Tania Karen de JongAM[1] is an Australian soprano, social entrepreneur, businesswoman, motivational speaker, and event producer. She is the founder of Creative Innovation Global, Creative Universe, Creativity Australia, Dimension5, Music Theatre Australia, Pot-Pourri, and the Song Room, and co-founder of Mind Medicine Australia. De Jong was named one of the "100 Most Influential People in Psychedelics" globally by Psychedelic Invest in 2021.[2]
De Jong's maternal grandfather, Karl Duldig, a Polish refugee living in Vienna who escaped the Holocaust with his family, ultimately landing in Australia, was a Vienna-trained sculptor. Her maternal grandmother, Slawa Duldig, also trained as a sculptor in Vienna, and invented the world's first modern folding umbrella.[6] Her maternal grandparents’ former home in Melbourne's Malvern East now operates as a museum named the 'Duldig Studio'.[10]
De Jong and her parents moved from the Netherlands to Melbourne, Australia, when de Jong was one year old.[11]
Aged 14, de Jong was advised by a friend not to undertake singing lessons. She nevertheless auditioned for the chorus of her school's performance of Oklahoma at age 17, and was cast in the lead role.[14]
De Jong is the Founder of Creative Innovation Global, Creative Universe (transformational leadership programs to inspire people to find their voice, and to bring greater wellbeing, engagement, and innovation into organisations), Creativity Australia, Dimension5, Music Theatre Australia, Pot-Pourri, and The Song Room (which has provided access to creative learning for 250,000 disadvantaged Australian children), and co-founder of Mind Medicine Australia.[21][22][23][24] De Jong is known to encourage creative innovation whilst highlighting the interests of marginalised and disadvantaged Australians through her various enterprises.[6][25][26]
As an event producer, de Jong has hosted nine events focused on "Creative Innovation" in Melbourne, Australia.[27] She is known for advocating for policy change and unity across the business, education, industry, community, and creative sectors during times of anticipated social disruption and change known otherwise as disruptive innovation.[17][28]
De Jong was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2008 for service to the arts as a performer and entrepreneur and through the establishment and development of music and arts enrichment programs for schools and communities.[36][37] She was named in The Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence awards in the Arts, Culture and Sport category in 2018.[38] She was also named in Richtopia's list of Top 100 Most Influential Australian Entrepreneurs.[39]
^Christensen, Clayton M.; Raynor, Michael E.; McDonald, Rory (1 December 2015). "What Is Disruptive Innovation?". Harvard Business Review (December 2015).