Sheryn Knaïder, known as "The Disruptive Creator," is a professional who believes in unlocking solutions within challenges by embracing the power of perspective.

With a focus on transforming adversity into achievement and the need for constant reinvention, Sheryn emphasizes the importance of creativity and Problem Solving in navigating today's complex business landscape.

She applies her expertise in various ways: as a Multilingual Keynote Speaker, Trainer, Coach, Consultant, and Author.

Fluent in French, Italian, English, and Arabic, she excels in creative problem-solving, offering solutions to individuals and organizations seeking to thrive in challenging environments.

In addition to her professional endeavors, Sheryn is the Founding President of the Professional Speakers Association of MENA & GCC - PSA Arabia, where her mission is to give a voice to women in these regions and empower them to speak up.

She is also a stand-up comedian in both English and Arabic language.

Sheryn Knaïder, known as "The Disruptive Creator," is a professional who believes in unlocking solutions within challenges by embracing the power of perspective. With a focus on transforming adversity into achievement and the need for constant r... Show more

Tariq Ali Cayne, also known as TAC, is a distinguished educator, speaker, and business professional dedicated to fostering growth and development across diverse audiences. As the Co-Founder and Coaching Director of Pitch Play Co., he integrates gamification into career coaching, making professional development both engaging and accessible.

With a robust background that includes teaching mathematics and serving in various capacities at Fortune 500 companies, Tariq has honed his expertise in business analysis, operations management, and program management. His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Georgia State University, complemented by Lean Six Sigma, Scrum Mastery, Data Analytics, and Digital Transformation certifications from esteemed institutions such as Cornell University and MIT.

Tariq's speaking engagements are characterized by his strategic mindset and competitive nature, which he attributes to his lifelong passions as a curious scholar, enthusiastic gamer, and basketball aficionado. He emphasizes the importance of personal investment and continuous learning, inspiring audiences to view business as a game that can be mastered with the right approach.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Tariq is an avid gamer, traveler, and culinary enthusiast, bringing a well-rounded perspective to his coaching and speaking engagements. He aims to empower individuals to achieve their career goals by making career development fun and approachable.

Tariq Ali Cayne, also known as TAC, is a distinguished educator, speaker, and business professional dedicated to fostering growth and development across diverse audiences. As the Co-Founder and Coaching Director of Pitch Play Co., he integrates gamif... Show more

Eran Yahav is the CTO of Tabnine and a professor of Computer Science at the Technion, Israel. His research interests include program synthesis, machine learning for code, program analysis, and program verification. Eran loves long-distance running, and while he hasn’t yet won any medals, he has suffered at least one instance of heatstroke while trying.

Eran Yahav is the CTO of Tabnine and a professor of Computer Science at the Technion, Israel. His research interests include program synthesis, machine learning for code, program analysis, and program verification. Eran loves long-distance running, a... Show more

Cortina Jenelle Caldwell, MAML is on a mission to make the world, or at least her corner of it, a better place. Since the age of 12, Cortina has been a student of creativity and entrepreneurship, learning at the hands of elders, mentors and teachers in the rural South about how to serve, how to build good business and how to be a leader in life. Having to overcome the challenges of being born to teenage parents, the strife of poverty and the slippery slope of wanting to “make it out”, Cortina had an early passion to build the life God envisioned for her and go beyond the limitations imposed upon her by society. The early teachings to pursue an education, keep God first in all things and be a good human paid off and her life is an ongoing testament to the power of hard work, strategy, resilience, authenticity and working from the heart. Since 2004, Cortina has been speaking to audiences all over the world, seeking to ignite hope and courage in others. Notable achievements in her career include:

EPA & Tuskegee University, Environmental Justice Fellow, 2024;
River City Company, Emerging Producers Fellow, 2024;
ArtsBuild Periscope CHA Fellow, 2024;
Certified ICAgile Professional, 2023;
KNOW Global, Notable Women: Asheville, 2020;
Tzedek Impact Award, 2019;
Certified Grant Writing Professional, 2018;
Certified Creative Facilitator, 2016;
Masters of Art in Business Management & Leadership, 2015;
40 Under Forty: Asheville, 2013;
Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 2012;
Phi Alpha Honor Society, 2008; and
Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, 2005.

