Former MasterChef Australia contestant, Juan De La Cruz loves food, nutrition, and is passionate about children experiencing healthy childhoods. Born in Argentina, Juan is one of nine children and as the seventh son of the family. His mother Cristina remains a huge inspiration for him in the kitchen, having cooked four meals a day for 11 people for many years. She taught Juan the power of good food not only to nourish, but as a salve for bad situations. Bad asthma kept Juan indoors as a child, but he became Mum’s official taster, developing his love of food at an early age.
Carly Ryan was 15-years-old when she was murdered by an online predator. It was the first crime of its type in Australia, occurring in 2007 when social media was a new phenomenon and paedophiles were increasing their efforts to infiltrate the online space. Determined to help prevent harm to other innocent children and to help them navigate their online journey safely, Carly’s mum Sonya, shared her lived experience and incorporated The Carly Ryan Foundation (CRF) in 2010 creating an extraordinary legacy.
The Carly Ryan Foundation is broadening its efforts and is now established in the United States and will continue their advocacy to introduce Carly Law there whilst sharing valuable resources and crime prevention initiatives to benefit US citizens and children. This crime type is borderless, offenders can easily access their victims from anywhere in the world, exploiting them under a veil of privacy and anonymity.
Sonya has led efforts for over a decade in Australia to make her home country one of the toughest on online crime and harms. Australia is now an international leader in crime prevention.
Sonya’s lived experience of extreme suffering demonstrates the strength of a mother’s love connection with her daughter – the unparalleled power of love.