Tonya Chen Mezrich, media and public relations expert
Tonya Chen Mezrich is originally from Natchitoches, Louisiana. After a brief stint in Paris—where she derives much of her inspiration for her original jewelry line, Jewel Design By Tonya—she now calls Boston her home. With a degree in French literature and art history from Tufts University and a DMD from Tufts Dental School, this non-practicing dentist writes the Hot Not column for Boston Common Magazine, and was named one of the Boston Globe’s top 25 most stylish people. In her spare time, Tonya is involved with the Animal Rescue League of Boston, the MFA Museum Council, and the Boston Ballet Young Partners group.

Courtney Carlisle, media and public relations expert
After graduating from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN with a BA in Psychology and English, Courtney earned her MA in Communications and began her career in public relations. After more than seven years in marketing and public relations, she opened the doors to Moxie Media Relations, a Los Angeles-based publicity firm that focuses on the environmental, hospitality and tech industries. Prior to opening Moxie, she launched the innovative wireless service, Helio, which brought Korean mobile technology to the US market. Courtney is currently pursuing her PhD and contributes regularly to several media outlets, covering fashion, technology and sustainable practices.

Grace S. Cheng, college counselor
After majoring in applied mathematics and economics at Harvard, Grace S. Cheng was licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts, where she was employed by the professional services firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP. After years as a consultant, Grace turned her focus to higher education and became involved as a virtual instructor on digital media that accompanied five college mathematics textbooks published by Brooks-Cole. Grace holds a Master’s degree in accounting, an MBA, continues to pursue graduate work in education, and is a member of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling.

Jennifer 8. Lee, journalist
Jennifer 8. Lee is a metropolitan reporter at The New York Times,where she has worked for many years. She harbors a deep obsession for Chinese food, the product of which is The Fortune Cookie Chronicles (Twelve, 2008), which explores how Chinese food is all-American. She was born and raised in New York City, attending Hunter College school for 14 years. She majored in applied math and economics at Harvard and then fled to China and spent a year at Beijing University studying international relations. Her parents are from the tiny island off the coast of China variously called Quemoy, Kinmen, or Jinmen.

Justina Chen Headley, novelist
Justina Chen Headley is an award-winning novelist whose debut book, Nothing but the Truth(and a few white lies), won the 2007 Asian Pacific Award for Literature and was named a 2008 ALA Popular Paperback, 2007 IRA Notable Book, and New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. Justina is currently touring with Olympic Gold Medalist Hannah Teter to inspire teens to change the world. She ties community service to every book she publishes, founding readergirlz,the foremost online book community for teen girls. For more information, please visit her official website

Magdalen Hsu-Li, singer-songwriter
Magdalen Hsu-Li is an internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter, painter, and cultural activist who is redefining the female musician and smashing the ceiling in the American music industry. Born in a small southern town into one of a handful of Asian families, Magdalen experienced extreme racism and prejudice on a daily basis while battling cross-cultural conflicts and a rare disability (Tourette’s syndrome). She shattered all adversities and channeled her harsh beginnings into the positive, uplifting, and electrifying force she is today, achieving international and critical renown on both stage and canvas.

Margaret Kimura, makeup artist
Margaret has 28 years of experience in the entertainment and fashion world as a teacher, a businesswoman, an author, and a beauty guru. Her celebrity clientele includes Lisa Ling, Audrey Hepburn, Josh Harnett, Josh Duschmel, Kirsten Dunst, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. She has developed makeup lines for Estee Lauder and iNouvi and recently started her own makeup line, Margaret Kimura Cosmetics. She is the founder of theMKC Beauty Academy of Hollywood and is the author of the book Asian Beauty. See Margaret’s full biography here.

Ping Lin, web designer, photographer
Ping came to the States when she was 15. After graduating from high school in Los Angeles and adjusting to the language barrier and culture shock, she attended Boston University majoring in Graphic Design. She caught on to the internet boom and freelanced in web media as a designer after college before returning to graduate school to study in Interactive Telecommunications at NYU. She has been working at Ogilvy & Mather as art director for five plus years and has 10 years of experience in the interactive field. Ping is also an avid street photographer and plans to pursue this interest more seriously in the very near future. Her flickr is here; don’t forget to say hi while you’re there.