Cortina Jenelle Caldwell, MAML is on a mission to make the world, or at least her corner of it, a better place. Since the age of 12, Cortina has been a student of creativity and entrepreneurship, learning at the hands of elders, mentors and teachers ... Show more

I have a degree in Physics and Astronomy, but I work in IT. Okay, nothing special there. The unlikely thing is that before I ventured into the "exact sciences" (a somewhat inaccurate label, by the way), I actually completed 6 semesters of Literature. So, I have some "humanities" in my academic background. Okay, but what career doesn't? Details of my profile that might give you an idea of ​​the line I want to take in my content production.

My completed writing projects are: editorial and writing for the pop culture and science dissemination magazine Geeky~iD, as well as authoring the book “A Paisagem Limpido ~ Gênese vampírica”. I also wrote research and dissemination articles on Physics, Epistemology, Ancient History, Comparative Religions and Mythology.

As academic activities, I coordinated the UFF/Unesco extension project in Environmental Education, gave lectures at research institutes on Climate Change, clean energy, sustainable development, astronomy, quantum theory, relativity, philosophy of science, data science and artificial intelligence.

I have a degree in Physics and Astronomy, but I work in IT. Okay, nothing special there. The unlikely thing is that before I ventured into the "exact sciences" (a somewhat inaccurate label, by the way), I actually completed 6 semesters of Literature.... Show more

IEEE and Gartner keynote speaker, Renata Loureiro Frade is a PhD Candidate in Information and Communication in Digital Platforms at the University of Aveiro and University of Porto, Portugal. Her research focuses on women in technology communities, digital storytelling, and technofeminism.
Frade has over 20 years of experience as a hybrid professional combining academic research, multiplatform content strategy and production, innovative projects, consulting, and digital ethnography. She is passionate about empowering women to work and become entrepreneurs in IT and STEAM fields, promoting diversity and inclusion.

Attendee in Futures of Entertainment transmedia conference with Dr. Henry Jenkins in MIT MediaLab (2012) and Future of Media conference in Stanford Graduate School of Business at the Stanford University (2016). Artificial Intelligence researcher at the Cátedra Oscar Sala at the University of São Paulo.

As an accomplished author and researcher, Renata Frade has published numerous academic papers and articles on topics related to women in technology, digital storytelling, and technological feminism. She co-edited the book "Technofeminism: Multi and Transdisciplinary Contemporary Views of Women in Technology" (2023) and has presented her research at international conferences.

Frade's work has been recognized with several awards and scholarships, including the Santander Coders 2023 award and a Research Scholarship from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for her doctoral studies.

In addition to her academic pursuits, Renata Frade is an active science communicator, frequently contributing articles to media outlets (Digitalks PT, Sapo, Público, Mídia Ninja etc) and speaking at industry events on topics related to women in technology, digital innovation, and transmedia storytelling. She has also led several impactful projects, such as Punch! for Writers, Menino da Terra book app and LitGrilsBr, including developing educational platforms and organizing academic conferences.

Her commitment to staying at the forefront of digital innovation is evident in her pursuit of UX Design Fundamentals specialization from the California Institute of Arts and UX/UI and Interface Design at the University of São Paulo. She's been invited to interviews to digital influencers and press-media such as Público Portuguese newspaper.

Frade holds a Master's degree in Literature from the State University of Rio de Janeiro and a Bachelor's degree in Social Communication (Journalism) from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Her interdisciplinary background uniquely positions her at the intersection of technology, communication, and social impact.

IEEE and Gartner keynote speaker, Renata Loureiro Frade is a PhD Candidate in Information and Communication in Digital Platforms at the University of Aveiro and University of Porto, Portugal. Her research focuses on women in technology communities, d... Show more

Susi Bauer (She/her or They/them) is a freelance ADHD Coach, Facilitator, Training Designer, and consultant.

