Bridge Cultural Exchange Academy

Dr. Nicholas J. Cull: Founding Director of USC’s Public Diplomacy Program; International Public Diplomacy Advisor

Nicholas J. Cull is originally from the U.K. His BA (International History and Politics) and PhD (History) were both from the University of Leeds. He also studied at Princeton as a Harkness Fellow of the Commonwealth Fund of New York. Moving to USC in 2005, he was the founding director of the master’s program in public diplomacy and part of the team recognized by the Department of State with the Benjamin Franklin award. He has provided advice and training in public diplomacy to a number of foreign ministries and cultural agencies around the world including those of the U.S., U.K., Canada, Mexico, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Mandar Apte: Co-founder of Media Rise; Influencer Behind Shell’s GameChanger Social Innovation Program

Mandar influenced Shell’s CEO to start Shell’s GameChanger social innovation program, which would invest in innovative solutions to sustainability challenges (SDG’s) and create both social impact and business returns. Through the portfolio of investments that he made through this impact investment fund, Mandar showcased how global brands, like Shell, can and must play a greater role (beyond just CSR & philanthropy) to enable and scale social impact. 

Mark Gerzon: President & founder of Mediators Foundation   

Mark Gerzon, president and founder of Mediators Foundation, has specialized in leadership that bridges divides. As an experienced facilitator in high-conflict zones, he has advised a wide variety of organizations including the US Congress, multinational corporations, and the United Nations Development Program. He co-designed and served as the head facilitator for the US Bipartisan Congressional Retreats in the late 1990s, and has spent the following years participating in a wide variety of efforts to deepen dialogue across the political spectrum. This work led to his most recent book The Reunited States of America, which inspired the film The Reunited States, now playing on Amazon Prime.

Ernest J. Wilson III: Founder of USC Center for Third Space Thinking

Ernest J. Wilson III is the founder of the USC Center for Third Space Thinking, focusing on soft skills for the digital era through research, teaching, and executive education. His work explores essential workforce competencies and talent development in the 21st Century. Wilson’s broad experience covers the intersection of communication, public policy, and international relations, including significant roles in both the public and private sectors. He has held influential positions and contributed to policy advisory in various capacities, including consulting for the World Bank, the United Nations, and advising President Obama’s transition team. Wilson’s academic contributions are extensive, with previous roles at the University of Maryland, College Park, and involvement with the University of Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania. 

Yusra Mardini: UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador; Syrian refugee; Olymic swimmer

Yusra Mardini, a Syrian refugee and Olympic swimmer, became an international symbol of hope and resilience at the young age of 19. Escaping conflict in Syria with her sister, Yusra’s harrowing journey to Europe included a life-saving moment when she helped guide their disabled boat to safety. As a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, she uses her powerful story to advocate for refugees worldwide, speaking to a diverse audience ranging from school children to global leaders, and participating in high-profile events like WE Day and the World Economic Forum in Davos. Yusra’s efforts extend to supporting UNHCR campaigns and fundraising activities, with her story gaining attention through media outlets and interviews with notable figures like Angelina Jolie. 

Peng Guan: Tsinghua Schwarzman Scholar; Member of the Grammy Music Academic Committee

She is a Tsinghua Schwarzman Scholar, a member of the Grammy Music Academic Committee, and a part of the Harvard Business School alumni network in Istanbul. They focus on questioning and fostering cross-cultural understanding, emphasizing citizen diplomacy and the enhancement of national cultural and artistic soft power. In 2022, they were awarded the United Nations Trade and Finance Certificate by the United Nations Training Research Institute. With a passion for charity work, they have received significant cultural and charitable donations from organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Columbia Business School.

Kenneth M. Quinn: Ambassador, Agriculture and Citizen Diplomacy 

Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn, hailing from Dubuque, Iowa, is a retired diplomat renowned for his extensive service in the United States Foreign Service, including his impactful tenure as the U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia from 1996 to 1999. During his ambassadorship, he focused on promoting human rights, democracy, and economic growth amidst the country’s post-conflict reconstruction. Prior to this, Quinn held various significant roles within the U.S. Department of State, dealing with Vietnamese refugee issues, POW/MIA negotiations, and agricultural development in Vietnam. After his diplomatic career, he led the World Food Prize Foundation for two decades, enhancing its global stature in recognizing achievements in improving food security and agricultural innovation. Ambassador Quinn has been lauded for his contributions to peace, humanitarian efforts, and international cooperation, receiving numerous prestigious awards. His legacy is marked by a lifelong dedication to solving global challenges such as hunger, poverty, and conflict through diplomacy and dialogue 

Gene Hwang: Co-founder of Kung Fu Cowgirl and Uncommon App

Gene Hwang, a featured personality on NBC, China’s CCTV, and The New York Times, brings over a decade of expertise in the college admissions industry. After spending his formative years in California, he made a bold move to China in 2010, emerging as an education advisor to influential business and political leaders. His multifaceted career includes roles as an employee, manager, regional director, and founder, spanning across 19 provinces in China, as well as Hong Kong and Macao. When the pandemic disrupted his career in China, Gene and his wife, Jenny, embarked on a 9-month road trip across the U.S. During this journey, they discovered their love for Austin, Texas, where they decided to establish both their personal and business roots. Together, they co-founded Kung Fu Cowgirl and Uncommon App. 

Dr. Michael Schneider: Director, Maxwell-Newhouse Washington Public Diplomacy Program

Dr. Schneider is a Public diplomacy and foreign policy professional with USIA and State Dept; faculty member of the Maxwell School; directed the Washington DC International Relations Program for Maxwell from 1998 – 2009, and now director of Maxwell-Newhouse Washington Public Diplomacy Program.

