Media Collection Gil Ontai, EdD, M.Arch. As managing director for BFT, Consultants, Dr. Ontai works with business managers, corporate leadership, and higher education practitioners in providing professional development training to improve people communications skills in management and teaching. Using neuroscience as the basis for improving people's communications, Dr. Ontai’s strategies and skills are designed around the individual's emotional and cognitive strengths and weaknesses. He has over 20 years of teaching in post-secondary education at two urban campuses, in addition to serving as interim campus director. He served as undergraduate and graduate student advisor, faculty training lead, and doctoral student advisor.

Media Collection Allison Feng Allison Feng is an international senior fashion expert, and the founder of Amber & Fifth Fashion business consulting services. Her expertise in fashion covers a wide array of areas from design inspiration, technical support, apparel ergonomics, production, to final presentation and fashion show production, and brand management; also known as a creative adjunct, industry speaker, career coach, and self-image consulting instructor. She is the president of the United Fashion of America Association, a non-profit international organization that unites industry talents and business opportunities in fashion, beauty, luxury skin care, and modern investment areas. Allison also represents her country as a divisional president of the World Women Leading Change platform, to further empower and connect women and youth entrepreneurs around the world. In 2020, she became the fashion broad of director of Makeup Artists Association of America and has been focusing on gathering resources for the fashion world. Allison has been living in NYC, the fashion capital of the world, for over two decades in supporting her creativity and unique inspiration. She believes everyone can define their values and paths by being creative and self-passionate. She came to NYC as a foreign college student with very minor English and became a fashion expert later in New York fashion industry mainstream community with her focus of effort. Allison is now a very active life and career mentor in encouraging people to pursue their dreams. In addition, she was also once a Pageant Queen and strongly believes that “Mental health is invaluable important to foreigners that everyone should treat it as same as physical health in modern world.”

Media Collection Dr. Celia Hoi Yan Chan As a social work researcher and practitioner working in healthcare settings, Dr. Chan works closely with different professionals and integrates best research evidence with interdisciplinary and clinical experience by applying the Integrative Body-Mind-Spirit Intervention Model, an empirically-based approach to assessment and treatment which connects Western therapeutic techniques with Eastern philosophies and practices. She is the leader in the Laboratory of the Research and Practice on Integrative Wellness, conducting practice-based research and model development on services for different populations with health and mental health issues such as infertility, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, sleep disorders, depression and anxiety. As a leading figure in fertility and infertility counsellor in Hong Kong, she is committed to develop research and practice on psychosocial issues related to reproductive medicine. Her research focus is also on Interdisciplinary Medical Social Work on reproductive medicine, psycho-dermatology, and paediatric psychology. Furthermore, she is also expert in Family-based research and practice and Evidence based social work practice in promoting the Integrative Body-mind-spirit Intervention Model.

Media Collection William Tsai, Ph.D. Dr. Tsai earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. His research interests are in the intersection of cultural, health, and clinical psychology. His research examines the well-being of ethnic minority cancer survivors from a cultural and biopsychosocial lens with the goal of improving health outcomes and reducing cancer health disparities. Other areas of research include investigating how culture shapes the way we regulate our emotions, the way we reflect over negative experiences, and their implications for psychological and physical health. His work has been published in Journal of Psychosomatic Research, Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, Cognition and Emotion, and Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. He also serves on the editorial board of the Asian American Journal of Psychology, Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, and Frontiers in Psychology: Cultural Psychology. He has received national recognition for his work, including the APA Division 45 Emerging Professional – Contributions to Research Early Career Award and Asian American Psychological Association Early Career Award for Distinguished Contributions to Research. His research has been funded by the NIH National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and American Psychological Foundation (APF).

Media Collection Qihui Jin, L.Ac., CSW, MS Qihui is a Licensed Acupuncturist in New York State (No. 006946), Certified Social Worker in New Jersey (No. 44SW05414900). He is a candidate for Doctor of Acupuncture. Qihui earned his Master's of Science degree in Acupuncture from Pacific College of Health and Science, Bachelor of Medicine from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Bachelor of Law in Social Work from Shanghai University of Political Science and Law. In 2018, he studied acupuncture in the United States, and also started his exploration in integrative healthcare, regenerative agriculture, composting, and horticultural therapy. He founded the Chinese Students' Association at the Pacific College of Health and Science and is the current president of Wuji Chinese Culture Alumni Association. Before moving to the U.S., he had worked in state-owned enterprises, private commercial organizations, social organizations, and non-profit organizations in Shanghai and accumulated rich practical experience.

