autism power-house behind spreading the message to parents far and wide.

Dr. Suzanne Goh

Executive Director

Suzanne is a medical doctor who has been practicing in the field of Pediatric Medicine for almost 20 years. She is also an assistant professor and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs in the only graduate medical school in Singapore. All that did not prepare her for the reality of having a child on the autism spectrum. All the expert knowledge did not make it any easier or less frustrating to navigate the world of therapy, special schools and indeed, just raising a child with autism. So when she and her husband, Paul, discovered The Son-Rise Program®, it seemed truly a Godsend.  It renewed their hope and taught them to believe in their son’s potential as well as in themselves as parents.

Since starting this journey, Zachary, their son, has blossomed incredibly; moving from being pre-verbal and echolalic, to speaking in full sentences, asking questions and commenting on the world around him; from playing repetitively on his own to actively seeking and preferring to play with others in the playroom and so much more!

Having been so transformed by this program, she would like to share this gift with other parents facing similar challenges. Since becoming the director, she has been instrumental in bringing The Son-Rise Program® not only to Singapore, but also to the surrounding countries, including Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam.

Paul Chan

Finance Director

Paul is a private chef who also has a finance background. He is passionate about everything he does, from all things food, to leading worship in church and now to being the most incredible relationship ambassador in the Son-Rise Program® Playroom to his son, Zachary. He has spent countless hours training many volunteers to use the Son-Rise techniques to engage Zach more effectively, and in the process, has inspired many of the volunteers to grow and surmount challenges in their own lives. He has seen Zach emerge from his world to begin engaging with the people and the world around him and he is so honoured to be a part of that journey.

Having been so personally blessed by this program, he is determined to bring such joy and hope to other parents too, and has been working tirelessly to organise the various Son-Rise Program® courses in Singapore and the region around.

Marie Lynn Haas

Founding Director & Advisor

Together with her colleagues, Marie is a founding director of Embrace Autism. Now she serves as an advisor to the organization’s current board of directors. Marie also works as an International Projects Coordinator for The Autism Treatment Center of America®. Prior to Embrace Autism, she was a Son-Rise Program® playroom volunteer.

Marie’s passion for this work emerged from her research as an independent dance artist and improviser. Her interest lies in understanding how modes of non-verbal communication utilized among dance ensembles can foster empathy and interaction in social contexts outside the realm of dance, particularly in therapeutic practices for children with Autism or related developmental difficulties.

She received her B.A. from Bennington College and since that time has also been a member of Susan Sgorbati’s Emergent Improvisation Project. In collaboration with Sgorbati and longtime dance partner Emily Climer, Marie recently collaborated on the chapbook: Emergent Improvisation; on the nature of spontaneous composition where dance meets science. Her work with autistic children serves equally as the platform for her latest explorations in the dance studio.

Loh Zhen

Embrace Autism Consultant 

Loh Zhen is an autism professional. With 9 years of experience and counting, she has already clocked in thousands of hours working with many children and adults. Prior to graduating with her BSc in Psychology from the University of Wollongong, she has already been supporting local and global families with their person-focused, play-based program.

From Autism to Asperger’s to Global Developmental Delay, Loh Zhen has been a part of many transformations and progresses. She also coaches volunteers and collaborates with parents actively to customize learning strategies fitted to their children’s strengths. 

Loh Zhen believes that communication is for all, and is persistent about helping people with autism develop effective social communication skills.  With her team, she is committed to empowering families and changing the narrative of autism in Singapore. 

Cherlyn

Embrace Autism Play Affiliate

Starting off her Son-Rise Program®️ experience as a volunteer, Cherlyn has worked with autism individuals for 5 years. The bonds formed in the playroom has inspired her to step up professionally as an advocator of the program.

Graduating with a BSc in Psychology from the University of Wollongong, Cherlyn worked full time in an IT company, before making the switch to being an Embrace Autism Play Affiliate. Having witnessed the impactful transformations in both herself and the families she has worked with, Cherlyn now supports families in the playroom with her amazing joining and game ideas.

The connections she has with children and teenagers in the playroom excites her, energizing her to spread that joy and love to more families around the world.