Our People

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cody.theglobalcenter@gmail.com

cody freeman’s work centers on leading the transformative shift of systems through actionable strategies at the intersection of academia, civil society, and the United Nations. They are the Founder & CEO of The Global Center, and a course instructor and PhD student in the Comparative and International Development Education program at the University of Minnesota. They’ve researched and written extensively on queer education topics, and are currently working with international development organizations including the World Bank on how to better implement LGBTIQ-inclusive strategies in their development initiatives and Save the Children as the first SOGIESC Fellow.

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cai.theglobalcenter@gmail.com

Cai is a program officer at IREX, based in DC, managing a gender equality and youth development program. They received an MA in Comparative & International Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. A question that guides Cai’s work is: “How do we create a truly just, equal, and inclusive culture for LGBTI+ youth globally?” They specialize in gender & sexuality studies, youth empowerment & leadership, human rights education, and spirituality and holistic spaces.

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Jiayu Marshall Ji (冀嘉昱) works at Oliver Wyman, Hong Kong. He received a Masters of Public Administration from the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University. His previous experiences range from the private sector to non-governmental organizations, including Roland Berger management consulting, Nestlé, and World Wide Fund for Nature where he worked on strategy building and development in the automobile industry, fast-moving consumer goods, and climate change issues. In his role with the Global Center, he provides strategic insight, planning, adaptation, and evaluation.

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Yasemin is the Virtual Content Manager, Social Emotional Health at the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. She is based in Los Angeles and received her MA in International Educational Development with a specialization in Peace and Human Rights Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Yasemin is passionate about developing and implementing educational programs around the world that foster empathy, creativity, and kindness for humans of all ages.

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Alexandre is a French volunteer specialized in digital marketing. He majored in entrepreneurship and since has been actively working in both business and non-profit project management across Europe, Africa, and Asia. His creativity, knowledge of cross-cultural team management, and dedication to using his marketing knowledge to support non-profit organisation's work is now directed to help the Global Center grow and build great digital assets.

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Nahid is an aspiring changemaker based in Bangladesh. He has been a part of a few feminist organizations as well. He is a literature student and specializes in communications. Nahid wishes to see a better peaceful world to live in where everyone would be accepted regardless of their age, color, religion, or sexuality. He believes everyone has a purpose for their existence and Nahid always tries to contribute to the social movements to be a part of the positive changes. Apart from that, he is passionate about a lot of things (i.e. singing, dancing, cooking, etc).

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Gino is a flight attendant based in Singapore and has travelled to more than 43 countries across the globe, exchanging cultures, lifestyles and different practices, and realised that change needs to take place for a more inclusive world. He graduated with a double major degree in Graphics Design and Multimedia and has 10 years of experience in hospitality and management. He makes custom made costumes designs on the sideline as a way to express his passion for arts and design. He believes that spreading love, pride, resilience and kindness to the world is the key to everyone’s freedom to love.

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Neel is a writer, author, entrepreneur and a human rights activist. He is currently studying at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan with Hospitality and Tourism as major. He has been working for the LGBTQ+ community through his research, writing, poetry and activism. He currently lives in Dhaka, Bangladesh but will soon move to Japan. Neel has great interest in arts, music, blogging and books. He has a small online bookstore and is a skincare and beauty blogger. He has also performed as an actor in a short film on rape culture, bullying and homophobia.

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Pramod is from beautiful landlocked Nepal. He is 26 years old and is currently pursuing a masters degree in business administration at Lincoln University. He is a dance theatre artist who loves to dance as it can be a friend and a powerful means of expressing oneself. In addition to this, Pramod loves modelling and communicating with diverse people from diverse backgrounds. He also believes that the learning process is endless in that we will grow and succeed when we learn.

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Brenna is a "bureaucratic activist" with a career in Human Resources and a focus on organizational equity and inclusion. This includes time with public higher education, Mercy Corps, USAID, and volunteering for various organizations advocating for LGBTIQ, gender, and social justice. They also hold a Masters in Public Administration in HR Management from Portland State University.

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Yiyao is a mental health therapist specializing in work with LGBTQIA+ populations, trauma-focused treatment, and cultural adjustment issues. They graduated from Columbia University with a Master of Science in Social Work, and from Middlebury College with a BA in Psychology. In their spare time, you can find Yiyao shopping at vintage stores, attending fashion shows around the world, practicing different languages while traveling, and writing articles about mental health and LGBTQIA+ rights. Now, you can also see them working at the Global Center to increase diversity and protection of LGBTQIA+ employees’ rights in the corporate world.

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Tonya is the Head of the Electives and Foreign Languages Department at Fusion Academy in Columbia, MD. She earned her BFA in painting from Radford University and has 5 years of experience in education, first teaching in Dhaka, Bangladesh before moving to Baltimore, MD. Tonya is passionate about developing and implementing an inclusive curriculum that promotes diversity and equity in the classroom. In her free time, Tonya works with oil paint and mixed media collage to create art that explores identity and connection.