Media Collection Sandy Chen Stokes Topic: Starting End-of-Life Conversations with Multigenerational Chinese American Families Founder of the CACCC. Sandy has been providing end of life (EOL) training for the Chinese community and health professionals since 2005. The training focused on Advance Care Planning (ACP), hospice and palliative care, respite and spiritual care, Chinese cultural beliefs, and practices. The CACCC produced DVDs, books, and other educational materials. Sandy also created Heart to Heart® cards and developed the Heart to Heart® Café to facilitate EOL conversations that lead to ACP. Sandy is a member of the advisory board of the Chinese Health Initiative at El Camino Hospital in California, a member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization’s (NHPCO) Diversity Advisory Council, and a board member at Snowline Hospice.

Media Collection Diane Valente Diane Valente, LCSWR is the Program Director for the OnTrack NY Program at The Child Center of NY based out of the Macari Family Center in Flushing, Queens. Ms. Valente has over ten years of clinical experience and licensed in clinical social work. In her current position, she leads an interdisciplinary team of professionals who work with 40 participants newly diagnosed with a primary psychotic disorder. Our team provides services to a vastly diverse population residing in Queens in the following languages; Mandarin, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog, and Portuguese. This coordinated specialty program focuses on assisting individuals to meet their goals of school, work, relationships and recovery.

Media Collection Winston Chiu Winston Chiu is Founder and CEO of Food Forward. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he attended college at CUNY Bernard Baruch College, receiving his degree in Mathematics/Finance. He started his career as an actuary in public service and then later as a consultant in a global risk consulting firm. Later pivoting and in pursuit of fulfilling a dream of making an impact through food + community, he obtained a degree from the Institute of Culinary Education. Over the past decade, he’s been a chef and (co)founder of several food businesses/advocacy initiatives before recently launching Feed Forward. These initiatives include Rethink Food (501c3), Little Tong Noodle Shop, and Bonbite Catering & Food Incubator. Just this past year, Winston has been named an Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield Whole Health Hero and named to the 40 under 40 Rising Stars in Food Policy by Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center.

Valen Liu I'm Valen Liu, and I graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor's degree in Biology, vertebrate physiology option. When COVID first dominated, I was concerned for the health of people around the world. The situation was further worsened with the rise of incidents and outward racism targeting specific groups, including Asian Americans, due to the pandemic. As an Asian American myself, I've experienced under-representation due to issues like Asian mental health and discrimination commonly being glossed over or underplayed in various mainstream platforms. I am a current volunteer for PEARL institute and want to help bolster the organization's mission to bridge together different cultures. To help support those in need, I would love to spread more awareness of the struggles AAPIs commonly face who may otherwise feel under-represented and ignored, and thus, remain silent. No matter where one ultimately comes from, all should feel confident in their background and be able to find the help needed to further build on that confidence.

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Media Collection Dr. Sahnah Lim Dr. Sahnah Lim is an assistant professor who is leading the Gender Equity scientific track and co-leading the Mental Health track at the Department of Population Health's Section for Health Equity. As a health disparities researcher, Dr. Lim conducts applied, community-engaged studies that seek to address gender-related health issues among hard-to-reach populations such as sex workers and immigrant survivors of gender-based violence. Her research uses intersectionality and syndemics frameworks to understand how multiple marginalization impacts mental and sexual health outcomes. Dr. Lim is a mixed-methods researcher, with expertise in psychosocial statistics and survey methods.

Kristie (Ziyu) Ou I am Kristie(Ziyu) Ou, a junior undergraduate student majoring in mathematics and minoring in business studies at New York University. Pluralistic culture is now a critical concern all over the world. In an era of studying abroad has become common, international students should care about their psychological health. Psychological health influences our lives everywhere. People should find the right path to confront what makes them negatively and find the right way to solve those negatives. PEARL is a bridge to connect people who need help with happiness and confidence. Especially when COVID-19 erupted worldwide, racial discrimination is a situation we need to be concerned about and confront. People who have different identities should not treat differently. I will try my best to help those who need help and use my arms to warm those who need a hug.