A Maryland native, Catherine (she/her) serves as the Virginia High School Youth Facilitation Coordinator. She holds a B.A. in International Relations, Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park (Go Terps!) and is deeply invested in international policy, public diplomacy, and Asian-American advocacy.

Prior to AALEAD, Catherine served as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant to Vietnam and was a two-time Critical Language Scholar in Bahasa Indonesia, undertaking intensive language coursework in Indonesia sponsored by the State Department. For two years post-grad, she worked as a Communications Specialist for the U.S. National Defense University to promote national strategic interests through international security partnerships and cooperation. Her previous internship experiences include the U.S.-Asia Institute in Washington, D.C., and the State Department with the East Asia Pacific Bureau.

In her free time, she enjoys traveling and doing professional photography, whether it's with the National Park Service or DMV-based music publications.