After a decade in the video games industry, she changed career paths following a late ADHD diagnosis. Her mission is to share kind conversations, knowledge, and tools with individuals and organisations to foster growth. Susi loves to collaborate to find better answers to old questions and create spaces where everyone's needs are recognised and met.

As a coach, she helps people embrace their authentic, curious selves. She's qualified in Knowledge-Based Coaching & ADHD Coaching and often works with adults with ADHD, entry- to mid-level managers, career changers, and leaders of volunteer organisations.
She also offers training, facilitation, and consulting to organisations and teams.

Susi Bauer (She/her or They/them) is a freelance ADHD Coach, Facilitator, Training Designer, and consultant. After a decade in the video games industry, she changed career paths following a late ADHD diagnosis. Her mission is to share kind convers... Show more

Paul Hylenski is an accomplished Aerospace Business Leader based in Maryland. Paul started his leadership journey during his time in the United States Marine Corps. With over 20 years of experience in the aerospace industry, Paul is passionate about leadership and human dynamics. Paul has implemented psychological safety and social engineering principles to create environments where individuals can thrive.
As a thought leader, Paul has written numerous articles on human-centric leadership and maintains a popular LinkedIn newsletter dedicated to the subject. He has also authored books such as "Culture Change through Environment Change," "Coaching for Growth," and "Error-Proofing Humans." These publications showcase his expertise and provide guidance for aspiring leaders in the aerospace industry.
With a track record of success and a genuine commitment to empowering others, Paul Hylenski continues to make significant contributions to aerospace manufacturing. His leadership philosophy and dedication to human dynamics inspire positive and transformative change within organizations.

Paul Hylenski is an accomplished Aerospace Business Leader based in Maryland. Paul started his leadership journey during his time in the United States Marine Corps. With over 20 years of experience in the aerospace industry, Paul is passionate about... Show more

M. Castro Gbêmêmali Hounmenou holds a PhD in Statistics-Probability and is a post-doctoral researcher in Biostatistics and Artificial Intelligence at the Research and Training Center in Infectiology of Guinea (CERFIG), Gamal Nasser University of Conakry, Guinea. Previously, he was a Lecturer-Researcher at the Laboratory of Biometrics and Forestry Estimations at the University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin. He actively participates in various scientific communities, contributing to fields such as biostatistics, applied statistics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, climate change, agriculture, environment, and public health. He has received several awards, including the best poster award for his doctoral thesis work at the Doctoral School of Excellence Centers of Benin of the World Bank in 2021, and was nominated in 2024 among 'World Top Scientists' in the 'Best Research Article Award' category in Biostatistics. Recently, he has been appointed as a Lecturer-Researcher in Artificial Intelligence at the University of Labé. Contact: +22995306612/+224627812787, castrohounmenou@gmail.com

M. Castro Gbêmêmali Hounmenou holds a PhD in Statistics-Probability and is a post-doctoral researcher in Biostatistics and Artificial Intelligence at the Research and Training Center in Infectiology of Guinea (CERFIG), Gamal Nasser University of Cona... Show more

I am a Senior Developer at Hitachi Solutions and a freelance developer for my company The Bunny Network. I'm a wife, and mother of an amazing 10 year old. A third generation printer on both sides of my family, I have ink in my veins and a love of the printed word. I'm also into genealogy, historical preservation, and bicycling.

I am a Senior Developer at Hitachi Solutions and a freelance developer for my company The Bunny Network. I'm a wife, and mother of an amazing 10 year old. A third generation printer on both sides of my family, I have ink in my veins and a love of the... Show more

Beril is a growth marketer with a deep background in consumer psychology. She currently leads multi-market acquisition at ClassPass, managing £10M+ annual performance budgets and scaling growth across global regions. With 6+ years of experience across startups, scaleups and global brands, her work focuses on how people really think and decide — not just what dashboards show.

She holds both a BA and MSc in psychology, specialising in consumer behaviour at King’s College London, and works at the intersection of growth strategy, behavioural science, and human-centred decision design.

