“Change your opinions, keep to your principles;

change your leaves, keep intact your roots.”

Dr Loretta “Retta” Tam is a linguist, anthropologist and career educator from a multicultural background. She specialises in the theoretical and applied aspects of Intercultural Communication, Professional Education, and Personal Growth.

A native of Hong Kong, she has spent her youth in Asia, Australia, and Europe. Prior to her 12-year tenure at the University of Hong Kong, she worked as a verbal branding specialist and executive language trainer serving a global clientele. She has also taught Chinese and English in secondary schools.

Retta has designed, delivered and led professional programs in Strategic Intercultural Communication, Team Building, Branding, Diversity and Inclusion (D&I), Career Development Skills, and In-service Teacher Education. Participants of her bespoke training came from a wide variety of cultures and professions. She also offers localised versions of international programs on personal growth, such as Personality Dimensions® and PREPARE/ENRICH.

As a scholarly practitioner, Retta has been an active researcher in Diaspora and Migration, Innovative Pedagogies, Socioemotional Wellbeing, and Teacher Professional Development. Retta has published 30+ co-authored journal articles and conference papers on these subject matters. She has also edited or translated 15+ books on history, education, as well as science and nature.

Having a passion for empowering youth through skill development and mental resilience, Retta has been involved in various experiential learning programs as program leader, advisor, and mentor. She has also been serving on nonprofit boards and adjudication panels of major inter-school contests in Hong Kong.