Team — Black China Caucus

U. Mark Akpaninyie

Co-Chief Executive Officer

Mark Akpaninyie is a researcher focusing on China's Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese investment and soft power abroad, and China-Africa relations. He previously worked at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)... Read More

Titilayo Ogundele

Communications Director

Titilayo “Titi” Ogundele is a Open Source Intelligence Analyst/Chinese linguist for the U.S. Department of State where she specializes in threat monitoring. Prior to working at State, Titi has served as a Senior Research Specialist at… Read Mor e

Nataltia Simmons-Thomas

Events Coordinator

Natalia is a Chinese linguist and open source analyst with over four years of experience in analysis and translation of Chinese language sources, including CNKI (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure)… Read More

Alexis Alton

China 101 - Co-Head of Community Strategy

Alexis Alton is a sophomore at Columbia University, majoring in East Asian Studies. Alexis began her study of Mandarin in ninth grade, sparking her interest in Chinese language and cultural studies. She joined BCC in 2023, where she currently… Read More

Dr. Keisha A. Brown

Co-Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Keisha Brown is an assistant professor of history at Tennessee State University in the Department of History, Political Science, Geography, and Africana Studies. She graduated with her bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame… Read More

J. Kirt Smith

Programming Director

Kirt Smith works in the Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division of the Congressional Research Service (CRS)—a unit of the Library of Congress that provides the U.S. Congress with authoritative… Read More

Greyson Mann

Director of Research

Greyson is an international trade professional and is a Government Affairs Manager at the US-China Business Council. He previously served as a Founding Team Member and Assistant Director of Whittle School & Studios’…Read More

Kyle Smith

China 101 - Newsletter Editor

Kyle Smith is a High Point University AmeriCorps VISTA Member. He works on building capacity for World Relief Triad, an Immigrant & Refugee resettlement organization funded by the U.S. Department of State. As a …Read More

Mycal L. Ford

Chief Operating Officer

Mycal Ford is an open source analyst whose focus areas include international illicit finance and tools of economic statecraft. Previously, he worked at the Department of Defense, the CECC, the Center for Advanced Defense Studies… Read More

Tarela Moses

Program Quality Advisor

Tarela Moses is a data analyst and database manager for the Global China Initiative at the Boston University Global Development Policy (GDP) Center. Prior to joining the GDP Center, she worked on… Read More

Marques Kitchen

Events Coordinator

Marques Kitchen attended the Johns Hopkins University for Government, as well as the University of International Business in Beijing, China, for International Relations. He lived in China for seven years working as an educator and…Read More

Avonda S. Fogan

Chief Strategy Officer

Avonda Fogan is the Senior Manager of Corporate Partnerships and Alumni Impact at KIPP Foundation. In her role, she works closely with the KIPP Through College and Development teams to establish partnerships to secure internships for alumni... Read More

Cole Walker

Outreach Coordinator

Cole Walker is working to obtain a Master's Degree in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University as a member of the Schwarzman Scholars program’s 8th cohort. He graduated from Duke University in 2023 with Bachelor… Read More

Cameryn Burnette