Young-Onset Dementia Asia Pacific Key Members
Samantha Loi
Australia
Associate Professor Samantha Loi is an old age psychiatrist and neuropsychiatrist working at the Royal Melbourne Hospital Neuropsychiatry Centre and is Deputy Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne. She works clinically with people with young-onset dementia and has multiple research publications and grant funding in the areas of young-onset dementia, ageing and mental health of older adults. She led the Joint Solutions young-onset dementia project from 2023 to 2025, funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, investigating the gaps and barriers to care for people affected by young-onset dementia.
Samantha is deeply committed to knowledge translation and improving service provision for individuals living with young-onset dementia in Australia. In collaboration with Associate Professor Gary Cheung, she recognised the need for an Asia-Pacific Young-Onset Dementia Network and played a key role in its development. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys baking cakes and is learning how to ocean swim.
Megan Eustace
Australia
Dr Megan Eustace is a Policy Officer with Catholic Health Australia, specialising in aged care policy. Megan holds a PhD in Speech and Language Sciences from the University of Canterbury. Her research experience centred on lived experience and clinical perspectives, focusing on Indigenous-led communication support for families caring for a person with dementia. Megan brings this lens to policy work, aiming to ensure the needs of people with lived experience and healthcare providers are at the centre of decision-making.
Yasmin Tan
Australia
Dr Yasmin Tan contributes advocacy and lived-experience engagement to YOD-APC, supporting regional collaboration across research, policy, and care. She is a Board Member of the Australian Frontotemporal Dementia Association and an active contributor to research, consumer advisory, and advocacy initiatives. Her focus is on advancing person-centred approaches and improving outcomes for families affected by young-onset dementia.
Gary Cheung
New Zealand
Associate Professor Gary Cheung is an academic old-age psychiatrist with a joint appointment at The University of Auckland and Health New Zealand. He is a fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. He was awarded the 2021 Alzheimers New Zealand Fellowship to recognise his contribution to psychosocial dementia research in New Zealand. He co-leads the research and implementation of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy in New Zealand. Gary is an interRAI fellow and chairs the New Zealand interRAI Research Network.
Coming Soon
Key members also include members from the following countries, and more profiles will be added soon:
– China
– Hong Kong SAR, China
– Malaysia
– Singapore
– South Korea
– Thailand
– Vietnam
Samantha Loi
Australia
Associate Professor Samantha Loi is an old age psychiatrist and neuropsychiatrist working at the Royal Melbourne Hospital Neuropsychiatry Centre and is Deputy Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne. She works clinically with people with young-onset dementia and has multiple research publications and grant funding in the areas of young-onset dementia, ageing and mental health of older adults. She led the Joint Solutions young-onset dementia project from 2023 to 2025, funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, investigating the gaps and barriers to care for people affected by young-onset dementia.
Samantha is deeply committed to knowledge translation and improving service provision for individuals living with young-onset dementia in Australia. In collaboration with Associate Professor Gary Cheung, she recognised the need for an Asia-Pacific Young-Onset Dementia Network and played a key role in its development. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys baking cakes and is learning how to ocean swim.
Megan Eustace
Australia
Dr Megan Eustace is a Policy Officer with Catholic Health Australia, specialising in aged care policy. Megan holds a PhD in Speech and Language Sciences from the University of Canterbury. Her research experience centred on lived experience and clinical perspectives, focusing on Indigenous-led communication support for families caring for a person with dementia. Megan brings this lens to policy work, aiming to ensure the needs of people with lived experience and healthcare providers are at the centre of decision-making.
Yasmin Tan
Australia
Dr Yasmin Tan contributes advocacy and lived-experience engagement to YOD-APC, supporting regional collaboration across research, policy, and care. She is a Board Member of the Australian Frontotemporal Dementia Association and an active contributor to research, consumer advisory, and advocacy initiatives. Her focus is on advancing person-centred approaches and improving outcomes for families affected by young-onset dementia.
Gary Cheung
New Zealand
Associate Professor Gary Cheung is an academic old-age psychiatrist with a joint appointment at The University of Auckland and Health New Zealand. He is a fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. He was awarded the 2021 Alzheimers New Zealand Fellowship to recognise his contribution to psychosocial dementia research in New Zealand. He co-leads the research and implementation of Cognitive Stimulation Therapy in New Zealand. Gary is an interRAI fellow and chairs the New Zealand interRAI Research Network.
Coming Soon
Key members also include members from the following countries, and more profiles will be added soon:
– China
– Hong Kong SAR, China
– Malaysia
– Singapore
– South Korea
– Thailand
– Vietnam