Beril is a growth marketer with a deep background in consumer psychology. She currently leads multi-market acquisition at ClassPass, managing £10M+ annual performance budgets and scaling growth across global regions. With 6+ years of experience acros... Show more

Friendly, Curious, Eclectic;

Patrick Trierweiler is a security-focused compliance professional with 200+ closed engagements and currently working as a Compliance Analyst for Steel Patriot Partners. A Florida State University CCI Alumni, an Eagle Scout, and Writer for the ISACA Blog from time to time. He weirder articles regarding emerging technology and the Tech/Cybersecurity side of the Video Game Industry can be found on his LinkedIn.

Patrick dived straight into the IT Audit and Cyber Security space out of College in 2019 and has seen a lot during his 7 year tenure in the industry. Joining A-LIGN during a time of exponential growth where each year both the companies revenue and his team doubled in size. During his time there he went from SOC 2 IT Associate Auditor to FedRAMP Manager. Performing and SOC 1 ITGC+BP, SOC 2, HIPAA, SSPA, Ransomware Preparedness, FedRAMP, FISMA, and NIST 800 engagements including full audits, readiness assessments and gap assessments. As well as sitting on the Methodology, Training, and GRC committees creating trainings, controls, and testing methods.

He Left A-LIGN in late 2023 and has worked in the FedRAMP/IT Consulting space ever since. Today, he designs, builds, and maintains Security Compliance Programs in the private sector.

Patrick lives the greater Tampa Bay area and is always looking for ways to assist the community. He mentors and performs resume critiques for Veterans, College Kids, and generally anyone interested in breaking into Tech and IT Audit.

Friendly, Curious, Eclectic; Patrick Trierweiler is a security-focused compliance professional with 200+ closed engagements and currently working as a Compliance Analyst for Steel Patriot Partners. A Florida State University CCI Alumni, an Eagle S... Show more

I am a systems thinker, AI governance practitioner, and founder of the Regen AI Institute, where I develop system-level approaches to Responsible and Safe AI. My work focuses on the intersection of human cognition, organizational decision-making, and artificial intelligence, with the goal of designing AI systems that remain stable, trustworthy, and resilient at scale.
My background spans enterprise transformation, data-driven decision systems, and AI deployment in complex organizational and regulated environments. Through hands-on work with large-scale AI and automation initiatives, I observed that many AI failures do not originate from technical limitations, but from misalignment between human incentives, institutional decision structures, and machine intelligence.
I am the originator of the Cognitive Alignment framework, which reframes Responsible AI as a coordination challenge across human, organizational, and machine cognition rather than a purely ethical or compliance-driven exercise. My research draws on systems theory, cognitive science, and cybernetics, and is applied to AI governance, risk management, and human–AI collaboration.
I publish and speak on Cognitive Alignment, AI governance, and the emerging Cognitive Economy, with a focus on translating Responsible AI principles into operational practice. My work aims to help organizations design AI systems that support high-quality decision-making under complexity, rather than amplify systemic risk.

I am a systems thinker, AI governance practitioner, and founder of the Regen AI Institute, where I develop system-level approaches to Responsible and Safe AI. My work focuses on the intersection of human cognition, organizational decision-making, and... Show more

Abdouramane Issoufa est un leader scout et acteur communautaire engagé sur les questions de droits numériques, de cybersécurité et de lutte contre la désinformation dans les pays du Sahel. Il est coordinateur régional des Cyber-Gardiens pour le projet Laafi-Kurabi, couvrant le Mali, le Niger et le Burkina Faso, et chef d’équipe du projet Digitalise Youth Niger, une initiative portée par des jeunes pour promouvoir un usage responsable et sécurisé du numérique. Son travail repose sur des approches de terrain, centrées sur les langues locales, l’implication des jeunes et l’adaptation aux réalités des communautés rurales et périurbaines.

