About

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Teamsassy

What do our readers and our team have in common? We’ve all fallen in love with the taxi-clogged, dai pai dong-lined, crazy skyscraper city of Hong Kong. Whether we were born and raised here, or arrived as adults, our appetites for all things Hong Kong are insatiable!

We’re here to inject a bit of sass into your day-to-day and help you navigate this buzzing metropolis…make the most out of life in the city that truly never sleeps! From swanky bars with a view, to hole-in-the-wall eateries, to fail-safe shopping spots, to our favourite hikes, we scour the streets to find all the very best that Hong Kong has to offer (in our humble opinions!).

  • The team
  • The contributors

MAURA THOMPSON

DIRECTOR
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PAULA SAILES

CEO
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ELLY LIU

OFFICE MANAGER
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SUCHETANA MUKHOPADHYAY

EXECUTIVE EDITOR
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ANNA LENTCHNER

EDITOR
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RAVEENA RAGHUNATH

EDITOR
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GRACE MA

CREATIVE & SOCIAL LEAD
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MEGAN JOHNSTON

DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR
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EMILY CHU

PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER
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JOWELL SHEK

PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER
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SARAH BUCKELL

PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER
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RADHA SAMBHWANI

CLIENT ENGAGEMENT EXECUTIVE
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GENNY GRIFFITHS

CLIENT ENGAGEMENT EXECUTIVE
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MAURA THOMPSON
DIRECTOR

Originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA), Maura lived in Hong Kong from 2008-2023 and is now based in Singapore. Maura calls herself an accidental entrepreneur because when she co-founded Sassy in 2009 it started out as a hobby. Many years later it has grown to include 2 brands (Sassy and Sassy Mama) across multiple locations (Hong Kong and Singapore). She has loved seeing the brands grow over the years and is in awe of the impressive team who continue to inspire her with their hard work and creativity. Maura is a mom of 2 (in the tween/teen age range) and she loves her daily walks with her dog. As an aspiring surfer, she is ready to stop talking about a surf/yoga retreat and hopes that this is the year she finally books one.

What I love about Hong Kong

Foot massages. Being able to easily do a hike, beach trip and city drinks all in one day. The beautiful pastel colours on the apartment buildings (you just have to look up to appreciate them!).

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PAULA SAILES
CEO

Originally from the north of England, Paula has called Hong Kong home since 2008. She’s travelled the world in international media, pursuing her passion for storytelling in all its forms and spending over 15 years in global newsrooms, including senior leadership roles at CNN, Bloomberg and CNBC. Before arriving at Sassy, Paula ran her own content consultancy for five years, helping brands tell stories people want to read, watch and share.

Now, Paula pours that experience into growing Sassy across Hong Kong and Singapore, mixing serious media credentials with her love of fun, food and female-forward content. A born people‑person, she loves building teams, mentoring talent and creating spaces where great ideas can thrive. A mum to two kids and two more fur babies, she lives in Sai Kung, soaking up Hong Kong’s natural beauty. When she’s off duty, you’ll find her at the beach, having fun with her kids or enjoying the occasional waterfront cocktail (preferably with a side of fries).

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ELLY LIU
OFFICE MANAGER

I was born and raised in China, and moved to Hong Kong in 2013. I’m a huge fan of wildlife, the outdoors and pandas (I can spend an entire day watching videos of pandas eating bamboo). Living in Hong Kong lets me enjoy eating endless dim sum, taking in the gorgeous harbour views and being a part of team Sassy.

What I love about Hong Kong

How easy it is to travel to nearby countries, hiking trails and the incredible theme parks!

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SUCHETANA MUKHOPADHYAY
EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Suchetana swapped a corporate career in India for lifestyle journalism in Hong Kong 9 years ago and hasn’t looked back since. With published work in major publications in Hong Kong and abroad, she is always on the lookout for the next untold story. She loves reading as much as she does writing and can often be found engrossed in her Kindle on the MTR or a cafe.

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ANNA LENTCHNER
EDITOR

After living in seven different cities, Anna recently returned to the 852 and is reacquainting herself with the city’s ever-changing neighbourhoods. She is especially passionate about sexual health and politics, and is enjoying exploring Hong Kong's burgeoning queer scene.

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RAVEENA RAGHUNATH
EDITOR

Veena was born and raised in Hong Kong and (after IB in Thailand and Uni in the UK) has now returned after 10 years abroad. While she reacquaints herself with the city, you’ll find her scouring the streets searching for affordable sushi and cafes serving Oat Milk Mochas, scribbling down random pieces of poetry and dialogue for her future novel, binge-watching tv shows like she has nothing better to do, and discovering all the ways HK has changed in the last decade.

Her work encompasses both Sassy and Sassy Mama and she loves that she gets to dabble in everything possible until she finds what she’s most passionate about (it will probably be food-related!).

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GRACE MA
CREATIVE & SOCIAL LEAD

Born and raised in 852, Grace is a creative soul with a passion for art, fashion and hunting for some good coffee! She expresses herself through painting and photography, always appreciating beauty in her surroundings. During her free time, she enjoys reading with a cup of coffee in hand.

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MEGAN JOHNSTON
DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Megan is a self professed film, fashion and foodie fanantic who loves to explore everything the city has to offer, from hiking hidden trails to finding the best happy hour deals in town. On her days off you'll often find her chilling at the beach, coconut in hand with her dog Riley or planning her next tropical holiday.

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EMILY CHU
PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER

Born and raised in the UK, Emily moved to Hong Kong in 2011 in a quest to learn more about her roots and heritage. She loves to cook and can often be found in her local wet markets seeking out fresh produce for her culinary creations. When not obsessing about her next meal, she enjoys hiking, board games and finding new ways to burn calories. Emily focuses on partnerships with Sassy.

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JOWELL SHEK
PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER

Born and raised in the 852, Jowell is a proud purebred Hongkie. After hotel school, she served smiles through the skies as a flight attendant, landed in venture investment and the glitz and glamour of the luxury industry, before finding her way to Sassy. Off the clock, you can catch her obsessing over cute hamster videos, perfecting her downward dog at yoga, at a modelling gig, or on her quest in search of the best fish siumais in town.

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SARAH BUCKELL
PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER

With roots in the Philippines and the UK, Sarah proudly calls 852 home. Her career has been a journey of curiosity, from e-commerce start-ups to the fast-paced world of insurance, before finding her perfect fit at Sassy. When not working, you’ll likely catch her exploring Hong Kong’s best eats, hiking its scenic trails or daydreaming about her next holiday.

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RADHA SAMBHWANI
CLIENT ENGAGEMENT EXECUTIVE

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Radha ventured to the UK for university before returning home and finding her way to Team Sassy. With a background spanning editorial, social media and digital marketing, she's always been drawn to communication, storytelling and keeping projects running smoothly. When she's not organising timelines and ticking things off her to-do list, she's probably enjoying a dim sum brunch, hunting for the city's best cheung fun or convincing friends that ordering one more basket is always a good idea.

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GENNY GRIFFITHS
CLIENT ENGAGEMENT EXECUTIVE

Genny has lived in Hong Kong for 10 years and is still discovering it — as part of Team Sassy or after hours with her husband and kids. She loves food, travel and art. Genny grew up near Washington, D.C. and worked in media and marketing in Guangzhou, Beijing and New York before moving to Hong Kong. Catch her pedalling her bike around Sai Kung or flooding your group chat with breastfeeding trivia.

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