Leadership

Erica (she/her) is a second-generation Vietnamese American from Southern California. She has a BFA in Visual Arts with a concentration in Illustration and has had extensive work experience as a case manager and legal assistant for an employment law firm that is dedicated to representing clients who face discrimination in the workplace. Erica is grateful to now be in the MLIS program pursuing her dream career and excited to be part of the AANHPI iSchool Student Group. She stands for inclusivity and strives to make this student group a welcoming space for everyone.

Cat Tang (she/her) is a first-generation Chinese-American born during the Year of the Rabbit, which, fun fact, is the Year of the Cat in the Vietnamese zodiac, so technically she is indeed a cat. As one of the only AANHPI staff members at the library where she works, she hopes the formation of this group will raise awareness of the AANHPI presence in this field and create a space for AANHPI-identifying professionals to connect. Cat began her MLIS journey in spring 2023 and currently works in a public library within Los Angeles County, where she delights in helping patrons and roaming the children’s department. As one might expect from that statement, she is most interested in youth librarianship, but she is open to where other opportunities might take her. Cat holds a B.A. in English Literature with Creative Writing (specifically, poetry!) emphasis and loves meeting other bibliophiles, artists, lifelong learners, library enthusiasts, and DEI-minded individuals. She welcomes everyone to connect with her as we embark on our MLIS journey together!

Quarry began the MLIS program in January 2023 and is exploring different pathways in libraries and information science, perhaps in special, academic or digital librarianship.  She has a BA in Psychology & Women’s Studies from Pomona College and an MSW from UCLA, has worked as an educational administrator and school social worker and is currently a Leadership Coach and Lecturer at UC Berkeley. She is a 2nd generation Korean American and lives with her family in Richmond, CA where she and her wife have recently become cat grandmoms to a stray litter of kittens after launching their daughter off to college in Boston.  In her free time, she enjoys writing, nature walks, baking, and live music.

Indira is a first-generation Indo-Guyanese American born in Philadelphia, PA. She has a BS in Social Sciences & Mass Communications with a certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Central Florida. She has lived in many states and now resides with her partner and two cats in Portland, Oregon. Indira has worked in several industries from a character performer at Disney World to a certified pharmacy technician to an investigator for the state of Hawaii…including a plethora of jobs in between. She started her MLIS journey in 2021 and has been tailoring her classes toward jobs in the LIS field that can be done remotely. In her free time, she likes to explore the breathtaking nature of the Pacific Northwest, go to concerts, and watch movies. As an advocate for DEIA, Indira hopes to see the AANHPI student group grow and connect with folks in the enormous diaspora.

Want to connect on LinkedIn?: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cybernauth/

Allison Law (she/her) joined the SJSU MLIS program in Fall 2023 with an interest in public librarianship and multicultural children’s services. She holds a BS in Operations Research from Cornell University and an AAS in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Allison is an immigrant from Hong Kong, who grew up in New York City and has lived in various states in the Northeast. She currently lives with her wife and their preschooler in East Bay, on the unceded land of the Ohlone people.

Ronna (“Ron”) is a 2nd generation Filipino American born and raised in the Bay Area. She has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from CSU East Bay (Hayward). Two years ago, she realized she wanted to merge her background in nursing/healthcare with a brimming interest in technology, and thus, enrolled in the iSchool Informatics program in Fall 2023 and is now a 2nd year student in the program with a focus in the Health Informatics Career Pathway. She aspires to build a sense of community among the students of the various iSchool disciplines (MLIS, MARA, Informatics, and ISDA). When not studying or working, you will most likely find Ronna at a local tea shop, enjoying a boba beverage that suits her mood.

Dr. Michelle Chen joined the iSchool faculty in Fall 2012, bringing expertise in data analytics and online social network analysis. Previously, she taught at the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Connecticut, and the University of San Francisco. Dr. Chen holds a Ph.D. in Information Systems with a focus on statistics and computational learning from the University of Texas-Austin and M.S. and B.S. degrees in Computer Science and Information Engineering from National Taiwan University. In her spare time, Dr. Chen enjoys hiking, cooking, and spending time with her family in the Bay Area.

Kristina (she/her) was the Social Media Coordinator and Co-Webmaster during the Spring 2024 semester. She graduated from the MLIS program at San Jose State University in May 2024. She resides in Los Angeles, CA, and aspires to work in an archival, museum, or academic library setting. She strives to collaborate with other information professionals to promote inclusive metadata practices, preserve diverse cultural legacies, and ensure that all voices are heard and celebrated. In her spare time, she can be found immersed in a book, gaming, listening to a podcast, watching a documentary, caring for her plants, exercising, and marveling at the beauty of nature.

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