Abdouramane Issoufa est un leader scout et acteur communautaire engagé sur les questions de droits numériques, de cybersécurité et de lutte contre la désinformation dans les pays du Sahel. Il est coordinateur régional des Cyber-Gardiens pour le proje... Show more

Chad Shomura is Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of Colorado, Denver. His research interests include political thought, affect, biopolitics, new materialism, and ecology. His recent publications are in Capacities To: Affect Up Against Fascism, Theory & Event, American Quarterly, and Oxford Encyclopedia of Asian American Literature and Culture. Chad's current book project, A Life Otherwise, examines minor assemblies of life that upset the good life. His website is chadshomura.com

Chad Shomura is Assistant Professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of Colorado, Denver. His research interests include political thought, affect, biopolitics, new materialism, and ecology. His recent publications are in Capacities To: Affect Up ... Show more

Michelle N. Huang is assistant professor of English and Asian American Studies at Northwestern University. She is the author of Racial Beings: Experiments in Asian American New Materialisms (Duke, 2026). Her film essay, INHUMAN FIGURES: Robots, Clones, and Aliens, can be viewed online at the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center website.

Michelle N. Huang is assistant professor of English and Asian American Studies at Northwestern University. She is the author of Racial Beings: Experiments in Asian American New Materialisms (Duke, 2026). Her film essay, INHUMAN FIGURES: Robots, Clone... Show more

I am a Ph.D. candidate in American Studies at the University of Minnesota, with minors in Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (RIDGS) and American Indian and Indigenous Studies.

"Messin’ Wid Paradise: The Kalihi-verse as Oceanic Homeplace In and Beyond the City with No Pity" is my dissertation, based on five years of ethnographic and autoethnographic research with young adults from Kalihi—many of whom, like me, came of age in the 1990s and 2000s amid post-plantation restructuring, racialized policing, and education systems shaped by settler and carceral logics. The everyday cultural practices of my interlocutors and I are central to my work, highlighting stories of belonging amid intersecting oppressions in Hawaiʻi. From Kalihi’s streets to theatre stages, pau hana talk stories, and Kakaʻako co-working sessions, I have listened to immigrant, second-generation, and Kānaka Maoli voices—many now navigating adulthood in a Hawaiʻi marked by housing crises and soaring living costs. As a second-generation Filipina returning to Kalihi, my research is a critical reckoning with my own place within these stories and structures. Framed by Critical Youth Studies, Women of Color and Indigenous Feminisms, Critical Race and Ethnic Studies, and Asian Settler Colonialism Studies, I position the Kalihi-verse as an Oceanic multiverse where my interlocutors and I forge belonging and resist erasure across both our youth and young adulthood.

I am a Ph.D. candidate in American Studies at the University of Minnesota, with minors in Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (RIDGS) and American Indian and Indigenous Studies. "Messin’ Wid Paradise: The Kalihi-verse as O... Show more

Madeline Anderson is the author of Girl Dad and an entrepreneur. She has a passion for neuroscience, psychology, writing, and speaking. She is the daughter of a Girl Dad and spent years interviewing a wide array of fathers and daughters to write her heartfelt book on how to be the best father to a daughter. Madeline graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in Business Economics.

Madeline Anderson is the author of Girl Dad and an entrepreneur. She has a passion for neuroscience, psychology, writing, and speaking. She is the daughter of a Girl Dad and spent years interviewing a wide array of fathers and daughters to write her ... Show more

Marie Myung-Ok Lee is the author of the novel The Evening Hero (2022), and the re-release of her young adult novel, Finding My Voice. Her journalism and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Nation, The Guardian, The Atlantic, The Paris Review and many others. She is a founder and former board president of the Asian American Writers' Workshop and teaches fiction at Columbia, where she is the Writer in Residence.

Marie Myung-Ok Lee is the author of the novel The Evening Hero (2022), and the re-release of her young adult novel, Finding My Voice. Her journalism and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Nation, The Guardian, The Atlantic, The Paris Rev... Show more

Jim Lee is Professor and Chair of Asian American Studies at UCI.