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Bijan is a recent graduate of American University with a BA in International Studies concentrating in Peace & Conflict Resolution and International Development, as well as a minor in Music Performance. He is currently based in Washington, DC. Bijan is very passionate about youth mentorship and increasing equity within education spaces. In his free time, Bijan loves to listen to music, read books, play the violin, and go to coffee shops around the city.

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Shay is a recent graduate from American University in Washington, D.C. Having double majored in Women’s, Gender & Sexuality studies and African American & African Diaspora studies, the communities & narratives that these subjects focus on are of the utmost importance to Shay. She hopes to soon further her studies by pursuing an MA in Museum Education. Currently based in central Pennsylvania, Shay works as a primary school Library Aide. When not working, Shay enjoys reading, making collages, curating playlists and cuddling up with her cat, Melee.

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Esther is a Master’s Graduate in Women, Peace, and Security at the London School of Economics, specializing in conflict and women’s rights. She is currently a Research Assistant at the IESE Business School’s Department of Strategic Management. She is also a Junior Fellow in the War, Conflict & Global Migration think tank of the Global Research Network, the Editor-in-Chief of the IVolunteer International Writers Council, and the Academic Director of the ITSS Verona Summer School. Beyond this, she was previously a Global Shaper within The World Economic Forum, where she co-founded an NGO seeking to increase diversity in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

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Felipe works in Customer Experience in the travel and telecoms sectors, and is also a Spanish language tutor. Originally from Chile, he has been based in Asia for the past five years, first in Hong Kong and now in Thailand. Felipe has a passion for helping people to understand LGBT issues around the world, and is excited to help drive equality and visibility through volunteer translation work at the Global Center.

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Kerri is a new graduate with a B.A. in International Relations and Women and Gender Studies from Canisius College. She is New York based, and currently works as a Resettlement Case Manager at the International Institute of Buffalo. She is also a proudly open queer woman, and young activist who advocates for women's reproductive rights, justice for sexual assault survivors, and international equality for the LGBTQIA+ community. Throughout her career thus far she has worked to help refugees attain their United States Citizenship, and has been a staff member at Saint Mary’s School for the Deaf. In her free time she enjoys writing, ice skating, and spending quality time with family and friends.

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Initially majored in law and with a master’s in diplomacy and Strategic Negotiations, Joseph managed Bardo, a socio-cultural resto-bar that served as a platform for the LGBTI+ community in Beirut. He started his activism independently as a blogger and online activist, then engaged with LGBTI+ NGOs on awareness and advocacy campaigns as well as fundraisers. He later joined Helem to re-establish their safe space and managed it before pursuing another master’s in Human Rights, Gender and Conflict studies in the Hague. Selected as a Sakharov fellow in 2018, he attended seminars and workshops in the European Parliament in Brussels and the Global Campus for Human Rights in Venice. He also attended the International Summit for Human Rights Defenders in Paris (2018) to help finalize the draft, presented to the UN and adopted later, to protect Human Rights Defenders. He recently moved to France and aims to work within the international legal system to ensure that SOGIESC rights are at the heart of any International Human Rights Law developments, all while helping the community in Lebanon to advance on its rights.

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Dolly holds a BA in Sociology from the Faculty of Arts, Alexandria University, Egypt. During their studies, their research focused on community sustainability and women's rights. After graduation, they interned in journalism, where their research focused on human rights in the Middle East and the causes of violence in the region. They also wrote about art and community development. In 2018, they researched and published articles about female genital mutilation. In addition, they have advocated for the LGBT+ community in Arabic broadcast by hosting individuals to highlight the main issues, and challenges regarding LGBT+ in Egypt and the Middle East.

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Lei is a student at Tallinn University, studying Liberal Arts in Social Sciences. Currently, she is working as an Editor Assistant to IVolunteer International, Storytelling Intern for Miracle Messages, Contributing Writer for Earth.org, and Journalism Intern for propL. She is an aspiring writer/journalist with an interest in mental health and climate change issues, learning musical theater, and playing ukulele in her free time.

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Erin is the grants compliance administrator at the International Institute of Buffalo in Buffalo, NY where she manages compliance for federal, state, and local grants relating to domestic violence and human trafficking. She has experience working in nonprofit, government, and banking sectors bringing an understanding of how funders interact on all levels. Erin has a MA in International Affairs from George Washington University and BA in Political Science, International Relations, German and European Studies from Canisius College. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, talking about food, and playing with her cat, Bagheera.

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Medo was born and raised in a conservative neighborhood in Libya's capital, Tripoli. Seeing his friends get arrested for simply being part of the LGBTQIA+ community set him on a path to fight the systematic injustice of the Libyan legal system. He is a student at the University of Groningen, studying to get a Bachelor in Law which is a first step toward changing the lives of LGBTQIA+ people in Libya. Medo decided to join The Global Center to help spread the message of peace in Arabic-speaking communities.

