I am a child of Japanese and Korean immigrants, born and raised in the Chicagoland area. I am a proud Midwesterner, calling the unceded lands of the Council of Three Fires (Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations) and the Kiikaapoi, Peoria, Miami, and Oceti Šakówiη people my diasporic home.

Currently, I am a Ph.D. student in Feminist Studies at the University of Minnesota in the Department of Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies. I earned an M.Sc. from the UMN School of Kinesiology in 2026, and a B.S. summa sum laude from Northeastern University in Sociology in 2023.

My research interests lie at the intersection of sport studies and Asian American studies, where I aim to explore the meaning-making of Asian diaspora athletes in elite, nationally representative organizations of sport. Rooted in my life context as a former elite athlete, I am interested in how legacies of nationalism impact the political and cultural function of sporting institutions and the athletes that represent them. Through this work, I hope to strengthen the political consciousness of Asian Diaspora athletes and (re)imagine liberatory models of sport.

I am also a coach, working with the Northernettes Synchronized Skating Teams in the Twin Cities as an assistant coach for the Juvenile team. Growing up, I skated for both the Chicago Jazz and the Haydenettes, competing as a US National Team member at the Junior and Senior levels.

Beyond skating, I consider myself a sports fan and appreciate the culture, fashion, politics, and emotions that make being a fan interesting and fun. As someone who grew to love the NBA in Boston, I especially love rooting for the Celtics.