Jim Lee is Professor and Chair of Asian American Studies at UCI. Show more

Katie Masano Hill is a fifth-generation Japanese American (Gosei) from Lafayette, Indiana. She graduated from Valparaiso University with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Museum Studies at the University of Oklahoma, specializing in historical preservation and cultural heritage.
Her thesis focuses on the administration of the Tule Lake Segregation Center and examines how archival records from the War Relocation Authority (1942–1946) reflect systems of social control, psychological stress, and resilience. Through qualitative content analysis, her research explores governance, living conditions, and mental health among Japanese Americans unjustly incarcerated during World War II. Her goal is to inform trauma-informed museum interpretation that balances historical accuracy with empathy and respect for survivors’ experiences.
Katie’s passion for advocacy is deeply rooted in her background in social work and her family’s history of incarceration. Her great-grandparents were forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated at Heart Mountain, Tule Lake, and Topaz, where they endured harsh conditions but ultimately survived. Her great-uncle, however, died in camp at only 24 years old. His story, and the countless others marked by loss and silence, fuels Katie’s dedication to preserving these histories and educating future generations about civil liberties and justice.
In addition to her policy work, Katie is a copy editor for Tessaku, a project dedicated to preserving oral histories of Japanese American incarceration. Her written work has also been published in Kioku, a Japanese American journal amplifying stories of intergenerational memory and resilience.
Katie also serves on the Wakasa Memorial Committee, which works to honor and preserve the memory of James Wakasa, a Japanese American man shot and killed by a guard at the Topaz concentration camp in 1943. Her involvement reflects her ongoing commitment to truth-telling and memorialization, ensuring that stories are remembered with the dignity they deserve.
As the Norman Y. Mineta Fellow, Katie works with the JACL Policy Team to advocate for policies that uplift the Japanese American and broader Asian American communities. She is honored to carry forward the legacy of her ancestors and is passionate about preserving and sharing their stories to inspire empathy and understanding.

Katie Masano Hill is a fifth-generation Japanese American (Gosei) from Lafayette, Indiana. She graduated from Valparaiso University with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Museum Studies at the Universit... Show more

Arnab Banerji is an Associate Professor of Theatre History and Dramatic Literature at Loyola
Marymount University located in the unceded lands of the Gabrilieno Tongva people also known
as Los Angeles. He is the author of Contemporary Group Theatre from Kolkata, India
(Routledge 2020). Arnab’s essays and reviews have been published in Theatre Journal, Theatre
Topics, Asian Theatre Journal, TDR, BOOM California, Ecumenica, Theatre Symposium,
Sanglap, Cerebration, and SERAS. His current research is in performances by the Indian diaspora, translations of Indian vernacular plays, and contemporary Bengali theatre.

Arnab Banerji is an Associate Professor of Theatre History and Dramatic Literature at Loyola Marymount University located in the unceded lands of the Gabrilieno Tongva people also known as Los Angeles. He is the author of Contemporary Group Theatre... Show more

Henry Cheng is a PhD candidate in History at Cornell University (ABD, 2025), where his research examines Cold War afterlives, postsocialist reinventions, and Asian American politics across labor, law, and memory. His work traces how Maoist discourses, mnemonic governance, and racialized citizenship travel between the PRC and U.S. urban organizing, using archival, ethnographic, and discourse-analytic methods. He has forthcoming pieces on Chinese evangelical politics, PRC anti-separatist cinema, and transnational gendered nationalism. At Cornell he has taught in Asian American history, ethics and environment, and U.S. 1960s–70s social movements, and his fellowship support includes the Racial Justice and Equitable Futures Fellowship and the Reppy Graduate Fellowship.

Henry Cheng is a PhD candidate in History at Cornell University (ABD, 2025), where his research examines Cold War afterlives, postsocialist reinventions, and Asian American politics across labor, law, and memory. His work traces how Maoist discourses... Show more

Federick Ngo is an associate professor in the College of Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His work focuses on higher education policy, finance, and economics.

Federick Ngo is an associate professor in the College of Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His work focuses on higher education policy, finance, and economics. Show more

Suiyi Tang is a PhD candidate in American Studies at the University of Southern California where she works on Asian American postwar modernism and the history of cybernetics. She is also the author of the novel American Symphony: Other White Lies (CCM Press 2019).

