creator. communicator. social worker. activist.

An Open Letter from Ana:

When I was in kindergarten, the only thing I ever got in trouble for was “talking too much.”

Now, people willingly pass me the mic!

With roots in many different corners of the world, as a third culture kid, second-generation immigrant, and co-designer of an interracial and intercultural relationship, I spend a lot of time thinking and talking about culture, connection, and love – just a few of the many things that I find to be so beautiful, messy, and endlessly fascinating about our lived experiences as people sharing this planet.

If this resonates with you, please know you are invited to grow, learn, laugh, and cry along with me. Your support and presence are also so deeply appreciated always.

with love,

ana

Ana’s Journey

Born to Filipino and Chinese parents and raised in Indiana, Ana was dubbed a “bridge-builder” by internationally-acclaimed author Christoph Irmscher upon their first meeting.

Though we wouldn’t trust her with your next construction project, her drive to co-create healthy social environments, while also protecting the physical one we have here on Earth, are two missions in which she excels. At Indiana University, she honed her skills and confidence in research, education, and intercultural communication with a wide variety of professional experience. Notably, she was chosen to engage in DEI work within the university as a Kovener Teaching Fellow, and she was also part of a pro-bono grant writing team serving the sustainability needs of the entire Hoosier state as a McKinney Climate Fellow (her work here didn’t exactly create bridges, but it did pave the way for safer roads across three counties).

While serving as one of Indiana University’s research delegates to the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), she also crafted a research paper on climate change and its impact on mental health that earned her the “Excellence in BSW Research” award for that school year.