Meet the team
Dr Yi Wu
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
Dr Yi Wu is an experienced cross-cultural researcher and counsellor. After growing up in China and studying psychology in the UK and Netherlands, including a PhD from Maastricht University, she has worked on research and consultancy projects across China and Europe. Yi combines her deep passion for psychology and academia with her personal experiences of overcoming childhood body image concerns to conduct research that is culturally sensitive, empathetic, and designed for real world impact.
Recent projects include the investigation of cosmetic surgery intentions and support interventions for women, the impact of social media on well-being, girls’ attitudes towards sport, and the development and validation of reliable ways to measure body image. Her research has been widely publicised in academic journals and international news outlets.
Ms Aline Tinoco
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
A Mexico City native, Ms Aline Tinoco is a public health expert, academic and dietitian. She is passionate about promoting a holistic approach to girls’ and women’s health and well-being. Alongside consulting, she is a Research Associate at the Centre for Appearance Research, University of the West of England. Her ambition is to create platforms, policies and strategies for girls and women in Mexico and Latin America to help them express their concerns and realise their hopes for a more inclusive society.
With over a decade of experience working with underserved communities in Mexico and internationally on projects spanning body image, maternal health, menstruation and child labour, her past clients and collaborators include Oxfam, UNICEF, Dove, Nike, Save the Children and Action Against Hunger.
Professor Ayu Saraswati
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
Dr Saraswati is an immigrant woman of color, award-winning author, and Professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa.
Ayu is an advocate for the wellbeing of girls and women of Southeast Asia, and attributes her lived experience as a beauty pageant winner as the catalyst for pursuing a research career in body image, media representation, and women’s issues. She is an esteemed author, with numerous publications spanning academia and mainstream media on the sociocultural pressures faced by Southeast Asian women.
Professor Fiona Kate Barlow
ASSOCIATE CONSULTANT
Dr Fiona Kate Barlow is a Professor in Social Psychology at The University of Queensland, Australia. She is a leading international expert in the field of prejudice and discrimination, with a particular focus on how injustice and representation can affect the mental health and well-being of minority groups.
Fiona has gained recognition for her work into the body image and mental health experiences of ‘invisible’ communities, including mid-life women, older adults and sexual minorities. She is recognised by the Australian Research Council as a Future Fellow, and regularly works with governments, media and nonprofits to create more equitable societies.