Suiyi Tang is a PhD candidate in American Studies at the University of Southern California where she works on Asian American postwar modernism and the history of cybernetics. She is also the author of the novel American Symphony: Other White Lies (CC... Show more

Chali Lee (he/him/any) is a queer, Hmong-American artist-scholar from Fresno, CA, whose work merges research and experimental filmmaking to explore queer Hmong identity and spiritual epistemologies. Rooted in a commitment to honoring marginalized histories, shaping present realities, and imagining future worlds, Chali’s practice engages themes of intersectionality, ghosts and hauntings, spiritual and digital drag, and historical reimagination through film, storytelling, and performance art. His work seeks to open alternative ways of knowing, being, and remembering through the lens of a queer Hmong experience.

Chali Lee (he/him/any) is a queer, Hmong-American artist-scholar from Fresno, CA, whose work merges research and experimental filmmaking to explore queer Hmong identity and spiritual epistemologies. Rooted in a commitment to honoring marginalized his... Show more

John P. Rosa, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of History, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
rosajohn@hawaii.edu
Mobile: (808) 723-1160

EDUCATION

Ph.D., 1999, M.A., 1992, History, University of California, Irvine
B.A., 1990, History, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

POSITIONS HELD

Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, 2015-
Affiliate Faculty, Center for Pacific Islands Studies, UHM, 2019-
Affiliate Faculty, Department of Ethnic Studies, UHM 2016-
Assistant Professor, Department of History, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, 2008-2015
Instructor, Social Studies Department, Kamehameha Schools, Kapālama, Honolulu, 2006-2008
Assistant Professor, Asian Pacific American Studies Program, Arizona State University, Tempe, 2000-2006

PUBLICATIONS

Book (Scholarly Monograph):
Local Story: The Massie-Kahahawai Case and the Culture of History. University of Hawai‘i Press, 2014.

Co-edited Journal Volume:
Social Process in Hawai‘i. “Celebrating 100 Years of Local Studies” issue. Co-editor with
Lori Pierce. Vol 46 (December 2020).

Co-authored Electronic Book:
Genz, Joseph H., Noelani Goodyear-Kaʻōpua, Monica C. LaBriola, Alexander Mawyer, Elicita N. Morei, and
John P. Rosa. Militarism and Nuclear Testing in the Pacific. Volume 1 of Teaching Oceania Series,
edited by Monica LaBriola. Honolulu: Center for Pacific Islands Studies,
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 2019. See http://hdl.handle.net/10125/42430

Refereed Journal Articles and Essays (recent):
“Ambling Time,” in Tom Gammarino, Bryan Kamaoli Kuwada, D. Keali‘i MacKenzie, and Lyz Soto, eds.,
Snaring New Suns: Speculative Works from Hawai‘i and Beyond special issue of Bamboo Ridge: Journal of Hawai‘i Literature and Arts. Vol. 122 (2022): 124-130.
“Small Numbers / Big City: Innovative Presentations of Pacific Islander Art and Culture in Phoenix,
Arizona,” AAPI Nexus: Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders: Policy, Practice and Community.
Vol. 5, No. 1 (Spring 2007): 59-77.

Book manuscript in progress:
Hawai‘i 1959. (This second book project focuses on three phenomena in 1959 when the islands: achieved statehood; saw the use of commercial jets for the first time; witnessed the completion of Ala Moana Shopping Center to bring visitors to Hawaiʻi. It examines the transition from territory to state, the rapid growth of the tourism industry, and the expansion of a consumer economy intertwined with a construction boom in retail and housing developments.)

Invited Book Chapters (recent):
“‘Eh! Where You From?’: Questions of Place, Race, and Identity in Contemporary Hawai‘i,” in Camilla Fojas, Rudy Guevarra, and Nitasha Sharma, eds. Beyond Ethnicity: New Politics of Race in
Hawai’i. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press, 2018.
“Asians, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in Hawai‘i: Place, People, Culture” in David K. Yoo and
Eiichiro Azuma, eds. Oxford Handbook of Asian American History. New York: Oxford
University Press, 2015.