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Paul received an MA in French and Francophone Studies from Howard University. After working as a French Lecturer at Howard University, Paul continued working in adult education as a French and Francophone cultures instructor at the Foreign Service Institute with the Department of State. In addition to teaching, he developed French language learning modules for diplomats and ambassadors of the United States. Today, Paul works as a Deputy Team Lead for Training and Organizational Effectiveness and participates with other like-minded colleagues in the development of modules pertinent to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, Gender, Sexual Minority, Emotional Intelligence, Safe Spaces, and many other topics related to inclusion and leadership. Paul is a member of GLIFAA (LGBT+ Pride in Foreign Affairs Agencies) and Executive Board Member of the GSM (Gender and Sexual Minority) ERG (Employee Resource Group) at USAID (United States Agency for International Development).

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Jade is a recently graduated French translator with an art history background. She grew up in a multicultural environment and now wishes to travel the world to discover other cultures. An advocate for diversity and inclusion, she believes education is the key to fight against prejudice. She aims to use her skills as a translator to help The Global Center spread awareness about the LGBTI+ community, hoping she will learn and grow along the way.

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Ningtian Sun is originally from China, the mainland. He has been working as a Mandarin teacher in Bangkok for almost five years. Now he is also a PhD student in linguistics. He would like to study different languages and cultures all over the world. Meanwhile, he is eager to work as a Chinese translator in The Global Center to provide professional translation on different issues.

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John is a Taiwanese living in Bangkok who works as a data analyst in the IT field and is also a part-time consultant at Synergy Consulting Group. He speaks fluent English, Mandarin, and a bit of French and Thai. He is happy to join The Global Center to contribute more to the LGBTQ community!

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Camila is a graduate student at the University of Maryland majoring in Translation and Interpretation. She received a BA in Foreign Languages from the University of Puerto Rico where she majored in French and Chinese. From a very young age, Camila has always taken a keen interest in languages and culture. She strives to help The Global Center and the LGBTI+ community through her translation work at the organization, in an effort to achieve its mission of transforming the world through education for LGBTI+ youth. During her free time, she enjoys reading, playing video games, and spending quality time with family and friends.

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Andrew currently working as a Thai tutor while also studying at Thammasat University in the Faculty of Political Sciences, International Relations. He is interested in languages and LGBTQI+ advocacy. Andrew is fluent in English and Thai. He won the National Academic speech contest held by the Faculty of Education, Thai in Chulalongkorn University in 2018.

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Toey is a fourth-year undergraduate student in the Faculty of Humanities, majoring in English and minoring in Translation, at Kasetsart University. She is currently based in Bangkok, Thailand. Toey is proficient in translating and has a passionate interest in gender equality since she is the second runner-up in the Pecha Kucha Presentation on Gender Equality in the 21st century held by the Faculty of Humanities, Kasetsart University. As she has perceived many LGBTI+ issues, especially in Thailand, for a long time, she has a strong passion for turning equality and anything that can enhance the LGBTI+ community into reality not only in Thailand but all over the world.

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Haran (known also as Hassan) got his Bachelor's degree in German and Economics from Silpakorn University in Thailand and currently working as a project assistant for Goethe-Institut, the federal republic of Germany’s Cultural Institute, which promotes the study of German abroad and encourages international cultural exchange. He believes that education is the most important tool to help make our world a more inclusive place. Therefore, Haran would love to take part in a movement to help raise awareness about misconceptions or traditions which could potentially lead to discrimination, stigma, or even aggression in our societies.

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Kenny is the Teen Activist Project Coordinator at the New York Civil Liberties Union – the NYCLU's marquee youth organizing program of nearly two-hundred youth across New York City’s five boroughs. He received an MA in Human Rights Studies from the Institute for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University. His work focuses on research and advocacy for young people and their rights.

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Osvaldinho believes that Design, in addition to its application in the commercial market, should also be used as a tool for social transformation. Working as a freelance brand strategist for global and local enterprises, he designs brands with personality able to create connections with people. Osvaldo received a Graphic Design Degree from the Federal Fluminense Institute in Brazil where he was awarded a scholarship to study Graphic Design, Art Direction, and Motion Graphics at the Savannah College of Art and Design and later got a specialization in Human-Centered Design at the University of California - San Diego.

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Andi is a youth mentor and educator living in the Catskills, New York, USA. They are a teacher and advocate for queer and trans youth in their home community and is taking advantage of their role with the Global Center to expand their impact far and wide. Andi’s professional interests include community engagement and youth mentorship. They hold a BA from Penn State University and an MA from West Chester University as well as a k-12 teaching license.

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Jorge is a young human rights advocate. He studied International Relations at the Tecnológico de Monterrey, and is finalizing a Social Work degree at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. He has collaborated with civil society organizations for the last 6 years, and is the co-founder and current president of DILO Escuelas Incluyentes (www.dilomexico.org), a Mexican organization promoting inclusive policies at schools.