Dr. Qing Ai is an Associate Professor in the Department of Modern Languages at Farmingdale State College. She holds dual BA degrees in Spanish and Economics, a MA in Spanish Language and Literature from Peking University, and a Ph.D. in Hispanic Literature from the University of Texas at Austin. Before joining Farmingdale, she was an Assistant Professor at McMurry University. Dr. Ai teaches Spanish, Chinese, and courses on culture, literature, and cinema, with a focus on supporting underrepresented students.
Her notable publications include Nostalgia imperial: Crónicas de viajeros españoles por China (1870-1910), a monograph on Spanish travelers' perspectives of China, and a second-prize translation of El perfil del hombre y la cultura en México.
Dr. Ai is the Spanish Language Program Coordinator and has introduced several initiatives, including curriculum development, faculty support, and a proficiency screening system. She is a strong advocate for DEISJ and co-founded the Farmingdale AAPI Affinity Group to foster an inclusive and empowering community.
Dr. Youqin Huang is the Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Success and a Professor of Geography and Planning at the University at Albany, SUNY. She oversees faculty personnel, development, honors, awards, and online programs. Dr. Huang joined UAlbany in 2001, serving in various leadership roles, including Department Chair and Executive Director of the UAlbany Confucius Institute. She also founded the University at Albany Asian Coalition of Professionals.
A distinguished scholar, Dr. Huang's research focuses on the impact of socioeconomic transformation and government policies on vulnerable populations, specifically in housing, migration, and health. She has authored or edited ten books and published numerous papers in top journals, with research supported by NIH, NSF, and AAAS. She has been ranked as one of the "Top 2% Most Highly Cited Scientists" in the last five years.
Dr. Huang actively contributes to housing and urban China research, holding leadership roles in several academic organizations, including the Urban China Research Network and the Research Committee on Housing and Built Environment of the International Sociological Association. She has received multiple awards for her scholarship and public engagement, including the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Scholarship and the UAlbany President's Excellence Award. Dr. Huang holds degrees from Peking University, UCLA, and completed her Ph.D. in 2001.
Christina Heyon Lee (she/her) serves as the director of Global Education and International Services at Monroe Community College, where she leads efforts to build strategic partnerships and design curricular programming with a global lens. Her work integrates perspectives on diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and social justice, ensuring that students engage with global learning in ways that are culturally responsive and inclusive.
At MCC, Christina is the immediate past co-chair of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accountability (IDEA) Council, co-leads MCC's Global Roundtable, and mentors students through the Global Union Student Association and Phi Theta Kappa. In the broader community, she is Vice President of the Brighton Central School District’s Board of Education, serves on the board of the Asian/Pacific Islander American Association of Greater Rochester, and is a new trustee at WXXI Public Broadcasting.
Christina is a graduate of the United Way of Greater Rochester’s Asian Pacific American Leadership Development Program, an alumna of the SUNY SAIL Institute for Strategic, Academic, and Innovative Leadership, and an inaugural fellow of the SUNY Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Leadership Institute. She was recognized in City and State magazine’s 2025 Asian Trailblazers issue for her leadership in building inclusive communities.
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Christina immigrated to Rochester as a child. She earned degrees in cultural anthropology from SUNY Buffalo and University of Colorado, Boulder, and completed her EdD at the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester (2024). Her doctoral project focused on increasing a sense of belonging for Asian American students at MCC.
Her academic and community work continues to center on creating belonging through culturally responsive dialogue, events, and advocacy that builds supportive and equitable spaces for all.
Dr. Dilip Nath is a distinguished Technology leader in higher education and healthcare, known for his advocacy in Technology Justice, author of several books including a book on "Delivering Equitable Healthcare through Technology", & Technology Justice, currently serving as an AVP and Deputy CIO for the Downstate Health Sciences University.
With 30+ years of strategic planning expertise, Dilip focuses on using technology to bridge equity gaps in healthcare and education.
At 16, Dilip emigrated from Bangladesh to the US, becoming the first in his family to attend college. He lived in Queens for 35 years, earning the trust of his community as a dedicated leader and activist.
Dilip is known for his visionary, team-oriented, and compassionate leadership. He is a respected advocate for various community issues, including healthcare, immigrant rights, and education. He founded NAVA and co-founded ABHF to further his endeavors.
He holds a D.B.A. in Business Administration, and a M.B.A. Technology Management. Dilip was awarded the Executive Certificate in Public Policy Credential, from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Dr. Usama Shaikh is the Assistant Chief Diversity Officer for Stony Brook University and Stony Brook Medicine, working within the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Intercultural Initiatives. With over 24 years of experience in Student Affairs and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices, he previously served as the inaugural Vice President for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Title IX Officer at SUNY Old Westbury, where he developed the Office for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with "Inclusive Excellence" as a core value. He also held roles as Vice President for Student Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer at SUNY Old Westbury.
Dr. Shaikh has extensive experience in fostering cross-divisional collaboration and initiatives, focusing on inclusive, staff and student-centered approaches. His work has earned him the 2016 Beth Purk Distinguished Service Award from SUNY Residence Life and Housing Administration, and he was named a 2020 Diversity in Business Honoree by Long Island Business News. He has presented on various Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion topics, including Muslim students' needs in higher education, combating Islamophobia, racial justice, health equity, and free speech.
As an immigrant and first-generation student, Dr. Shaikh earned his bachelor's degree in history from Binghamton University, a master's in College Student Personnel from The Pennsylvania State University, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy from Fordham University.