RECOGNITIONS / FELLOWSHIPS / AWARDS / GRANTS

Jerry H. Bentley World History Faculty Award, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, College of Arts, Languages & Literatures, 2022-2023. $3250.
Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Arts & Humanities, 2017. $1000 merit award.
Associated Students of ASU Centennial Professorship, 2005-2006. $5,000 merit award and $5,000 grant for project Voices from Oceania: The Pacific at Your Door.

John P. Rosa, PhD Associate Professor Department of History, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa rosajohn@hawaii.edu Mobile: (808) 723-1160 EDUCATION Ph.D., 1999, M.A., 1992, History, University of California, Irvine B.A., 1990, History, Nor... Show more

Ai Grace Acton is an undergraduate student studying International Relations and Sociology at Tufts University. This past summer, Acton was awarded a grant from the Tufts Summer Scholars program to conduct research on multiracial Asian American identity. She is currently extending this research into a senior honors thesis on how multiracial Asian-white individuals understand and negotiate their racial identities within both their communities and the broader U.S. racial hierarchy, drawing on qualitative methods and critical approaches from sociology, Asian American studies, and mixed-race studies.
Beyond her independent research, Acton is analyzing qualitative data from more than forty interviews examining equity and climate in public exam schools following admissions reform as a research assistant to Professor Warikoo in the Department of Sociology. This collaborative project aims to offer insight into the efficacy of the new policy and ultimately improve its implementation.
Grace’s academic and activist work intersect deeply. As a project lead with the Tufts Asian Student Coalition (TASC), she has designed and facilitated workshops that encourage students to think critically about their Asian American identity as a political category. She co-led a successful campaign to strengthen the university’s ethnic studies program, resulting in expanded resources, funding, and course offerings. She also edits and publishes creative and critical works in Voices, Tufts’ Asian American literary and arts magazine, which uplifts Asian American narratives and cultural expression. Her organizing emphasizes solidarity and collective liberation, particularly through mobilizing students for actions and rallies supporting Palestinian liberation and other social justice movements.
In addition to her research and community engagement, Grace works as a Writing Fellow at Tufts, mentoring peers on advanced academic writing. She is also the founder of Light It Up English, an educational initiative that provides personalized English instruction for children across cultures. Through this work, she deepens her commitment to inclusive education and cross-cultural dialogue, values that also shape her scholarship and activism. She is dedicated to bridging academic inquiry and community engagement through work that amplifies Asian American and multiracial narratives, challenges racial hierarchies, and envisions more inclusive futures.

Ai Grace Acton is an undergraduate student studying International Relations and Sociology at Tufts University. This past summer, Acton was awarded a grant from the Tufts Summer Scholars program to conduct research on multiracial Asian American identi... Show more

Dr. Xiang Gao is an Assistant Professor of Public Health Education at the University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG). Dr. Gao also holds a research affiliation with the Carolina Asia Center (CAC) at UNC-Chapel Hill. Dr. Gao’s research investigates the impacts of sociodemographic and health-related factors on Asian American health disparities, suicide, early childhood adversity, and firearm violence. Dr. Gao advocates for inclusiveness and belongingness for those underrepresented Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) students and scholars in academia.

Dr. Xiang Gao is an Assistant Professor of Public Health Education at the University of North Carolina Greensboro (UNCG). Dr. Gao also holds a research affiliation with the Carolina Asia Center (CAC) at UNC-Chapel Hill. Dr. Gao’s research investigate... Show more

A la fois scientifique de formation dans le domaine de la biologie et serious game designer, j'anime le dialogue sciences & société autour des biotechnologies en utilisant le jeu comme ressource principale pour impliquer les citoyens.

A la fois scientifique de formation dans le domaine de la biologie et serious game designer, j'anime le dialogue sciences & société autour des biotechnologies en utilisant le jeu comme ressource principale pour impliquer les citoyens. Show more