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    CIDA / Our Team
    STAFFBOARD & COMMITTEESINTERNS

    Young Seh Bae, Ph.D.

    President/Executive Director

    Founder Dr. Bae is a mother of two young men. One of her sons, Eugene, is a person with a disability. Ever since more

    her son’s diagnosis, she has spent her life fighting for individuals with disabilities and their families. She earned her Ph.D. in special education from the Teachers College at Columbia University, and a MA in Business Education from NYU. She is the former President of KABHA and a faculty member of the Teachers College. Dr. Bae initiated the first parent education programs for Korean-American families with a NYS DDPC grant.

    Kelly Hur

    Assistant Director of Communications

    Kelly Hur is a mom of twin boys and lives in Long Island. Prior to joining CIDA, she worked more

    in kids and family entertainment industry where she found her passion for education and curriculum development.

    Kelly received a Bachelor of Business Administration from The George Washington University and a Master of Arts in Communication from Johns Hopkins University. She will be starting her second master’s degree in special education at St. John’s University in fall 2020.

    Haewa Trakansook

    Intake Specialist

    Haewa Park (Intake Specialist) lives in Queens with her husband and two children.  After having a child more

    with a developmental delay, she participated in CIDA’s parent gatherings and became an active parent leader.  In Korea, she majored in print media and she completed her art history major at Queen’s College in New York.  Haewa has been trained to participate in IEP meetings and learned about special education through CIDA’s Volunteer Advocacy Project (VAP) 2019.  In Fall 2020, she will be starting her Master’s program in social services at Fordham University.

    Joeun Huh

    Operational Manager

    Joeun Huh lives in Long Island with her Mr. Wonderful. She graduated from Tufts University, majored in fine arts,More

    and attended Pratt institute in fine arts for a year.  She has completed a painting certification at the Art Student League of New York.  With a strong background in art and learning, she will assist and show good teamwork at CIDA.

    James Grammer

    Training & Development Specialist

    James Grammer graduated from the University of Maryland in 2013 with a degree in English and is currently earning a more

    Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at City College. He lives in Queens with his husband and has a background in education and social services. James is passionate about serving his community and engaging with students. He is currently writing a novel and is actively engaged with the artistic community in NYC. In his free time, James enjoys watching movies, going to restaurants, and exercising.

    Hisken Ali Isaac

    Career and Job Development Specialist

    Hisken-Ali Isaac is an experienced team leader and social enthusiast, driven by social change more

    /impact as well as personal & professional development. He is from the twin island federation of St.Kitts & Nevis. Hisken takes pride in providing a high-quality level of education, professionalism, and care. He brings several years of experience in management consultation, team building, professional development, strategic implementation, and company collaboration. He believes that through collaboration, success is achieved. Hisken holds a degree in Sociology, with concentrations in Urban Studies and Education from Lehman College CUNY, and he currently resides in Long Island.

    Devin Bae

    HR & Equity Associate

    Devin Bae is a recent graduate of the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. She has been closely  more

    involved with many of CIDA’s projects over the last few years, and is always looking forward to nudging the community in the right direction. She plans to gain experience and knowledge in the human resources department so that she can become experienced in handling all matters of labor and employment in the workplace. She enjoys reading, video games, and anything related to Broadway.

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devin-bae-79bb86165/

    Lyndsey Gillespie

    Program Development Associate

    I am a recent graduate from St John’s University with a degree in Psychology. My goal is to become a clinical child more

    psychologist specifically helping the lives of adolescents and their families. I am to grateful to be working at CIDA having the opportunity to learn more about inclusion and diversity. I love to bake, listen to music, and go on hikes.

    Vanita Narine

    Graphic Designer

    Vanita Narine served previously as the Marketing attended Pace University and holds a Dual Certification in Graphic more

    Design and Web Development, with plans of continuing her studies at Cornell University towards a certificate in Marketing Management and Digital Strategy. Vanita was born and raised in Guyana before relocating to Queens, NY where she currently resides. The most inspiring part of her job is bringing fresh, innovative ideas to developing creative content. In Vanita’s spare time, she enjoys spontaneous road trips.

    Wendy Xia

    Field Associate

    Wendy Xia is a Chinese-American parent who is actively involved in her child’s school and other Chinese parents’ networks more

    in New York City Public Schools in Queens. She speaks mandarin fluently and has a Master’s degree in Economics from Renmin University in China.
    She also has a continuing education credential from Biola University and has received a Certificate in Integrative Counseling in 2018. Her tasks include: reaching out to Chinese parents and schools in Queens, coordinating parent training events, translating and interpreting, training and one-on-one assistant sessions.

    MiJung Kim

    Field Associate

    Mrs. MJ Kim has a son, Willfree, who is a person with a psychiatric diagnosis. She has played a key role in more

    community outreach and developing after-school program resources for the Korean American Alliance for Families with Disabilities (KAAFaD), including the free Taekwondo lesson project for children with disabilities. Formerly, she worked in the advertising department in the New York Korea Times and Family Day Care for a number of years. Mrs. MJ Kim is in charge of family engagement in Queens, NY.
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