Soraya Ahyaudin: Director, AMCLI director at Center for Religious and Civic Life at USC

Ahyaudin is a fellow of NewGround, a program that engages Muslim and Jewish Angelenos in an innovative community-building process of intra- and inter-faith education and reflection, leadership training and civic engagement. She is also an alum from the American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute (AMCLI West II). Prior to joining CRCC, Ahyaudin worked in the fields of public diplomacy, educational exchanges and capacity building. She was the program assistant at the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, where she managed the center’s event programming, professional training opportunities and office management. Her work experience also includes assistant registrar at the international office of Universiti Sains Malaysia, and assistant director with the Public Service Department of Malaysia. Her diverse work experience has cultivated her interests in the intersections of faith diplomacy with globalization and diaspora narratives and sentiments.

Dr. Shushan Karapetian: Director, Institute of Armenian Studies at USC

Dr. Karapetian sets the Institute’s vision and leads the research and scholarship initiatives, deepening integration with entities both on and off campus and expanding the scope of academic programming. She researches, teaches, and writes about the Armenian experience, particularly focusing on competing ideologies at the intersection of language and the construction of transnational identity. Dr. Karapetian received a PhD in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from UCLA in 2014, where she taught Armenian Studies courses for over ten years. Her dissertation, “‘How Do I Teach My Kids My Broken Armenian?’: A Study of Eastern Armenian Heritage Language Speakers in Los Angeles,” received the Society for Armenian Studies Distinguished Dissertation Award in 2015. In 2018, she was the recipient of the Russ Campbell Young Scholar Award in recognition of outstanding scholarship in heritage language research. She is the host of the podcast Language Therapy with Dr. K and the IG/YouTube Word of the Day series.

Radha: UNICEF  USA Community Coordinator in Southern California

Radha joins UNICEF USA as a Community Engagement Associate based in Los Angeles. She studied Political Science at Rutgers University, where she was involved in Model United Nations and fieldwork on political campaigns. She has a background in youth civic engagement, volunteer management, and community engagement. In her previous role, she served as the Volunteer Services Coordinator at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center where she gained experience in building a brand-new volunteer program. Radha also has a passion for National Service projects, as she served as an Americorps VISTA member in Salinas, California, engaging in youth development and volunteer recruitment. She is deeply interested in issues focused on sustainable development, youth advocacy, and access to education.

Dr. Diana Blaine: Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies Department of Gender and Sexuality at USC – Lecturer on Gender Inequalities. 

Dr. Blaine teaches cultural and media literacy in the Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies, with a focus on feminist analytics. Her research examines representations of death in the media, including analysis of corpses in advertising. Besides thanatology, Blaine studies other representations of gender and the body, including abortion, yoga, and celebrity.

Kamy Akhavan: Executive Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future; Former CEO of Procon.org –  Lecturer on Social Change. 

Kamy Akhavan, the former CEO of ProCon.org, the nation’s leading source of nonpartisan research on controversial issues, now leads the Center for the Political Future (CPF) at the University of Southern California. As the Executive Director, Kamy oversees the operations of all Center components including the Unruh Institute of Politics, the Fellows Program, the USC Dornsife Poll, and community and global engagement.

Dr. Evgeny Dengub: Professor (Teaching) of Russian and Director of the Basic Language Program, Director of Center for Languages and Cultures 

Dr. Dengub’s research interests lie in foreign language education, applied linguistics, and second language acquisition. He has taught Russian culture and methods of teaching foreign languages, including graduate and seminars, as well as Russian language courses from first- through fifth-year Russian. Dengub is the author or co-author of textbooks for the Russian language. For a number of years he has served as a director of the STARTALK Institute for teachers of Russian at Middlebury College Russian School, also served on the boards of directors of the American Council of Teachers of Russian.

Zach Bell: Founder of Myplace; Community architect; speaker and writer 

Zach is a storyteller, entrepreneur, and community builder focused on projects which support a more unified, whole systems worldview. As CEO of MyPlace he leads company vision, community and a growing global sharing movement.

In 2010, Zach founded Return at the Esalen Institute, where he’s been hosting experimental and intellectual salons for leaders on topics that range from Religion of No Religion to Currency Creation and Post National Identity. His events have led to new companies, non-profits, award winning films, and inspired many talks. Previously, Zach has held seed stage, executive roles at Remedy (now SGFY) and Habitas, and continues to advise global brands, communities, and counterculture movements.

Ideally Zach is home building MyPlace, writing, and surfing at his ranch in Baja California Sur, Mexico. His free time is spent writing his first book about the community you’ve always been part of, but could never find.

Dr. Marielle A. Reataza, MD, MS (she/siya)

Dr. Reataza is a strong advocate for health and healthcare system reform in the United States. She believes that behavioral health is an important piece of wellness and should be prioritized in public health policy and advocacy. Her experience as an immigrant from the Philippines and her background in education, medicine, research, health policy and law, and public health inform her interdisciplinary approach to advocacy for health and wellness. She is also passionate about dismantling the stigma communities face in addressing mental health. Dr. Reataza studied Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UC Irvine, Secondary Science Education at Cal State Dominguez Hills, Medicine at UC Irvine School of Medicine, and Health Policy and Law at UCSF-UC Hastings. In 2022, she was awarded the UCSF Early Career Achievement Award. In her free time, she practices yoga and Pilates regularly, loves to cook and garden, and enjoys making art of all kinds. Marielle has native fluency in Tagalog and speaks basic Spanish.